Uber Rides to Continue in Our Home State

Governor Nikki Haley signed a law recently that will continue the use of the Uber ride app for South Carolinians.

Uber, a phone app that connects riders to drivers, was established in 2009. The point of the app is to link up those who need a ride with those who can provide the service. Using your phone’s GPS, Uber uses your location to alert the closest driver to you for immediate pick up. The app also allows you to pay via credit card prior to your riding arriving for those who rarely carry cash.

Although the Uber South Carolina service has been active since July of last year, it was under a type of temporary license that was going to expire on June 30^th.

However, now that the Uber law has been passed, South Carolina can continue to use this service. The app doesn’t employ drivers, it merely provides a GPS and database for rides that are closest to where you are.

The new law will set certain insurance requirements and regulations for “transportation network companies”— not specifically naming Uber. Network companies, such as Uber, will be required to pass a 19-point safety inspection and have something on their vehicles that will identify them as transportation network companies. Riders are not permitted to pay cash or flag Uber rides down on the street. All correspondences should be made through the app making the service as smoothly as possible.

South Carolina is the 21^st state to join those that have already passed laws similar to this.