Prince George’s County Council’s Transportation Committee voted in favor of a proposal last week to impose a 25-cent surcharge on rides using Uber, Lyft, and other similar ride-sharing services. The proposal could be discussed by the full Council next month.

As reported by the Washington Post,

Under the proposed bill, the funds would be used to pay for costs associated with the purchase, operation, and maintenance of county buses, including increased bus frequency and new or expanded bus routes in underserved areas of the county. The money also would be used to increase the number of taxis equipped to provide service for people with disabilities by providing funds to retrofit taxicabs or purchase new accessible ones.

If approved by the County Council, Prince George’s will join the District of Columbia and Montgomery County in assessing a fee on ride-share operators. Legislation that passed during the 2015 General Assembly session created a regulatory framework for these operators, defined in the legislation as transportation network operators (TNO). The legislation also authorized local jurisdictions to impose an assessment on TNOs operating within the jurisdictions.

More information on the legislation that passed last session to regulate transportation network operators can be found on Conduit Street.