TNC-TRANSPARENCY/DEACTIVATION
SB1973 amends the Illinois Transportation Network Providers Act to add new transparency, notice, and appeal requirements for transportation network companies (TNCs) such as ride-hailing platforms. The bill would require TNCs to give written reasons and supporting documentation when rejecting a driver applicant, and it would give drivers a right to inspect and copy certain records used to evaluate qualifications, compensation, discipline, and related performance data, subject to specified privacy and business-confidentiality exceptions.
The bill also requires TNCs to provide drivers with detailed trip-level electronic receipts within 24 hours of each completed trip and weekly summaries of logged-in time, mileage, fares, and compensation. In addition, it mandates a plain-language deactivation policy, limits the reasons a driver may be deactivated, requires notice and an appeal process, and creates protections against retaliation for drivers who assert rights under the Act or raise concerns about pay or working conditions. It further requires reimbursement policies for parking ordinance violations incurred while performing TNC work and authorizes damages, attorney’s fees, and other relief for violations.
SB1973 would expand the statutory obligations of TNCs operating in Illinois by creating new driver-facing disclosure, record-access, deactivation, reimbursement, and anti-retaliation requirements. It adds new Sections 27, 30.5, 31, and 31.5 to the Transportation Network Providers Act and amends Sections 5 and 15, affecting how companies screen applicants, manage driver accounts, document pay and trip information, and respond to disputes. The bill would also create a private cause of action and civil remedies for certain violations, increasing potential liability for TNCs and strengthening enforceable rights for drivers.
The bill’s overall tone is pro-driver and pro-transparency, with the text emphasizing notice, documentation, appeal rights, and protection from retaliation. Although no committee transcript or vote record is provided, the measure’s structure suggests it is intended to address concerns about opaque platform practices and sudden deactivations. The caption, “TNC-TRANSPARENCY/DEACTIVATION,” reinforces that the bill is framed as a worker-protection and accountability measure.
The main points of contention are likely to be the bill’s limits on TNC discretion and the compliance burden it places on platform companies. TNCs may object to mandatory disclosure of internal records, detailed receipt and weekly reporting requirements, restrictions on deactivation for ride acceptance/rejection or workplace complaints, and the appeal-and-compensation provisions for technical deactivations. Drivers and worker advocates would likely support these provisions as necessary protections against arbitrary deactivation and retaliation, while companies may argue that some requirements are operationally burdensome or could interfere with safety, fraud prevention, and platform management.