Rhode Island Considered a 75-Cent Fee on Every Uber and Lyft Ride. It Was Shelved.
The bill. Senate Bill 2092, introduced January 16, 2026, would have added a $0.75 surcharge to every rideshare fare in Rhode Island. Half would go to street improvements in the city or town where the ride started, and half to Transit Forward RI, the state’s transit plan. The bill would also have directed rideshare sales tax revenue to RIPTA, the state bus system, which faced a budget deficit and route cuts.
The debate. Supporters saw it as a way to stabilize RIPTA. Uber opposed it, arguing Rhode Island would become the only state with both a statewide sales tax and a per-trip fee on rideshare. A tech industry group called it regressive, pointing out that airport rides already carry a $3.50 fee. The state’s Division of Taxation raised technical questions about collection and whether the fee itself would be taxed.
What happened. On April 2, 2026, the Senate Finance Committee recommended the bill be held for further study. That usually ends a bill for the session. No surcharge took effect. A similar bill could return in 2027.
Sources: S 2092 bill text (PDF) · LegiScan — S2092 status · Division of Taxation letter (Apr. 2, 2026) (PDF)
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