CITY OF ALBANY

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

KATHY SHEEHAN
MAYOR

24 EAGLE STREET
ALBANY, NEW YORK 12207
TELEPHONE (518) 434-5100
WWW.ALBANYNY.ORG

December 13, 2016

The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor
New York State
New York State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224

The Honorable John J. Flanagan

Majority Leader
New York State Senate
New York State Capitol Building
Room 330
Albany, NY 12247

The Honorable Andrea Stewart-Cousins

Democratic Conference Leader
New York State Senate
Legislative Office Building 907
Albany, NY 12247

The Honorable Jeffrey D. Klein

Independent Democratic Conference Leader
New York State Senate
Legislative Office Building 913
Albany, NY 12247

The Honorable Carl E. Heastie

Speaker
New York State Assembly
Legislative Office Building 932
Albany, NY 12248

The Honorable Brian M. Kolb

Minority Leader
New York State Assembly
Legislative Office Building 933
Albany, NY 12248

Dear Governor Cuomo, Majority Leader Flanagan, Conference Leader Stewart-Cousins,

Conference Leader Klein, Speaker Heastie, and Minority Leader Kolb:
As we near the start of the 2017 legislative session, I urge you to adopt legislation that will allow
ridesharing across New York State.
Throughout Upstate New York, including the City of Albany, millions of residents and visitors
are placed at a significant disadvantage because of the lack of safe, dependable, and affordable
transportation alternatives the same alternatives offered in most other places in the United
States and throughout the world, including New York City.
Business, education, and public sector leaders throughout Upstate New York have all shared
stories with me of the impacts on the City of Albany due to the lack of ridesharing. From the
top-level recruit who steps off a plane at Albany International Airport to visit potential
employers, only to find their ridesharing phone application is rendered useless, to the prospective
college student who is on a visit to our Citys higher education institutions with their parents,

only to find out they will be subjected to an uncertain and untraceable cab system, there is no
shortage of examples of the impact on the City of Albany due to the lack of ridesharing.
Allowing ridesharing throughout New York State will benefit the state, its residents, and visitors
in a number of ways. Ridesharing helps attract top talent to our Citys businesses, and
educational and public sector institutions, and reduces carbon dioxide emissions as well as drunk
and impaired driving. Additionally, ridesharing alleviates congestion of roads, parking lots, and
on-street parking spaces, and provides residents and visitors alike with the opportunity to enjoy
local shopping, dining, and entertainment without having to worry about how they will get back
to their home or hotel. The benefit of this activity to the City of Albanys economy will be
significant.
Ridesharing also creates an additional layer of security by linking the driver and riders via the
host company a feature not provided to riders of other transportation alternatives. In addition,
it will provide both part- and full-time employment opportunities to residents throughout our
City.
Ridesharing needs to be a complement of the transportation system for any city in the 21st
century. We strongly recommend that you enact legislation during the upcoming legislative
session to allow ridesharing across New York State.
Sincerely,

Kathy M. Sheehan
Mayor, City of Albany