Uber Could Be Halted For Millions of Americans

Newsweek

26-04-2025

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Uber is threatening to cease operations in Colorado over a new bill passed by the state's House of Representatives.
Why It Matters
Millions of people could lose access to Uber if the company follows through on its latest threat to pull out of Colorado. The situation highlights the growing tension between lawmakers aiming to impose new protections for gig workers and companies that rely heavily on flexible business models.
A man leaves the headquarters of Uber in San Francisco in this file photo taken on December 16, 2015.
A man leaves the headquarters of Uber in San Francisco in this file photo taken on December 16, 2015.
Eric Risberg/AP
What To Know
Uber warned this week that it may cease operations in Colorado entirely if a new rideshare bill becomes law.
The bill, HB25-1291, passed the Colorado House of Representatives in a bipartisan 59–6 vote on April 16. It includes new requirements such as criminal background checks for drivers every six months and mandatory audio and video recording of trips. It would also prohibit drivers from offering passengers drinks and snacks.
The legislation, described as aiming to "increase protections for persons engaged with transportation network companies," has since moved through the Senate Committee on Business, Labor, & Technology and will face a full Senate vote on Friday. It was spearheaded by state Representative Jenny Willford.
Willford introduced the bill into the legislature in January 2025 after she filed a lawsuit against Lyft alleging she was sexually assaulted by a man pretending to be a rideshare driver in February 2024, according to reporting from KMGH-TV.
"This legislation has been very personal to me," Willford told KMGH-TV. "I decided to use my own pain and the platform that I have to hold a company that has ignored survivors for far too long accountable, and what we saw today — them announcing that they're going to leave — is them feeling that accountability for the first time in a very long time."
Uber's major concerns, according to the Colorado Sun, center around new liabilities—such as drivers potentially being sued for offering passengers food or drinks—and the financial burden of reimbursing drivers for recording equipment. In a statement Wednesday, Uber said it would have "no choice" but to leave the state if the bill is signed into law.
Willford called Uber threatening to leave Colorado a "cynical and disheartening move by a multi-billion dollar company to turn their back on survivors rather than implement real safety measures" in a statement posted to her Instagram account Thursday.
Uber has made similar threats in the past. Notably, in 2024, Uber and Lyft warned they would leave Minneapolis after the city council passed a minimum wage increase for drivers. However, both companies ultimately remained after a statewide compromise on driver pay was reached.
What People Are Saying
An Uber spokesperson said in a statement to KKTV11: "HB25-1291 is a deeply flawed proposal, which if implemented could leave us no choice but [to] cease operations in Colorado.
"It threatens user privacy by requiring every trip to be recorded, imposes major technical and financial burdens, and offers no clear safety benefit in return. We support real, evidence-based safety policy – not legislation that checks a box but fails to deliver. As written, this bill not only misses the mark, it risks doing more harm than good."
Representative Jenny Willford said in a statement posted to her Instagram: "The bottom line is one sexual assault is too many, but for Uber, 8,900 aren't enough to take action. This is a cynical and disheartening move by a multi-billion dollar company to turn their back on survivors rather than implement real safety measures. We have worked with Uber in good faith for months and accepted many of their amendment requests - including a full rewrite of the bill.
"For years, Uber has checked the box on safety, but time after time failed to deliver for victims. It's clear Uber won't stand up for safety so they can continue to maximize profits rather than address the horrible incidents that change the lives of riders and drivers forever."
What Happens Next
The Colorado Senate is expected to review HB25-1291 on Friday. If it passes, it would move to the governor's desk for a signature.