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Ride-hailing services to begin operating in upstate New York by June 29

Ride-hailing services to begin operating in upstate New York by June 29

Uber and Lyft will be allowed to operate in upstate New York before the Fourth of July weekend. Emily Gnat | The Daily Orange

New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill Monday night that will allow ride-hailing companies to begin operating in upstate New York by June 29.

The regulations moved up implementation of ride-hailing services by 10 days, according to a press release. Ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft will be available to use by the Fourth of July weekend.

New regulations include requirements for ride-hailing apps. Apps must display a photo of the driver, the make, model and color of the vehicle and the vehicle’s license plate number.

People looking to be drivers for ride-hailing services must be at least 19 years old with a valid driver’s license issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles. They must also pass a criminal background check before being a licensed ride-hailing driver.

Regulations don’t only extend to ride-hailing services. The New York state DMV must create a process for consumer complaints, and implement policy procedure for how to process violations. The department is also charged with handling a License Event Notification System, which tracks and reports any traffic violations and license activity including revocation and suspension.

Ride-hailing companies are required to have a $1.25 million vehicle liability insurance whenever a passenger is in the vehicle. They are also required to have anti-discrimination policies for all passengers, including those with disabilities who may need vehicles with accommodations.

The New York State Senate passed legislation allowing ride-hailing companies to operate outside of New York City in February.