RULING: California Says Uber Drivers are Employees. National Limousine Association President Responds.

The NLA Supports the Rights of the American Worker

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Jun 18, 2015, 09:17 ET

LOS ANGELES, June 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Amid pressure from drivers demanding fair treatment from ride-hailing services (such as Uber, Lyft and Sidecar), the California Labor Commission has ruled that an Uber driver must be classified as an employee, not an independent contractor. The National Limousine Association (http://limo.org) ardently supports this position and believes it sets a vital precedent for ride-hailing services and the "sharing economy" as a whole.

Ride Responsibly is an initiative established by the National Limousine Association to enlighten and inform the public at large, in an effort to ensure safer ground transportation. The campaign will bridge an industry-wide gap between the rights of passengers and the responsibility of service providers.

In response to the recent ruling by the California Labor Commission, President of the National Limousine Association (NLA), Gary Buffo states, "The NLA is very pleased with the fair and balanced ruling issued by the California Labor Commission. The NLA is committed to upholding universal standards and best practices for all companies that employ drivers for private transportation. It is crucial for state and local governments to develop proactive legislation as our industry continues to evolve and the market expands. The NLA commends the state of California. It is our belief that all ground transportation providers, including ride-hailing services, perform under the same basic guidelines."

The NLA recently launched a campaign called Ride Responsibly™ (http://www.rideresponsibly.org), as a direct response to the alarming number of ride-hailing incidents reported in the media on a seemingly daily basis. Ground transportation providers have a fundamental responsibility to protect their passengers. Classifying ride-haling drivers as independent contractors (AKA "third party providers") rather than employees releases the operator (Uber, Lyft, etc.) from liability in the event of an accident or incident caused by the driver. A major initiative of Ride Responsibly™ is to safeguard both passengers and drivers by calling attention to the basic responsibilities of service providers.

The new ruling reflects the commitment of the Ride Responsibly™ campaign by demonstrating the need for universal standards and best practices for car service passengers, drivers and operators.

ABOUT THE NLA:

The National Limousine Association is a non-profit organization responsible for and dedicated to representing the interests of the private driver transportation industry at the global, national, state, and local level. It is the unified voice of this industry – linking transportation industry professionals from owners and operators to suppliers, manufacturers, regional and state limousine associations. With more than 2,000 NLA members, the Association is committed to exceeding expectations with regards to professionalism, transportation efficiency and safe riding.

For additional information on the NLA, please visit www.limo.org.

ABOUT RIDE RESPONSIBLY™:

The Ride Responsibly™ campaign is an unprecedented effort to bridge an industry-wide gap between the rights of passengers and the responsibilities of service providers. The campaign establishes best safety practices for prearranged car services and transportation network companies (TNCs), which include ride-hailing app car services, such as Lyft, Sidecar, Uber and Whisk. This initiative by the National Limousine Association is designed to help address growing public concern and provide a forum for all to voice their views on the ground transportation industry. The program focuses on educating both service providers and the public about regulations, legislation and best practices within the industry. The goal is to empower and inform the public at large, and drivers and operators alike with the necessary tools to Ride Responsibly™.

For additional information on Ride Responsibly™, please visit www.rideresponsibly.org.

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SOURCE National Limousine Association