Uber and Lyft rides could soon get more expensive in Seattle. The Seattle City Council is considering nearly doubling the minimum fare per ride for rideshare companies.
City Council President Bruce Harrell plans to introduce a resolution that will establish new regulations for ridesharing companies.
Harrell says he wants to make sure drivers are compensated fairly and changing the minimum base fare from $1.35 to $2.40 per ride would level the playing field for taxi drivers and for-hire drivers.
“The companies do not have to pass that on to the consumers, so it’s disingenuous for companies to say we are raising the rates. What we are doing is establishing a minimum amount, and the companies can absorb that,” Harrell said.
But not all drivers are convinced this would be a good thing. One driver KING 5 spoke with fears more expensive rides doesn't mean they'll make more money.
“I have two fears. One, that it will cut the number of riders enough that I don't make the same amount of money I make now,” Michael Wolfe, a Seattle Uber driver explained. “The other fear is that Uber will view that as not sustainable and will close the app and we'll be out of work.”
Uber plans to fight the proposal.
