The state Senate is set to vote Thursday on regulations for ride-sharing companies such as Uber and Lyft.

A Lyft car drives crosses Market Street in San Francisco
A Lyft car drives crosses Market Street in San Francisco (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
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State Sen. Joe Kyrillos, R-Monmouth, co-sponsor of the ride-sharing bill, says, "we want to make sure that there is a uniform set of rules and regulations."

The other co-sponsor is state Sen. Paul Sarlo, D-Bergen.

Kyrillos says when you have local cities and towns in Jersey passing their own regulations for ride-sharers, it is not helpful.

"We want to make sure that there is a uniform set of rules and regulations. We want to make sure that we have safe drivers, and we have people who have their backgrounds checked out."

The state Senate bill (S-2179) will require driver background checks, insurance to cover drivers and passengers and other safety provisions.

The measure is being supported by the ride-share companies, which prefer uniform standards to the piecemeal regulations adopted by individual municipalities.

"If you get to any airport in America and you get in an Uber car, but you cannot do that in Newark, N.J., at Liberty International Airport," Kyrillos said. "That is not a good thing."

Kyrillos says his bill will keep everybody happy, including the companies and their customers.

"This will include a State Police background check and make sure that we have a consistent, uniform methodology."

He says they also will make sure that there is job security and all of the people who have an Uber app on their phone will be very happy about that, because it means that it is going to stay and be alive and well.

An Assembly version of the bill was not as warmly received by the companies. Kyrillos says differences will be worked out.

Joe Cutter is the afternoon news anchor on New Jersey 101.5. Contact him at Joe.Cutter@townsquaremedia.com

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