Dear Mayor and Council Members: ‘Attached is an executive summary of a recent poll on city regulation of ride hailing services like Uber and Lyft. City staff will bring its recommendations to the Council and each of you will make your ‘own decision on the merits. Whatever you decide, this poll provides some needed context on what the public actually thinks. ‘The poll decisively demonstrates widespread public support for fair and reasonable city requirements to protect public safety. Support is overwhelming for city supervised fingerprint background checks for drivers. Uber has financed a lavish campaign of TV, radio and internet ads on the theme of “Tell City Council, please don’t take Uber away.” Plainly, this multi-billion dollar corporation is trying to pressure the Council. ‘News media have observed that Uber’s campaign is deceptive, since city staff is only suggesting that Uber be subject to some of the same public safety rules that taxi, limo and shuttle companies are already required to follow. The only people threatening to take Uber out of Austin are the executives of Uber. Significantly, the Uber ads don’t mention any specifics about its dispute with the city. ‘There is a reason for this. Uber is highly political and has waged this battle in many places. itis virtually certain that the company has polled this issue itself and knows that voters care more about public safety than Uber’s corporate profits. Uber must, know that its opposition to rules like fingerprint background checks is not popular. fit mentions the actual issues, its ad campaign would backfire. However you finally vote, you deserve an honest, open discussion on this matter. Sincerely, Dean Rindy Note: The poll was conducted among likely Austin voters by Littlefield Consulting, which has extensive experience in political and public opinion surveys in Austin. It was commissioned by TXRidesForHire, a coalition of Texas taxi and public transportation companies.P\LITTL EE qDuTTuerieto December 1,2015, ‘Austin Survey on Municipal Ride Hailing Regulations “survey decisively demonstrates widespread public support for fair and reasonable ity requirements. Executive Summary Littlefield Consulting was retained by TXRidesforHire to conduct a public opinion survey of likely voters in Austin, TX. A poll sample of ‘kely voters’ was obtained from Opinion Analysts, Inc. To be ‘considered a ‘likely voter’ the voter had to have voted in at least 1 out of the last 2 November General tlections. The survey was put into the field on Wednesday, November 18, 2015 Key Findings These respondents were very well informed on ride hailing services like Uber and Lyft. 85% of respondents were familiar with ride hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft, and 57% of respondents had used or knew someone that used services from with ride hailing companies such as Uber and Lytt. Overall, the survey decisively demonstrates widespread public support for fair and reasonable city requirements to protect public safety. On the initial testing of the Austin City Council requiring fingerprint background checks, respondents were overwhelmingly in favor of requiring this measure. Initia! Test ~“The Texas Department of Public Safety has testified that fingerprint background checks are the best way to confirm identity ~so the Austin City Couneilis considering requiring Uber and Lyft drivers and all vehicle for-hire drivers — including taxi, limo and shuttle drivers to undergo fingerprint background checks that are national in scope. Uber has sald they will stop operating in Austin if these proposals are passed into law. Do you think the Austin City Council should pass these proposals and require fingerprint background checks?” Yes . 70% Now. 120% Unsure sn 10% “The final question testing the issue also revealed strong support for requiring fingerprint background checks. This question specifically mentioned that “Uber might stop operating in Austin” if these measures were passed. Final Test ~“Last question on this - Some people say Uber & Lyft already have thorough background check protocols and that there have also been cases and reports of assaults by tax! drivers who have been fingerprinted. Others say no background check system is perfect but the City must take every step it can to protect public safety -including requiring fingerprinting, even if it means that Uber might stop operating in Austin. Let me ask you again” ‘Should Require Fingerprint ...... 64% Should Not Require Fingerprint. 25% Unsure 3 10% “Among younger voters the results were very similar to overall results. In the initial test, 73% of respondents under the age of 40 supported the Austin City Council requiring fingerprint background Checks, Even when told, “Uber might stop operating in Austin” if these measures were passed, 63% of Sespondents under the age of 40 supported the Austin City Council requiring fingerprint background PO Bex 90591 * Austin, TX 78709 * (512) 633-0791 * Mark@MarkLitifiedcomQDLITTLEFIELD su Tag checks. ‘among female respondents, 78% supported the Austin City Council requiring fingerprint background checks, Even when told, “Uber might stop operating in Austin” if these measures were passed, 68% of, Jemale respondents supported the Austin City Counell requiring fingerprint background checks. Methodology 535 voters responded to the survey, N = 535- ‘The margin of error (MOE) is based on a City of Austin voter population of 484,027 registered voters and N = 535. The MOE is #/- 4.2 and the confidence level is 95%. For more information or for complete cross tabs, please contact Mark Littlefield at mark@MarkLittlefield.com. (PO Bae 90591 * Austin, TX 78709 * (512) 633-0791 * Merh@Markl ittfieldcom