From the Office of the Parish President

Next Thursday in Donaldsonville, the Parish Council will vote on an ordinance I proposed bringing ride sharing services into Ascension Parish. By establishing this regulatory framework, the Council will invite popular companies like Uber and Lyft to operate in Ascension Parish. I am excited to see yet again business wants to come to Ascension Parish. This proves we remain an attractive market for both traditional and new elements of the economy.

I first encountered conversations about ride sharing during the campaign as constituents in Prairieville and Gonzales asked me to push for this ordinance. As I researched this trend, I found that Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and New Orleans all currently allow ride sharing with positive results. I am particularly impressed with improvements in public safety that accompanied ride sharing services. After Baton Rouge approved ride sharing and Uber began serving its market, DWI arrests dropped 18% in the first year. It is numbers like this that resulted in a partnership between Uber and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) to reduce drinking and driving across the country.

This ride sharing ordinance tells the Capital Region that Ascension Parish embraces innovation and new technology. It tells our millennial workforce that Ascension Parish is a place where they will be able to utilize the same conveniences as their counterparts in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. It says that we take seriously data from all over the country indicating ride sharing is a safe mode of transportation that improves public safety and reduces drunk driving. It says that we will bring new jobs for our people whenever we can. I hope you will join me in supporting this ordinance. I can’t wait to take my first Uber ride in Ascension Parish!