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The taxi contract expires Nov. 30, according to Janet Fricke, assistant to the village clerk.
“Uber will show us multiple scenarios we could launch as a pilot program,” said Deputy Mayor Michael Sedon.
In meetings Sedon described as “very preliminary,” Uber expressed interest in Ridgewood.
He anticipates there will be some split in cost between the village and a resident taking an Uber to or from the train station.
“We’ll see how much those costs are,” Sedon said, “and launch a small pilot program for six months to see how it works and what the interest is.”
The council’s goal is to address some of the well-chronicled issues with the lack of commuter parking downtown.
The council has had trouble finding another taxi company, according to Sedon.
The governing body sent out two Requests for Proposals for a new taxi company. No one answered either.
According to Fricke and Sedon, the council is committed to keeping the discounted coupons for seniors and disabled residents that the taxi company always honored.
“We don’t want anyone worrying about that,” Fricke said.
Summit, New Jersey recently began an Uber pilot program similar to the one Sedon described.
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