Uber, Lyft to officially launch on LI Thursday

<p>The New York state Department of Motor Vehicles announced Wednesday that statewide ride-sharing services provided by Uber and Lyft will begin on Thursday.&nbsp;</p>

News 12 Staff

Jun 28, 2017, 9:37 PM

Updated 2,658 days ago

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The New York state Department of Motor Vehicles announced Wednesday that statewide ride-sharing services provided by Uber and Lyft will begin on Thursday. 
Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation to expedite the implementation of the measure by 10 days to allow ride sharing over the Fourth of July weekend.
As part of the new state standards, companies will have to provide vehicle liability insurance for $1.25 million whenever a passenger is being driven and companies must provide workers compensation coverage for their drivers.
Nassau and Suffolk counties have chosen not to opt out of the new state standards, but the taxi and livery car industry continues to lobby lawmakers to do so. 
They argue that the new state law ignores safety concerns and allows the companies to conduct the background checks for their drivers. Taxi drivers are subject to governmental screening and licensing.
Both Uber and Lyft are offering ride discounts to celebrate their official Long Island launch.