Uber shuts down in Austin, Houston could be next

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- You can no longer take Uber or Lyft within Austin City Limits.

The companies backed out of the city Monday morning after residents voted against a set of measures aimed at overturning regulations the city passed last December, including fingerprint-based background checks for drivers.

Austin is now the largest U.S. city where Uber isn't currently available and Houston could be next. Last month Uber threatened to pull out of Houston if the city did not repeal its fingerprinting requirement.

Uber drivers in Houston have dropped off more than three and a half million riders in the last few years.

But that could come to a screeching halt if Mayor Sylvester Turner gets his way and requires back ground checks for drivers. Over the weeekend, Mayor Turner issued a statement saying, ""The city of Houston will not compromise on public safety either. If an election were held here, I believe voters would choose the same outcome as Austin."

A state lawmaker wants there to be rules for Uber and Lyft that are state wide rather than from city to city.

Uber says it does its own checks on drivers and says other cities have figured out ways to pass laws regulating ride sharing without fingerprints.

Meanwhile Uber drivers here have said they are OK with extra background checks.

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