To: Governor John Bel Edwards, Senate President John Alario, and Speaker of the House Taylor Barras:
Louisiana is a state on the move. We need options when it comes to transportation, no matter where we are in Louisiana. But while people in our neighboring states -- in both cities big and small -- can simply tap a button and get a ride, we are left stranded.
More than 40 states across the country have a statewide ridesharing framework, but Louisiana’s patchwork of regulations means that some of us can get rides when we need them and others cannot. Whether we’re heading to work, the airport, or getting home from a night out, we need access to reliable rides in every community.
Ridesharing can help reduce drunk driving by offering a reliable alternative to getting behind the wheel after a night out, and the technology of these apps allows a focus on safety in ways that have never been possible before.
Furthermore, ridesharing in itself is an economic driver. Rideshare empowers people to earn additional income on a flexible schedule while also helping residents and visitors reach more local businesses everyday.
The current patchwork of regulations leaves drivers confused and often unable to efficiently pick up and drop off passengers once they cross a city or parish line. This means drivers are not earning as much as they could, and passengers in many suburban and rural communities have no rideshare options at all.
For the second time in as many years, legislation that would pave the way for rideshare services to expand throughout all of Louisiana was blocked in the State Senate after overwhelmingly passing in the House of Senators. We urge you to listen to your constituents and flip the script this next legislative session.
Louisianians should have the same access to new technologies and transportation options as residents of neighboring states. A single set of statewide rules for ridesharing companies in Louisiana can help keep rides reliable, create more economic opportunities, and expand access to transportation options.
It’s long past time to get this done. We urge you to support and pass one clear set of rules that will bring ridesharing to all of our communities.