Colorado ride companies check drivers and report safety incidents

Transportation network companies obtain a criminal history check for each driver every six months and share the results with that driver. These requirements cover transportation network companies and people who drive through their digital networks. Large-scale companies pay for the checks. The law bars drivers based on specified convictions and confirmed removals or disqualifications for specified incidents. The check and result-sharing requirements take effect January 1, 2027.

Companies provide regular safety training and follow state rules for recording rides and handling data. The rules cover transportation network companies, drivers, and riders; recording rules differ for large and small companies. Companies must get a driver's or rider's consent before collecting biometric data or identifiers used to identify them, and must follow Colorado privacy law. Until recording rules take effect, large companies must make best efforts to obtain recordings related to reported safety incidents and keep them for at least 30 days. Certain complaints or investigations with timely notice require longer storage. Some requirements do not apply to companies meeting the law's school, government, or youth-service criteria and driver-compliance threshold. The commission must adopt training and recording rules by June 1, 2028. Interim recording duties apply until the relevant recording rules take effect.

Companies send yearly incident reports to state officials and lawmakers, and report certain injury crashes to regulators. These reporting duties cover transportation network companies, with an exemption for certain school, government, or youth-focused services that meet a driver-compliance threshold. Reports include counts of reported safety and discrimination incidents, plus safety-related incident reports with drivers' and riders' identifying information removed. The commission makes reports public and reviews them for trends. The reporting duties do not apply to companies meeting the law's school, government, or youth-service criteria and driver-compliance threshold. Annual reports are due by February 1, starting in 2027. Crash reports are due within 30 days of a covered crash.

Companies must follow rules for driver deactivation, ride ratings, food and drinks, and contract terms; regulators may fine companies for violations. These provisions cover transportation network companies and their drivers and riders, subject to stated exceptions. A driver may refuse a ride if they believe the rider is not authorized to use the account, and the company may not penalize the driver for refusing. Companies may remove ratings or reviews plausibly motivated by fraud or bias, but may not change ratings or assign default ratings the driver or rider did not give. Food or drinks may be offered only if factory-sealed, shared between riders in the same party, or needed in an emergency. Some requirements do not apply to companies meeting the law's school, government, or youth-service criteria and driver-compliance threshold. The commission may assess a fine of up to $1,500 per violation. The listed requirements and civil penalty take effect January 1, 2027.