City Panel Cracks Down On Rideshare Price-Gouging

(CBS) — A City Council Committee has given preliminary approval to a measure that would limit so-called “surge pricing” by ridesharing companies during emergencies.

WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports from City Hall.

When the CTA shut down service on the Brown, Red and Purple lines for a few hours earlier this month, people who used the Uber and Lyft to get to work were hit with fares from 3 ½ times to 5 ½ times normal.

Ald. Anthony Beale called that a travesty. The ridesharing companies later offered refunds, but the Transportation Committee chair sponsored an ordinance limiting surge pricing to 1/5 times normal during “unforeseen emergencies.”

The measure would also require rideshare drivers to submit to fingerprinting, but that has been the subject of much debate and a study was undertaken.

So far, there’s been no report.