1Urging the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to investigate
2consumer transportation needs and approve experimental
3licenses for mobile-based ridesharing services in cities of
4the second class.

5WHEREAS, Citizens in the City of Pittsburgh have long been
6frustrated with available transportation services and are
7actively seeking reliable, safe and affordable transportation
8alternatives to better serve their needs; and

9WHEREAS, This demand for alternative transportation options
10has opened the door for fresh and innovative ridesharing
11companies, like Uber and Lyft, to fill the vacancy left by
12existing taxi services in Pittsburgh; and

13WHEREAS, Through a mobile telephone application, ridesharing
14companies can quickly connect riders to drivers by using
15smartphone technologies, an innovative business model that adds
16competition and more choices for consumers in a market currently
17dominated by a few transportation service providers; and

18WHEREAS, Consumers have been so welcoming to this new type of
19transportation service that one mobile-based ridesharing company

1is reporting that its business in Pittsburgh is growing faster
2than in any other city where its service is made available; and

3WHEREAS, Pennsylvania laws and regulations require for-fee
4transportation services to obtain a certificate of public
5convenience from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, but
6nontraditional companies, such as mobile-based ridesharing
7services, must be approved for an experimental license; and

8WHEREAS, While mobile-based ridesharing companies operating
9in Pittsburgh have filed applications for experimental licenses
10to operate safely and legally within the city, the companies
11have yet to receive approval from the Pennsylvania Public
12Utility Commission due to numerous contests filed by
13transportation competitors; and

14WHEREAS, Approving experimental licenses and adopting
15regulations that enable new transportation companies to operate
16in this Commonwealth will provide for greater innovation and
17growth, introduce more competition in the transportation
18services market and, most importantly, meet the needs of
19Pennsylvania's consumers; therefore be it

20RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives encourage the
21Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to evaluate inadequacies
22in existing transportation services and adopt regulations that
23welcome market competition to meet the transportation needs of
24consumers in cities of the second class; and be it further

25RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the
26Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to approve applications
27for experimental licenses submitted by mobile-based ridesharing
28companies that are operating in cities of the second class.