D.C.'s robotaxi bill gets a major rewrite. It may not be enough.
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The high-stakes battle to legalize robotaxis in D.C. is hitting a political jam, with Mayor-elect Janeese Lewis George and two other council members pushing to delay a vote until next year.
Why it matters: Council member Charles Allen is making major concessions to robotaxi companies and offering a carrot to labor unions in an effort to get his bill passed this year.
By the numbers: Allen's changes — unveiled on Tuesday — would halve a proposed mileage tax on robotaxi operators to 7.5 cents per mile traveled, a sweetener for the industry.
- About a quarter of the revenue would go toward helping rideshare drivers facing job displacement, down from 50% in the original bill. That funding would also be limited to three years.
- The upfront cost of getting a commercial operations permit would plummet from $6 million to $15,000, plus $750 per vehicle.
Meanwhile, to soften labor's opposition, Allen is proposing to give rideshare drivers the right to unionize.
- Uber and Lyft drivers are currently treated as independent contractors, which generally prevents them from collective bargaining under federal law, Allen's office says in a bill summary. It's possible rideshare companies could challenge that provision under federal labor rules.
- The bill would also extend organizing rights to workers at AV maintenance facilities.
Allen tells Axios his proposal provides "guarantees for workers and riders" that don't exist anywhere else that legalized AVs.
The intrigue: Allen wants to advance the bill out of his Transportation Committee, but three out of its five members want to wait until next year.
- Lewis George is pushing for the delay alongside Council members Zachary Parker and Elissa Silverman, the Washington Sun reports.
What we're watching: Whether Allen's revisions can change enough minds to move the bill forward this year.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to add a comment from Charles Allen.