You could say Charles McCann is the prototypical Uber driver: He has a day job managing a storage facility and gives rides in his spare time. Since the company began operating in Mobile recently, McCann, 68, has raked in about $391 during more than 30 trips. And he doesn't want his new line of work to disappear.

A committee of the Mobile City Council will examine next week an amendment that could allow driver's like McCann, who work for so-called "transportation network companies," to operate legally in Mobile. But in the meantime, there's little certainty about where Uber drivers fall in existing law.

"I don't mind doing whatever they want us to do, really," McCann said Friday from the driver seat of his beige-colored Buick LaCrosse. "I would hate for them to throw us out now because I've (started) going."

Uber representatives say communities simply need to catch up with innovation, and some existing transportation companies -- shuttle services, taxis and limousines -- believe they're both one and the same. Councilmembers will begin parsing the difference at the public safety committee meeting, which was moved one week earlier than planned, on June 23 at 3 p.m.

But the Uber cars remain unmarked and roaming city streets. That fact has already irritated some nerves.

On its website, the company said Friday that it will make all Uber rides free "for the short term" to demonstrate its willingness to create new rules in Mobile.

An amendment to city law, creating a distinction for companies like Uber and Lyft, which operate primarily through smartphone apps, was introduced this week.

During a June 11 press conference, Mayor Sandy Stimpson said the law he sponsored with Councilman Levon Manzie would allow Uber to operate "in a manner that is safe, convenient and best serves the citizens of our city." Peace offerings aside, some council members feel the company has already chosen to skirt municipal law.

An email exchange revealed a rift between the mayor's office and some council members concerning Uber's operations without council approval. The mayor's office has said that the company is operating pending approval of the ordinance changes, a model that's been done in several cities before. And if the law doesn't pass, they'll consider regulating them like all other vehicles for hire.

An attorney representing Mobile Bay Transportation Company has called into question the practice, sending a sternly-worded letter to the City Council and its attorney; the mayor, police chief and city attorney.

In the letter provided to AL.com, attorney Jarrod White said the company owned by state Rep. Margie Wilcox, R-Mobile, could "immediately go to court and obtain a temporary restraining order against Uber and its drivers" putting a stop to their operation. "However, we see litigation as a last resort and are not going to take such action at this time."

Negotiating elsewhere

If past examples are any indication for what the debate could be like, then the outcome could go one way or the other. Uber says it operates in more than 300 cities around the world.

There have been some successful regional examples in cities like New Orleans, Chattanooga, Tenn. and Pensacola, Fla. But for every one of those, there are some not-so-positive cases like the outcomes in Tuscaloosa, Auburn and Birmingham.

As the chair of the transportation and communications committee, Councilwoman Kim Rafferty led negotiations with Uber in Birmingham. They were careful, she said in a recent interview, about altering their code as so much about the digital ride-hailing business model is still unknown.

"We decided instead of saying yes or no and starting to modify our code...what we could do is define them as a transportation company and define their drivers as taxis drivers," Rafferty said.

Representatives for both Uber and Lyft, she said, would later say the law was too "antiquated" and "cumbersome" for them to operate in Alabama's largest city. That was almost one year ago.

"We invited them in. They said no," Rafferty said. "We passed the definitions; never heard from them again."

Mobile wants to be the exception, the mayor has said, finding a way to let them in. Many Mobile council members, too, have expressed a willingness to keep an open mind and consider all the facts.

Drivers in Mobile

Kaitlin Durkosh, an Uber spokesperson, said the company has "dozens of local drivers partnering" with it, but declined to give a precise number. In an email, Durkosh said she could not divulge the number of rides completed in Mobile either.

Durkosh said: "...what I can tell you is that we've seen an overwhelmingly positive response from residents and visitors of Mobile."

At least one of those drivers is McCann, who was trolling for rides early Friday. Many of his trips so far have been around downtown Mobile; but also trips to the airport and one woman who needed a ride to the courthouse after her car gave out earlier Friday morning.

McCann said he signed up to be a driver months ago, but wasn't sure of the city's prospects. "I finally gave up. I figured they'll never get in Mobile, either the cab lobby is too tough or Mobile doesn't want them," McCann said.

He forget about them, until about two weeks ago when he got a call from Uber. McCann said they told him they were close to a launch and asked if he was ready to drive. "And I did it," he said, "and I've never met any of them. I just get with them on email."

Update: This story was updated June 19, 2015 at 8:09 p.m. to include information that Uber will give free rides temporarily.