Palm Beach County Commissioners will vote Tuesday on whether they should allow Uber to continue operating on a temporary basis until the state weighs in on the issue.
Uber is allowed to operate in Palm Beach County under a Temporary Operating Agreement (TOA) that expires March 31, 2016 or when the Governor signs any legislation that regulates ride-sharing companies like Uber.
The county originally planned to extend the TOA to Sept. 30, 2016. Taxi companies were upset they would get so much time before a final decision is made in Palm Beach County.
The county has now revised its plan and is pushing to only extend the TOA until April 30, 2016 or until the Governor signs a new law related to companies like Uber.
The county feels the timeframe should be extended since there are legislative issues pending in Tallahassee. Commissioners have publicly stated they hope the state weighs in on this contentious issue. That has not happened the last few years.
Lyft is also requesting to operate in Palm Beach, and the Commissioners will also vote on a TOA for that ridesharing app at Tuesday's meeting.
Taxi companies, which are heavily regulated by the county, have long opposed allowing Uber and Lyft to operate without the same regulations. They feel consumers are not protected with these temporary deals since the ridesharing apps don't face the same federal background checks and insurance requirements.
The vote will take place during the County Commission's regular meeting Tuesday morning.
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