"lyft"

Uber and Lyft are negotiating with the City and Borough of Juneau over the collection of the city’s sales tax. The companies insist it’s the drivers’ responsibility to collect and remit the 5 percent tax on fares.

In visits to the Lower 48, Alaskans may have caught a ride in an Uber or Lyft car. Now, people around the state can use the ride-hailing companies at home. This month, Alaska became the latest state to make way for the transportation apps.

The governor’s signature on House Bill 132 means Uber and Lyft are now coming to Juneau. But city officials are unhappy that that new state law bars cities from regulating the ride-hailing companies.

The City and Borough of Juneau is urging Gov. Bill Walker to veto a bill opening the door to Uber and Lyft. The issue is local control: the legislation bars local governments from regulating the ride services.

Juneau International Airport is preparing for the arrival of app-based ride hailing companies like Uber and Lyft. And it’s proposing to tack on a $3 surcharge for every ride to and from the airport.

The state House and Senate have both passed bills that allow transportation network companies to operate, which means controversial businesses like Uber and Lyft could open up shop in Alaska as early as June. The companies allow passengers to book and pay for rides through apps on a smartphone. Republican Sen. Mia Costello of Anchorage sponsored…

Gov. Walker has called an immediate special session on the state’s fiscal future. Legislators didn’t pass a budget, but did pass bills on ride-sharing, criminal justice and REAL ID.

Ride-sharing company Uber left Alaska in 2015, agreeing not to return until a state law was in place that exempted the company from paying workers’ compensation insurance for its drivers.

Now, three state legislators are leading the effort to lay the groundwork for the company’s return, including a measure moving through the state House and one in the Senate.

The temps, contractors and freelancers who work in the gig economy don’t typically receive health insurance through the companies that make use of their services. But some firms are looking to help.