Ride hailing services are set to launch this afternoon in Birmingham. Uber has confirmed that users should be able to hail rides from their smartphones beginning at 4 p.m. This comes after more than a year-and-a-half of sometimes tense negotiations between Uber and the city.
Ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft let people use smartphone apps to book and pay for rides.
“I gotta learn what they do and how this works and try to be a good provider of service in the community,” says Michael Adelsperger, a long-time transportation professional. He says he’s ready to attract new customers. Adelsperger went to city hall Tuesday morning to pay his $30 for a business license, something the city will require of all Uber drivers.
Adelsperger has driven for local companies like Yellow Cab and Birmingham Metro Cab, and now runs his on transportation company. He’s hopeful Uber will help him make more money.
“I talked to other operators in other areas where it’s gone in. Some it’s hurt, and some it’s not bothered at all. We’ll just have to see how it plays out here in Birmingham,” Adelsperger says.
Hoover resident and newly-minted Birmingham Uber driver John Obert finished his paperwork today. He hopes to drive his first customers this evening. Obert thinks Uber will be good for drivers and for the city’s economy.
“I think businesses are going to see a tangible return in people trying more places,” says Obert. “I think people would go to one bar or one or two places. Well, now they’ve got a chance to take a ride to another part of town if you want to try something else out,” says Obert.
Earlier this month, the Birmingham City Council approved revisions to the city’s transportation code allowing ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft to operate in the city. Officials have said they plan to reevaluate the ordinance in six months. Birmingham officials had been discussing regulations and whether to allow ride-hailing companies for more than a year.
City officials granted Uber its local business license this week.
Additional reporting provided by the Associated Press.