House Bills 1273 and 1469 would require ride share drivers to undergo a more extensive background check process, including fingerprinting, and raise the minimum driving age to 21.

Roanoke, VA

Author: Roanoke Rambler Staff

Published: 2:57 AM EST May 6, 2026

Edited: 2:57 AM EST May 6, 2026

New Ride Share Legislation 

As Governor Spanberger’s pen inked its final stroke across the document, a new promise echoed through the town. “Virginia riders deserve to be safe when they step into a rideshare vehicle,” Lily Franklin declared in a press release shared with the Roanoke Rambler. HB1469 will place stricter requirements on drivers and this has an immediate impact on jobs for youth, how we commute, and safety for Roanokers. Del. Lily Franklin, (D), and Del. Jackie Glass (D) sponsored the legislation. House Bills 1273 and 1469 would require ride share drivers to undergo a more extensive background check process, including fingerprinting, and raise the minimum driving age to 21. Supporters say the changes are about safety.  

Anticipated Structural Shift in the Young Workforce 

For a city of over 100,000 souls and over 200,000 in the area, rideshares were arteries of motion, propelling students from midnight parties, nurses from shifts steeped in ammonia and scrubbed skin, bachelorette parties in sashed sequins, businessmen on their phones for meetings that would come and go like a sneeze. So, when Colleen Jacob’s (20) thirteen-year-old Subaru Impreza croaked out its rattle of steam, she’d signed up for BlaBla car and within the hour she launched herself into the night to pay for her grad classes and the ever-spiraling rent. She wanted to be around people but remain in the comfort of her own car. The orientation video had promised flexibility, “top tier compensation,” and “a community of like-minded explorers.” In reality, Colleen’s first week involved two minor traffic violations and a near-miss with a belligerent pedestrian. A routine ride with Collen turned into a conversation about policy this week, as new legislation aimed at tightening ride share regulations begins to draw attention across Virginia.

Collen is one of the few drivers on the ride sharing app in the Roanoke area after recruiting some of her younger friends, but Collen would not qualify for ride share under the new legislation as every ride share company would require individuals to have full background checks. Collen expressed her chagrin of the legislation. Collen promptly responded that she will “switch to food delivery now” that ridesharing has more strict requirements. One Roanoke-area Uber driver, 40, who has been driving for just over a year, said he understands the intent behind the proposed changes. “I’ve already been background checked,” he said. “I get why they want to make things safer. You hear stories.” He acknowledged that younger drivers can sometimes lack judgment but said the policy may come with unintended consequences — especially for college students. “ A lot of them are just trying to make extra money while they’re in school,” he said. “That flexibility matters.” For him, the issue is personal. He has two daughters currently in college and worries the legislation could limit opportunities for students like them. “If they can’t do something like this to earn money, that cost doesn’t go away,” he said. “It just shifts back to the parents.”

It Will Not Impact Major Ride Sharing Apps Much 

The actual size of the impact may not be much. Drivers like Collen are sparse, and major ride sharing applications already have age 21+ age requirements. Lyft already restricted its driver’s age to 21 in most markets, and to 25 in Virginia with background check and car condition requirements. Uber, with over one million active drivers in the United States, requires a driver to be 23 according to its requirements page. Many prominent United States based ride share apps and drivers will not be impacted by the age change, but it does force other smaller apps and those focused on markets outside of the United States like BlaBla, to comply with new changes. 

The Bill Will Place Stricter Requirements on Felons and Sex Offenders 

The legislation also adds new key aspects that include making sure hailing apps keep record of a driver’s driving history, which will add complexity to the sign-up process. However, what many Virginians are applauding are aspects like the extended background checks, restrictions on sex offenders and convicted felons, and other aspects that will keep riders more safe. A local ride share user said they generally feel safe using services like Uber but believes stronger safeguards could help prevent serious risks. “You want to know the person driving you doesn’t have a violent past,” the rider said. “That should be a baseline.”

Before authorizing an individual to act as a TNC partner, and at least once every two years after authorizing a person to act as a TNC partner, a transportation network company shall verify that the person is not listed on the Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry or on the U.S. Department of Justice's National Sex Offender Public Website. Companies must also ensure that their drivers have ever been convicted of or has ever pled guilty or nolo contendere to a violent felony offense as listed in subsection C of § 17.1-805, or a substantially similar” law of another state or of the United States. They must also “employ a zero-tolerance policy with respect to the use of drugs and alcohol, among other requirements. 

Projected Impact on Driver Safety

According to Uber’s U.S. Safety Report for 2021 and 2022, out of 1.8 billion trips, 0.0002% involved a “critical safety incident”, which represents more than 360,000 trips with severe safety issues. Between 2021 and 2022, Uber reported 2,717 incidents of the most serious categories of sexual assault and misconduct. Uber also reported 36 physical assault fatalities, 61% of which were drivers. Now drivers must have an option to record the drive, with advocates saying this may prevent many of these misfortunes. 

A 2024 Report to Congressional Address cites that “when incidents are reported, these reports may not include specific details about the assault. Lyft representatives said that even when affected parties report incidents, they may provide minimal information, which can make it difficult to correctly classify incidents. In addition, Uber’s safety report notes that an initial incident report from law enforcement may simply state that a user was sexually assaulted, and further contact with the reporting party to obtain additional details was declined or not possible.” 

Safety Restrictions 

At the same time, a rider cautioned against making the system so restrictive to the Roanoke Rambler, that it “shuts out people who are qualified to work.” “There’s a balance,” he said. “You don’t want to overcorrect.” The proposed legislation also raises broader questions about consistency across the gig economy. Some residents noted that delivery drivers, including those working for services like DoorDash, interact with customers in similar ways but are often subject to different standards. As lawmakers weigh the bills, the debate is shaping up around a familiar tension: how to increase safety without cutting off access to opportunity.