City staff tell disability commission Ohio law limits what Columbus can require of Uber, Lyft; city outlines curb, partnership and vendor actions
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Summary
City Department of Public Service staff told the Columbus Advisory Commission on Disability Issues on Feb. 26 that Ohio law largely preempts local regulation of transportation network companies, limiting the city's ability to mandate driver training or TNC-specific licensing. Staff outlined alternatives: curb/parking management, reporting tools, designated pickup zones and shared-mobility contractual SLAs.
Justin Goodwin, administrator for the Division of Mobility and Parking Services at Columbus’ Department of Public Service, told the Columbus Advisory Commission on Disability Issues on Feb. 26 that state law largely constrains what the city can require of transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft.
"That, of course, is unacceptable," Goodwin said of incidents in which rideshare drivers failed to provide required accommodation. He explained that Ohio Revised Code provisions and rules administered by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio preempt many local requirements: municipalities generally cannot impose TNC‑specific licensing, require drivers to be locally registered, or create local certification mandates for those companies.
The limits mean the city cannot unilaterally mandate disability‑awareness training for TNC drivers or impose company‑specific operating rules, Goodwin said. He noted enforcement of nondiscrimination and accommodation obligations is primarily at the state level (PUCO) and, for ADA issues, with the U.S. Department of Justice.
Why it matters: Commissioners and community members told the commission they continue to experience rideshare failures—drivers refusing service to people with disabilities, inconsistent accommodation of service animals, and confused pickup locations that can create safety risks for people who are blind or have low vision.
What Columbus can do: Goodwin and Christian Sims (program manager for the city's shared mobility program) outlined measures within the city's authority. Those include improving curb management and parking rules, designating accessible pickup/drop-off zones, improving publicly available GIS and address data, using targeted enforcement for curb/parking violations, and pursuing voluntary partnerships and communications protocols with TNCs. Goodwin said the city has previously implemented dedicated rideshare curb zones on High Street and will pursue additional curb-management work in 2026 as part of its strategic parking plan.
Shared mobility details: Christian Sims described the city's shared-mobility program (Veo and Spin vendors), recent ridership trends and new service-level agreements (SLAs) intended to enforce responsible device parking and safety. Sims said the program introduced five SLA buckets this year and that the city treats the SLAs as a monthly "report card"; failure can lead to fines that are reinvested in the system. He told the commission that if a device is obstructing an ADA sidewalk, the SLA requires vendor removal within one hour, and devices obstructing a bicycle lane must be removed within three hours. He also said vendors invested roughly $60,000 in infrastructure in 2025 and maintain about 25 geofences used to slow or restrict parking in key areas.
Key statistics Sims provided: the city recorded roughly 941 shared-mobility service requests in 2025; field audits counted about 1,500 devices with roughly 7% observed improperly parked; ridership topped roughly 1,000,000 trips in 2024 but dipped after vendor consolidation in 2025. The Department has installed ride hubs and placed 20 corrals in the Short North to reduce sidewalk clutter and will work with consultants (Alta and NextGen Mobility) on a guidebook for implementation.
Follow-up and next steps: Goodwin said some proposals—such as requiring driver training or local certification—would require state statutory change. He encouraged advocacy by residents and disability groups and said the city could pursue stronger voluntary coordination with TNCs and follow up with the City Attorney's office and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio if enforcement or legislative changes are warranted. City staff offered to return with follow-up information and to continue auditing curb-management and accessibility outcomes as work proceeds.
The commission did not take formal regulatory action at the meeting; staff will follow up with additional information and consult the city attorney on engagement with state legislators and regulatory agencies.
