Ducey ceremonially signs ride-share bill

Uber and Lyft drivers gathered in force at the state Capitol Wednesday to support Gov. Doug Ducey's ceremonial signing of House Bill 2135, which overhauls rules for ride-sharing businesses.

Several dozen Lyft drivers, clad in neon-pink and carrying glow-in-the dark versions of the company's signature pink mustaches, stood with the more somberly-attired Uber drivers, who were wearing gray, to applaud the regulation of their businesses.

The new law requires that ride-sharing drivers, like taxi drivers, must now have $250,000 of liability insurance while a passenger is in the vehicle.

It requires companies to perform criminal background checks on drivers and to conduct vehicle inspections. It also sets a zero-tolerance policy for drug and alcohol use by drivers.

To the drivers who are part of an Arizona fleet that spokemen say number at least 10,000, Ducey's signature legitimizes them.

"It's a progression into a new era ," said Lyft driver Eric Isp, 26, of Phoenix. "You don't have to worry about getting cited any more."

Mia Washington, 33, a Lyft driver since December, said the ceremony spells better business.

"It means more people are going to use it," Washington said. "A lot more people will feel safer to ride with Lyft."

Ducey signed the bill in early April but scheduled a ceremonial signing at the state Capitol Wednesday.

"I think it's pretty cool when ... new technology grows our economy and changes the way we live," he said at the ceremonial signing. "We should do everything in our power to make ride-share businesses succeed.''

After the bill was signed into law last month, Steve Thompson, general manager of Uber AZ, said, "With the signing of this bill, Arizona now has a regulatory framework to call Uber home in Arizona."

According to Uber, the law means drivers as well as customers will no longer have to question if they're doing something wrong by ride-sharing around the valley.

Uber said this law makes Arizona the ninth state to have ride-sharing guidelines.

The so-called Uber bill was one of the more contentious of last year's legislative session and was ultimately vetoed by then Gov. Jan Brewer.

Sean Kelly, 53, has an 11-year-old son and another job, but the driving he does for Uber is welcome income that he can earn at his own pace.

"The freedom of the job allows you to turn on and off when you like," said Kelly, of Phoenix.

Judith Miller, 69, a U.S. Army veteran, said she recently hit the 4,000-trip milestone after 14 months in her new job of Uber driver.

"Each day I look forward to the greatest job I've ever had," Miller said. To the other drivers, she said, "Uber on!"