With cities across the nation running into problems ranging from Uber drivers lying on background checks to scamming people into paying car cleanup fees, officials in Bend and Redmond are trying to figure out the best policies to allow app-based ride companies like Uber and Lyft to come to town.

Bend residents could be able to hail Uber from their smartphones as soon as the beginning of next year, city officials say. Right now, Bend and Redmond city rules don’t allow companies such as Uber and Lyft to operate in the area, but both cities are exploring new rules to change that.

While some residents say services such as Uber will bring cheaper and more convenient transportation options to a region that’s lacking them, some cab drivers are speaking out against potential gaps in insurance and background checks.

Bend city staffers say they’re trying to keep the process as transparent as possible and will be hosting a meeting Oct. 27 to explain how the new rules could set requirements for insurance, licensing and background checks. The meeting will also give existing cab drivers a chance to give the city feedback.

“This process will ensure that there isn’t some sort of false start, which has happened in other cities,” said Ben Hemson, business advocate for the city.

There are more than 18 million people who use Uber in the U.S., and Bend is not unlike dozens of cities across the nation that are grappling with how to regulate ride-share companies. Many municipalities have taken drastically different approaches to dealing with the new technology.

For example, cities such as Houston and New York have passed strict laws requiring drivers to submit fingerprint background checks. Uber generally prefers to do its own background checks that don’t involve fingerprinting, which has been a sticking point for city officials across the country who say the background checks aren’t thorough enough.

Just recently, an Uber driver in Massachusetts was accused of sexually assaulting a college student after lying about his identity to get hired.

While other cities such as Boise, Idaho, have left the companies largely unregulated, Uber pulled out of Eugene and Austin, Texas, after those cities cracked down on app-based ride services. In Eugene, for example, the city fined Uber for operating illegally as a taxi service. Uber stopped operating there last year after it refused to comply with rules, including those mandating insurance requirements and requiring vehicles to have special markings and carry fire extinguishers.

In Bend, city officials say they’re trying to avoid a similar situation and are letting Redmond — where Central Oregon’s main airport is located — take the lead on drafting new rules.

Redmond City Manager Keith Witcosky said the city is looking to Portland as a model, which passed rules last year that mandate companies like Uber to conduct background checks on drivers and set insurance requirements. The law also sets rules for car repairs and how old the cars are, as well as requiring Uber to share trip data with the city.

“We’re just kind of picking through what’s worked with other cities,” said Witcosky, adding that the Redmond City Council most likely will be taking up the proposed rule changes in November.

Hemson, business advocate for Bend, said Bend will most likely take up the new rules in November or December. Right now, the city’s current taxi code is relatively simple, he said. To allow Uber to operate in Bend, the city would have to set rules for certain standards of background checks, business licensing and insurance — essentially treating Uber and cab companies equally, said Hemson.

“We’re unique as a city in that we’ve grown so quickly,” said Hemson. “Our code is more like a suburban town than a city.”

While some cab drivers are staunchly against Uber coming into the region, Adam Apalategui, owner of GreenCab of Oregon in Bend, said he’s fine with Uber operating here as long as it receives the same treatment as taxi companies. His biggest concern is whether Uber drivers will be fingerprinted to verify their identities during the background check process, he said.

Apalategui said his company already offers an app that allows people to hail taxis by phone — Uber should operate under the same rules, he said.

“I’m a tech-savvy consumer so I see a lot of the benefits,” said Apalategui. “As long as it’s a level playing field, I’m not opposed to it.”

John Isaacs, a spokesman for Uber in Oregon, said Uber could help fill a gap because Redmond and Bend lack solid public transit and wide access to cabs. Uber could also offer people flexible part-time jobs; Isaacs estimates there could eventually be about 800 to 1,000 drivers in Central Oregon.

“Bend and Redmond are really an ideal area for transportation network companies to thrive,” said Isaacs. “We really believe we will dramatically improve transportation in the area.”

Isaacs said Uber could also give visitors and residents a safer alternative to driving when visiting the region’s restaurants and breweries. However, a recent national study showed ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft haven’t made a significant dent in the number of fatalities related to drunken driving.

Lindsay Allen, communications manager for Worthy Brewing Co., said she’s excited about the possibility of Uber coming to town. But at least for now, her company will continue using cabs to get customers home. If customers are intoxicated, they may not be in the space to use their phones to hail an Uber, she said.

“I think it will encourage people to do safe rides,” said Allen. “But for us, if someone is drunk, we’re still going to call a cab.”

— Reporter: 541-633-2160, mriker@bendbulletin.com