DENVER — A new survey is asking Coloradans to share their experiences with rideshares to gain insight into what might make the trips safer for both passengers and drivers.
The survey comes after a Colorado lawmaker spearheaded legislation earlier this year aimed at imposing specific regulations on rideshares — a bill that Governor Jared Polis vetoed in May.
"It had bipartisan support and pretty impressive margins coming out of the legislature," said State Representative Jenny Willford (District 34 - D). "It was increased background checks, the option to be able to say that you wanted audio and video recording while you were in the vehicle, and a requirement that there not be food or beverage offered to a rider or to a driver.”
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House Bill 25-1291 was introduced to the legislature after Willford came forward and shared her personal connection to the policy.
"I was sexually assaulted by a Lyft driver in front of my home last February," Willford said. "I'm starting to have more good days than bad days, which is great. What's been really nice is this summer, I've been able to spend a lot of time with my kids and with my husband and traveling, and just trying to get to know the person that I am on the other side of the sexual assault.”
Willford sees the survey as an opportunity for both feedback and critical data about rideshares to be collected, while also learning more about how Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) are regulated in Colorado.
"I think it's probably safe to assume that nobody knows what the Public Utilities Commission is, and if they do know, they probably assume that the PUC is connected to Xcel Energy, because they do a lot of work in that space," Willford said. “The Public Utilities Commission oversees a lot of different industries beyond just utilities. They also oversee taxis as well as Transportation Network Companies like Uber and Lyft. What they have done is put together a survey where members of the public can engage and they can share their experiences of using rideshare — what went well and what went wrong, and if it went wrong, what? What in particular do they think could have improved their experience or kept them safer?”
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is the primary regulator in the state for companies like Uber and Lyft. According to the PUC, Colorado was the first state in the country to establish localized regulations for rideshares in 2014.
Since those regulations were first implemented, the rideshare industry has expanded and changed. Now, the PUC wants to know if new regulatory approaches are needed for rideshares in the future and is asking the public to help.
The five licensed Transportation Network Companies (TNC) operators in Colorado are Uber, Lyft, HopSkipDrive, River North Transit, and Drivers Cooperative. The PUC reports more than 35,000 licensed drivers between the companies, providing an estimated 35 million rides across Colorado in 2024.
In his veto letter, Polis said HB25-1291 would "impose unworkable regulations" on TNCs — such as Uber or Lyft. The governor also said the legislation could jeopardize the future of such companies in Colorado.
"I was devastated," Willford said of the veto. “It was disheartening, it was frustrating, and it's one of the reasons that I am continuing to be invested in this work. And I do want to make Colorado safer, and if Uber and Lyft refuse to raise the bar on safety, I want to be sure that Colorado will raise the bar.”
Roughly a month before the veto, Uber said it would have "no choice" but to end operations in Colorado if the rideshare regulation bill became law. Lyft sent Polis a letter asking him to veto HB25-1291 10 days before he issued his decision.
The Scripps News Group reached out to Polis for a comment on the new survey. His team sent the following statement:
"I requested that the PUC do more to ensure ride shares are safe and I’m thrilled to see the PUC moving forward by gathering input from Coloradans about how to better ensure safety in the rideshares that so many people use. This is what I called for earlier this year, and I look forward to hearing the feedback they gather for how to make Coloradans safer."
David Krouse is a Lyft driver in Denver who did not support the rideshare regulation bill, calling it "intrusive."
"I can guarantee a lot of the people I drive probably don't want their video out there," Krouse said. "You know, I not only drive people from the club, I drive people from hospitals. I drive people to hospitals. I drive people from funerals. I mean, I drive people from a lot of very intimate and delicate settings."
Still, Krouse said he plans to fill out the survey.
"I'm going to fill it out, but yeah, I don't think it's a good-faith survey. It sounds to me, the way they've worded it, that they've already come to pre-determined conclusions," said Krouse. "If it's a criminal matter, it's a criminal matter. You cannot have a private third party behaving as a quasi-police. That doesn't work."
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The data collected from the survey will be summarized and shared without any identifying information, according to a spokesperson with the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). The results will be posted online for both the public and lawmakers.
Willford said she plans to use the data and apply it to future legislation. She also intends to bring forth new bills in the 2026 legislative session aimed at regulating rideshares.
“We know that there's a problem. What I hope is that the data will help us understand that, beyond sexual assault, what are some of the other problems? And what ideas do Coloradans have that can, frankly, keep us all safer?” Willford said. "I've already seen from Uber, from Lyft, as well as from the governor's office, what can happen. And I already know that — I've already seen the worst. So, [I'm] ready to double down and get back to work.”
The survey will remain active through the end of the year, but could be kept up longer if it proves to be valuable for consumers.
In a statement, a spokesperson with Uber told Denver7 they are "committed to working collaboratively with the Colorado PUC to develop thoughtful policies that protect people, respect privacy, and maintain access to reliable rides." Uber continued to say they "value input from the community and welcome ongoing dialogue with the public."
Denver7 also reached out to Lyft, but did not receive a response before publication.
Currently, the PUC is in the pre-rulemaking phase of TNC Safety Rulemaking.
There is a virtual discussion planned for Oct. 27, where the public is invited to discuss rideshare rules and address the issue of imposter drivers in Colorado. Those interested in attending can register online.
