City delays deadline as it plans online application system for Uber, Lyft drivers

With City Hall still closed for business due to the coronavirus pandemic, the City of Spokane is extending the deadline for taxi and rideshare drivers to renew their licenses.

The bulk of for-hire driver licenses are set to expire on Oct. 31, but drivers are currently unable to renew them in person.

The city is working to set up an online application and payment system, but that’s expected to take several more months.

The city licenses about 600 rideshare and taxi drivers, who pay a $55 annual fee to the city, under regulations adopted by the City Council in 2018.

The City Council passed an ordinance last month that made several minor changes to the way the city licenses drivers for companies like Lyft and Uber.

Previously, all licenses expired on Oct. 31, but they will now expire one year from the date they were issued.

But with so many licenses still set to expire on Oct. 31 and the online application system not yet ready, city CFO Tonya Wallace told the city council on Thursday that it has opted to extend the deadline to June 30, 2021.

“We anticipate another three months to bring it online, but we added a little bit of a cushion … in case we’re not quite ready in three months,” Wallace said.

Drivers will still have to pay for the months they are licensed, Wallace said, on a prorated basis. But Councilman Michael Cathcart questioned how much revenue the city would lose if it forgave fees during the delay period.

“I wonder if there’s an opportunity to forgive some or all of this delay,” Cathcart said. “I know those for-hire drivers are struggling right now.” Wallace also acknowledged that the city is experiencing delays in processing license applications for new for-hire drivers, since it can only be done through the mail.

“Not having the online tool is not ideal,” Wallace said.

Licensed for-hire drivers will be informed of the deadline extension in a letter from the city.