Police chief: Lyft, Uber still not legal in San Antonio

Lyft drivers listen to Luis Gonzalez of the marking firm OCI Group, as he tells them about the prodceedures for the City Council Public Safety Committe hearing on the rideshare debate. Lyft drivers listen to Luis Gonzalez of the marking firm OCI Group, as he tells them about the prodceedures for the City Council Public Safety Committe hearing on the rideshare debate. Photo: Robin Jerstad Photo: Robin Jerstad Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close Police chief: Lyft, Uber still not legal in San Antonio 1 / 20 Back to Gallery

SAN ANTONIO — Although a task force will be formed to study how, or if, ridesharing companies Lyft and Uber can legally operate in San Antonio, the police chief said Wednesday in the meantime, the city will continue to enforce its vehicle-for-hire ordinance, which prohibits those companies from operating.

Addressing the City Council Public Safety Committee, Police Chief William McManus also said the police department's Ground Transportation Unit might impound the vehicles of Lyft and Uber drivers if they are caught operating a chauffer or taxi-like service without a city permit.

So far, the city has cited 10 Lyft and Uber drivers for operating illegally.

Leandre Johns, general manager of Uber in San Antonio, also confirmed Wednesday that the company started charging passengers in the last week and a half or so. Previously, Lyft and Uber representatives have said they will not charge passengers in order to avoid violating the city ordinance.

Lyft and Uber connect nonprofessional drivers with passengers looking for a ride via smartphone apps. They contend existing vehicle-for-hire rules should not apply to them because they say they provide a technology service that connects people, rather than a transportation operation.

The city disagrees. The chief sent Lyft a cease-and-desist letter in late March, shortly after the company launched operations in San Antonio. A similar letter will soon be sent to Uber, McManus said Wednesday.

For more about this developing story, check with expressnews.com and read about it in Thursday's edition of the Express-News.

vdavila@express-news.net

Twitter: @viannadavila