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LE ROY PENNYSAVER & NEWS - DECEMBER 25, 2016
Senator Ranzenhofer’s Monthly Column:
December 2016
It’s time to give the green light to ridesharing services in Western New York
As family members and
friends travel to Western New York
to celebrate this holiday season,
they will be surprised, and even
shocked, to find out that our com-
munity doesn’t have ridesharing
services.
In fact, Buffalo is the
only National Football League
and National Hockey League
city where ridesharing services
are not offered to fans. Recently,
one NHL official declared this as
“laughable” and “prehistoric.”
On the eve of Thanksgiv-
ing this year, more than 43,000 Up-
state residents opened their Uber app
and discovered it is not possible to
request an UberX.
It’s time to give the
green light to Uber and Lyft in
Upstate New York. Offering
this new service is another
transportation
option
for
consumers that is safe, reliable and
affordable.
Right now, ridesharing
services are only allowed in New
York City, while Upstate New
York has been left behind. Enact-
ing legislation to allow transporta-
tion network companiesto operate
throughout the entire state, not just
downstate, is one of my top legislative
priorities.
Earlier this year, I
co-sponsored
and
voted
for
legislation in the State Senate
to expand ridesharing services
to Upstate New York. Unfortu-
nately, the bill was not approved
before
the
2016
Legislative
Session adjourned in mid-June de-
spite the support of numerous orga-
nizations and individuals.
Regional chambers of
commerce, including the Buffalo
Niagara Partnership and Rochester
Business Alliance, are backing the
proposal. In addition, mayors from
cities all across Upstate– Buffalo,
Rochester, Binghamton, Syracuse,
Albany, Utica and Ithaca– have ad-
vocated for the measure.
One of the founding or-
ganizations of the NY Needs Uber
Coalition is Mothers Against Drunk
Driving. According to a study con-
ducted by Temple University, cities
with Uber have fewer drunk driving
deaths than cities without the trans-
portation service.
Uber and Lyft would also
have a positive impact on our Upstate
economy by creating jobs and helping
local businesses. Uber has estimated
as many as 13,000 new jobs could be
created in one year. According to an
economic report by Lyft, almost half
of its passengers spend more money,
because of the transportation service,
at local businesses.
Last week, I started an on-
line petition to urge Governor Cuomo
and my colleagues in the State Leg-
islature to adopt legislation to bring
ridesharing to Western New York. I
encourage residents to consider
signing the petition at my website,
ranzenhofer.nysenate.gov.
Working together, we
can ensure that next year, when our
friends and family return again,
they’ll be surprised for a different
reason: Western New York finally has
Uber and Lyft.
I hope that you and your
family have a happy holiday season,
and I wish you a happy, healthy and
prosperous New Year!
Happy New Year
best wishes to all!
Thank you so much for your patronage
Mike Darby's Paint & Patch
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