TAGS
Finally, there is some good news for New Jersey uberX drivers on the legal front. The New Jersey legislature has proposed legislation to regulate (i.e. legalize) Transportation Network Companies (TNCs).
From the driver’s perspective this is great news because most of us don’t like the fact that we are currently breaking the law . And we don’t like playing hide and seek or cat and mouse with police officers at the airport or the Hoboken PATH station.
Currently drivers are subject to a $2,500 fine for the first offense and a $5,000 fine for the second offense, for “operating a limousine without a license issued by a municipality”. While most drivers would surely not mind getting the required license, the current law doesn’t include a way for independent contractors of Uber to get such a license. Currently New Jersey law requires that you be employed and sponsored by a limousine company in order to get the license.
The new proposed law however, looks like it will provide a way around this requirement by allowing drivers to apply directly to the Motor Vehicle Commission for a chauffeur endorsement (something we cannot currently do). That’s good news for drivers! It means if the law is passed it will be relatively easy for us to get the proper licensing and endorsements so we can finally operate completely legally in the state. It also means that once licensed, we would be able to acquire the proper insurance, and no longer have to worry about what happens if we get into an accident by way of having to report it to our personal insurance carriers before Uber can cover it with its insurance policy.
The proposed law states that drivers will have to pay the costs of all background checks by the MVC prior to issuance of the license, which means we’ll probably be hit up for a few hundred dollars.
The text of the proposed law can be found And you can subscribe to updates when action is taken on the law .
.
