I'd like to clear up some misinformation about the ordinance that Minneapolis City Council Member Jacob Frey introduced to regulate transportation networking companies like Lyft and UberX. As someone who doesn't own a car and uses ride-sharing regularly, I cannot stress enough how important these new forms of transportation are for Minneapolis and St. Paul. I am a constituent of Council Member Abdi Warsame and applaud his work to investigate new ways to regulate ride-sharing that are specific to this innovative technology.

While there are still some issues with the ordinance that need to be addressed, Minneapolis can be a leader in developing safety-first regulations that protect riders without placing unnecessary barriers on those wanting to become drivers. In other cities, regulators have proposed legislation eliminating rides for those who rely on them and financially crippling thousands of drivers.

The city should embrace ride-sharing to diversify transportation options and to improve public safety for the people of Minneapolis, and I want to thank Frey for leading the way on the council to keep ride-sharing in our city.

Tom Johnson, Minneapolis