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Panel weighs rideshare minimum‑pay bill as drivers recount low take‑home pay and industry warns of higher fares

House Environment and Transportation Committee · February 3, 2026

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Summary

HB 18 would set per‑mile and per‑minute minimum payments and a $5 minimum fare for rideshare drivers; drivers and unions urged passage citing low net earnings, while tech and business groups warned mandates can reduce trip availability and raise costs for riders.

Delegate Vogel presented HB 18 to set a minimum per‑mile and per‑minute pay floor for app‑based rideshare trips ($1.66 per mile and $0.40 per minute), a $5 minimum fare, an extra $1 incentive for wheelchair‑accessible vehicle trips, and an 80% share of cancellation fees to drivers. The sponsor and multiple drivers said the measure aims to restore predictable earnings and account for drivers’ vehicle, fuel and maintenance costs.

Drivers who testified described long hours and low net take‑home pay. Jeffrey Sweetland said new pricing and platform fee practices have eroded earnings since he began driving; Francisco Flores described working 72‑hour weeks and taking home substantially less after platform fees and expenses. The Amalgamated Transit Union and a drivers’ alliance supported the bill, citing independent studies showing low net per‑hour earnings after expenses.

Industry groups, including Chamber of Progress and TechNet, opposed HB 18, arguing minimum‑pay mandates in other jurisdictions have raised fares, reduced trip density and hurt the rider populations that depend on rideshares. Witnesses pointed to Seattle and other markets as cautionary examples and suggested alternatives such as portable benefits.

Committee members asked about enforcement (PSC vs. Department of Labor) and whether the bill would alter drivers’ independent contractor status; witnesses said the bill does not convert drivers to employees and the sponsor said he would work with PSC and Department of Labor on implementation details.