Shipt announces alcohol delivery in Alabama
Shipt, the Birmingham-based grocery delivery service, announced that it will now start same-day delivery of beer and wine from Target, marking the beginning of alcohol delivery in the state. “We’re thrilled to bring alcohol delivery to Shipt’s home state just in time for the holiday season,” said Rina Hurst, chief business officer for Shipt in a press release. “We’ve heard consistently from customers across Alabama how much they value getting groceries and household essentials they need delivered by Shipt, but that they’d like the option of having alcohol along with the rest of their order. Now whether they’re planning virtual holiday festivities or getting back to in-person gatherings, Shipt can help customers make the most of their time this season with same-day delivery of the adult beverage products they know and love. ” Gov. Kay Ivey signed a new law allowing the home delivery of beer, wine, and spirits. The law went into effect Oct. 1. Retail stores, manufacturers, and third-party businesses that want to deliver certain amounts of alcohol can fill out a $100 application fee and a $250 license fee. ABC spokesman Daniel Dye told Alabama Daily News that other companies approved to deliver alcohol in the state include Dippi, Pick Up My Things, and Deerfoot Spirits. According to the Shipt website, customers must be at least 21 years old to order or accept alcohol deliveries and will be required to present identification upon delivery. Additionally, Shipt workers who deliver alcohol will be required to complete a certification program that will train workers on identifying underage customers and fake or altered identification. Shipt workers who deliver orders containing alcohol will complete a certification program that covers topics like identifying underage individuals, intoxicated persons, and fake or altered identification.
Alabama’s largest county looks to continue economic development momentum
With the recent announcements of thousands of jobs coming into Jefferson County in connection with Amazon’s advanced robotics fulfillment center, DC BLOX’s data center and Shipt’s decision to keep its corporate headquarters in Birmingham, local officials are working from a playbook that has four steps, they say. It all begins with Alabama’s business climate that has been ranked as best in the United States for growth potential and workforce training by Business Facilities magazine, said Commissioner David Carrington, chair of the county’s Finance, Information Technology and Business Development Committee. The second is that Jefferson County is the economic center of the state, with the largest population and number of jobs. In 2016, companies announced they were going to create 14,500 jobs and invest $5.1 billion in Alabama. The Birmingham-Hoover metro area accounted for about 20 percent of those jobs and 25 percent of the capital investment. Jefferson County alone was responsible for 1,436 announced jobs and $506 million in capital investment. “In fact, the metro area’s gross domestic product is greater than Mobile, Montgomery and Huntsville combined,” Carrington said. “In 2017, according to the Alabama Department of Commerce, Jefferson County led the state with 2,200 new announced jobs in targeted industries.” The next step is collaboration among partners that often include the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA), University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and, if a proposed site is in a city, the city. “As in most successful projects, it was a well-coordinated community effort that led to a successful conclusion, and we’re very grateful to our partners and allies for their great work on this project,” said Lee Smith, East Region CEO for BBVA Compass and 2018 chairman of the BBA, after the area secured Amazon’s $325 million investment. “The county actively listens to the prospect’s needs and then participates in the development of an aggressive marketing plan with (those) partners,” Carrington said. Fourth, a project team is in place that “leverages our community’s assets,” Carrington said. “. . . We will talk about our enviable road and rail transportation network when talking to a distribution company; or UAB, Southern Research and Innovation Depot when talking to a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) company; or our central, geographic proximity to Mercedes, Honda, Hyundai, Volkswagen, Kia and the soon to be open Toyota/Mazda plants when talking to an automotive supplier.” All of those steps are done under a positioning umbrella, he said. “Even if we don’t win a project, we want the company and their consultants to ‘have a good feeling’ about the community so we will be considered for a future project,” he said. Carrington pointed to the community’s Amazon HQ2 “BringAtoB” campaign. “The primary project team knew that Birmingham was at best a long shot, but, despite the odds, we put together an innovative vision and proposal for the company to consider,” he said. “While we didn’t win the headquarters, we caught Amazon’s attention and less than a year later announced an 855,000-square-foot advanced robotics fulfillment center in Bessemer.” Republished with the permission of the Alabama Newscenter.
EDPA’s ‘imerge’ event honors Alabama’s top innovators
Alabama’s top innovators gathered in Birmingham recently to celebrate the region’s thriving entrepreneurial scene and collaborate on ways to make it stronger. The Economic Development Partnership of Alabama’s 2018 “imerge” event awarded $151,000 to winners of an Alabama Launchpad startup pitch competition and honored industry leaders with EDPA’s annual Innovation Awards. Attendees networked over food and drink as EDPA transformed the covered parking area of its office on First Avenue South into a pop-up performance venue. Entrepreneurs who have helped fuel the growing innovation ecosystem in Birmingham and across the state talked about how the Magic City has shaped their companies’ culture and played a role in their success. “Birmingham, and particularly the South, has a certain way of putting people first and really caring for people,” said Bill Smith, founder and CEO of Shipt, the same-day delivery marketplace that last week announced a plan to create 881 jobs in Birmingham over the next several years. Smith said Shipt, which was acquired byTarget last year, has been able to scale that culture to locations and shoppers across the country as it aggressively expands. “That’s been a huge part of our success and will continue to be part of our success in the future.” $1 billion reasons Smith was part of a panel discussion – “$1 Billion Reasons to Believe in Alabama” – so named because the companies that were a part of it represented more than $1 billion in recent transactions. Also part of the panel were Shegun Otulana, founder and CEO of Theranest, and Chad Trull of Hospicelink. Otulana offered encouragement to entrepreneurs who are just getting started. “It’s a journey, and it’s not going to be easy. Don’t be afraid to fail,” he said. “Keep at it and seek counsel and hopefully it gets you to the right place.” Birmingham auto racing software developer Apex Pro won $100,000 in the seed category of the startup competition, as well as the $1,000 audience choice award. Global Inspections of Mobile won $50,000 in the concept category. Other special guests at imerge included Henrique Dubugras, co-founder of San Francisco-based financial technology company Brex and Nashville singer-songwriter and entrepreneur Holly Williams. EDPA President Steve Spencer said imerge brings together the many facets of Alabama’s vibrant entrepreneurial scene in one place to foster even more growth. “These are the stars of Alabama innovation here tonight. We want to create an environment where people can work with each other, learn from each other and celebrate each other,” he said. The 2018 EDPA Innovation Award winners are: Lifetime Achievement in Innovation: Art Tipton, Birmingham, is president and CEO of Southern Research, one of the leading research organizations in the U.S. in the areas of drug discovery and development, engineering and energy and environmental sciences. Startup of the Year: XpertDox, Birmingham, is a free web-based resource that connects patients to expert doctors, hospitals, ongoing clinical trials and peer-to-peer support. Outstanding Achievement in Innovative Manufacturing: Alignment Simple Solutions, Pelham, manufactures portable, affordable and accurate wheel alignment products and accessories for all vehicles. Corporate Innovator of the Year (small company, 10-50 employees): Inventure Renewables Inc., Tuscaloosa, pioneers process technologies for the rapid, low-cost, high-yield extraction of natural, biochemical and material building blocks from low-value/waste to provide cost-effective, carbon-neutral biofuels, biochemicals and biomaterials. Corporate Innovator of the Year (large company, 50-plus employees): Shipt, Birmingham, is a membership-based online grocery marketplace delivering fresh foods and household essentials through a community of shoppers and a convenient app. Startup Executive of the Year: Dr. Karim Budhwani, Birmingham, is CEO of CerFlux Personalized Medicine, which aims to reduce the pain, reduce the discomfort and reduce the cost of cancer treatment. Business Executive of the Year: Miranda Bouldin Frost, Huntsville, is president and CEO of LogiCore, which since its inception in 2002 has been an innovative resource for Department of Defense, government and commercial clients. Social Entrepreneur of the Year: Buddy Palmer is president and CEO of Create Birmingham, which has a mission to invest in imagination and invention. Through its programs, Create Birmingham constructs and supports diverse avenues for commercial and nonprofit creative success. “imerging” Young Leaders awards: Dustin Embrey, Connie Griesemer, Wayne Heard, Trent Kocurek, Chris Maurice, Ben Podbielski and Jeff Zeiders. Republished with the permission of the Alabama Newscenter.
Shipt commits to staying in Birmingham, adding 881 jobs
The booming Birmingham founded business, Shipt announced Thursday that they will be keeping their headquarters in the Magic City, adding 881 new jobs in the area within the next few years. “Shipt was founded and has flourished in Birmingham, and we would not have reached the success we have today without the continued support of this community,” CEO Bill Smith said. “As a rapidly growing technology company, we feel fortunate to be able to offer an avenue for creating highly skilled jobs within Birmingham. Tuesday night the Birmingham City Council unanimously approved a new incentives package under which the company must not only add jobs, but also implement the City’s newly developed Talent Investment Program (TIP), Talent Acceleration Program (TAP), and Talent Optimization Program (TOP) as part of the incentives package. The City will provide incentives of up to $1,762,000.00, payable over a term of up to five years on the basis of $2,000.00 per each new employee, with such funding to be used by Shipt, Inc. as reimbursement for the cost of implementing TIP, TAP and TOP. “With this development package, we’ll be able to deepen our roots in our hometown, helping establish Birmingham as a center of technology and innovation not only in the South, but also within the United States,” Smith continued. Shipt already employs over 300 people in the Birmingham area – not including it’s shoppers. The 881 new jobs will be highly-skilled, highly paid positions, mostly in high-tech functions including software development and data processing. Smith said the company expects to add 50,000 shoppers by the end of the year, bringing the total number of shoppers up to 100,000. “Shipt represents the innovation, ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit that is defining a new generation of builders in Birmingham, and we are proud that Shipt calls our city home,” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said. Governor Kay Ivey joined executives at Shipt headquarters in Birmingham for the announcement; “By simplifying life with innovative technology for personalized grocery delivery, Shipt is positioned for rapid growth,” Ivey said. “The ideal location for this growth is its hometown of Birmingham, and we’re committed to helping the company develop and attract the talent it needs to fuel its expansion plans in Alabama’s ‘Magic City.’” Woodfin posted a video of the announcement Thursday morning on Facebook. Watch the announcement by Kay Ivey below:
Birmingham City Council meeting highlights: July 10, 2018
During the Birmingham City Council Meeting on July 10, 2018, the City Council voted on the following items: 1. An Ordinance approving, and authorizing the Mayor to execute, a Real Estate Sales Agreement with SPT Parking Deck, LLC, under which the City will sell property located at 2001 Morris Avenue and known as the “John Hand Building Parking Deck” to SPT Parking Deck, LLC for a purchase price of $1,000,000.00 and further authorizing the Mayor to execute a statutory warranty deed and such other documents and instruments as are required to finalize the sale of the property. Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? This parking deck is attached to the John Hand Building, which is partially owned by Shipt. Selling the parking deck to SPT Parking Deck, LLC (a subsidiary of Shipt) will allow Shipt to ensure that they have parking rights to the building long term. The company is seeking to hire 881 new employees over the next 3 years, and want their new hires to have comfortable and easy access to their offices. Next Steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294 ——— 2. An Ordinance to establish an Amnesty Program for the payment of certain outstanding minor traffic, parking and non-moving violation tickets from July 17, 2018 through September 17, 2018. Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? A two-month amnesty period has been approved by the Council for residents to pay off minor traffic, parking and non-moving violations without additional fines and other other penalties from July 17 – Sept. 17. For more information on the amnesty program, please call 205 254 2161 or vis https://www.birminghamal.gov/municipal-court/ Next Steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2161. ——— 3. A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a Project Agreement with Shipt, Inc., under which Shipt, Inc. will undertake a project to maintain and grow its headquarters in the City by hiring an estimated 881 new employees and will implement the City’s newly developed Talent Investment Program (TIP), Talent Acceleration Program (TAP), and Talent Optimization Program (TOP) as part of such project, and the City will provide incentives to Shipt of up to $1,762,000.00, payable over a term of up to five (5) years on the basis of $2,000.00 per each new employee, with such funding to be used by Shipt, Inc. as reimbursement for the cost of implementing TIP, TAP and TOP, with the City’s incentive payments to be capped at $800,000.00 for the first year and $1,000,000.00 for each subsequent year, subject to the overall payment cap of $1,762,000.00. Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? An estimated 881 new jobs are expected in the city as part of the incentive package for Shipt Inc. that was unanimously approved by the Birmingham City Council; the average salary of those positions is expected to be $50,000. Shipt Inc., a Birmingham-based tech company that was acquired by Target for $550 million last year, recently announced their intentions to maintain and grow their headquarters in Birmingham. The workforce investment strategy is threefold, according to Dr. Josh Carpenter, Director of the Office of Innovation and Economic Opportunity for the City. Collectively it will be known as the “Putting People First” program. Talent Investment Program (TIP): Provides additional funding for the company to recruit high-demand, hard-to- reach occupations. Talent Acceleration Program (TAP): Designed to take workers who may be low-skill and low-wage and set aside funding for those employees to access new tuition pools and learn new skills while furthering their education. Talent Optimization Program (TOP): This component is designed to help the company hire local talent. It pushes additional funding to the company as a way to hire graduates from Innovate Birmingham graduates and residents of the city. It creates a pool of funding to partner with universities and other local entities to train mid-level managers, a group that Carpenter said there is a shortage of in Birmingham (70 percent of Innovate Birmingham participants are city residents). For more information on the Agreement, please read this. ••• Meeting highlights provided by the Birmingham City Council Public Information office.
Shipt, Target execs address the company’s growth plans in Birmingham
Shipt’s roots in Birmingham are deep and the company’s chief executive and its new owner want to strengthen that connection. “We are committed to Shipt and we are committed to Birmingham,” Minsok Pak, chief strategy and innovation officer at Target, told an audience at Alabama Power’s corporate headquarters July 10. “We know that this is home. We know that this great company has come out of home. To see us and what Shipt can bring to our fulfillment capabilities and how it supports our strategy and how quickly we’ve been able to scale that, we’re real excited by that.” Target announced in December that it was purchasing Shipt, a Birmingham-based grocery delivery startup, for $550 million. Shipt continues to operate as an independent company with its own leadership team. Shipt founder and CEO Bill Smith said the company’s very essence is a result of starting and growing in Birmingham. “The quality of people that work with us as shoppers is really driven by Shipt starting here in Birmingham,” Smith said. “It’s the culture of putting people first and the way we think about treating people and kind of the Southern hospitality that is the heart of Shipt’s culture that has led to the success that we’ve seen and will continue to lead us in the future. “We’ve been able to create a personalized experience and deliver something really exceptional because of the shoppers. I think the ability to recruit those people is 100 percent credit to the culture of Birmingham and starting the company here.” Smith said Target’s purchase of Shipt has been a huge positive in helping the company grow to more than 150 markets across the country. “When Target acquired Shipt, at that point we were in 70 markets, so we have had a very busy year,” Smith said. He said Shipt has not only grown with Target’s 1,800 locations, but the company has continued to add retail partners apart from Target. He said Target gave Shipt a national anchor tenant to accelerate its growth. Smith said Shipt now has 50,000 shoppers working for the company and he expects to be at 100,000 by year’s end. “By the way, I will tell you if you get a call from Target and they’re interested in talking to you about your company, I highly suggest taking that call.” Pak said Target is also seeing the benefits of the Shipt acquisition. “The retail industry is an extremely dynamic place right now,” Pak said. “With all of this change that’s happening – constantly evolving consumers and technology – we have to follow rule No. 1, and that’s innovation has to be linked to our enterprise strategy. That means making sure that our innovation initiatives really matter to our core operations of the retail business. Shipt CEO Bill Smith. “Our partnership with Bill and Shipt is a prime example of this,” he added. “One of our strategic priorities, our strategic imperatives at Target, is to leverage our 1,800 stores as fulfillment hubs – helping our guests get the product when they want, where they want, how they want them. Shipt is an important, critical part to bringing this strategy to life.” Pak said when Target was looking at companies to acquire in keeping with its strategy, Shipt quickly stood out. “What made Shipt stand out for us? Well, it was the proven, customer-first approach of personalized delivery,” Pak said. “That personalized service and delivery is completely in line with another core element of our strategy and that is to elevate the shopping experience for our guest. We’re investing to elevate both the physical and digital shopping experience and that proven model of putting the customer first in Shipt’s model was perfectly aligned with us.” Tuesday, the Birmingham City Council approved incentives for Shipt, which is looking to add more than 800 jobs in the Magic City. The Jefferson County Commission is considering its own incentives at its meeting Thursday. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has announced she will be in Birmingham Thursday at noon for a “major economic development announcement” in the John Hand Building. Shipt is headquartered in the John Hand Building. Shipt said the success Shipt is enjoying in Birmingham is due to the hundreds of employees it already has here. “Sometimes you look at the CEO of a company and say, ‘Gosh, the CEO did all of that,’” he said. “But the reality is it’s all about the team and it’s all about the people that are working every day inside the company. I can tell you at Shipt, we have a tremendous team.” Republished with permission from the Alabama NewsCenter.
Target deal for Shipt showcases Birmingham’s dynamic tech sector
The vibrant entrepreneurial tech scene in Birmingham is once again in the national spotlight, as Target plans to buy local grocery delivery service Shipt for $550 million in a blockbuster deal. The retail giant, which announced the acquisition in December, said it will have a major impact on efforts to increase convenience for Target shoppers through affordable, same-day delivery across a variety of product categories. For Birmingham, the move is the latest win for the city’s burgeoning innovation sector, which has attracted millions of dollars in new investment for tech-based startups. “Birmingham is a center for innovation and this agreement highlights the type of cutting-edge industry that is emerging here,” said Jon Nugent, vice president for innovation and technology for the Birmingham Business Alliance. “Through the success of companies like Shipt, Birmingham continues to reinforce its presence as a destination for entrepreneurs looking for a smart, modern city where they can build and launch the next generation of technology companies.” Vibrant scene Shipt has grown rapidly since its founding in Birmingham in 2014. Members of the service use an app to connect to a network of more than 20,000 personal shoppers, who fulfill orders from various retailers and deliver within hours in more than 72 markets. Nugent credited Shipt’s leadership for recognizing what Birmingham has to offer startups. “Bill Smith and Jeff Smith are truly visionary business people who recognized the incredible value in Birmingham’s people, community and commitment to its entrepreneurs,” Nugent said. “Their investment in Shipt’s employees, their neighborhood and their corporate headquarters represents a standard of excellence that continues to be recognized across the United States and internationally. “They continue to be an integral part of this vibrant community that, through the twin discovery engines of UAB and Southern Research, are launching new and innovative companies at an incredible pace.” Opportunities Innovation Depot is a hub of much of the activity. The downtown Birmingham business incubator is home to more than 100 companies, which recorded $126 million in gross sales in 2016. The five-year economic impact of the facility is estimated at more than $1.4 billion. Meanwhile, other technology-based startups have turned heads among major investors, and shepherding more firms like them is a priority in Birmingham and across Alabama. Innovation Depot’s Velocity Accelerator is designed to accelerate development of idea-stage companies, while Alabama Launchpad, a program of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, has invested $4 million in companies that have created more than 500 jobs and go on to raise $50 million in follow-on funding. “It’s a great time to be an entrepreneur in Birmingham and Alabama, especially a technology-based entrepreneur,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “With a skilled and creative workforce, growing funding and mentorship opportunities, and a history of advanced research and developments, the city and the surrounding region have all of the ingredients to help startups thrive.” Ambitious goals As for Shipt, it will be a wholly owned Target subsidiary and will continue to run its business independently. Target will look to Shipt to help achieve ambitious goals set last year that focus on giving customers a number of convenient ways to shop, said John Mulligan, executive vice president and chief operating officer for the retailer. “With Shipt’s network of local shoppers and their current market penetration, we will move from days to hours, dramatically accelerating our ability to bring affordable same-day delivery to guests across the country,” he said. “By the 2018 holiday season, we will be servicing every major market across the country with same-day delivery, and Shipt’s service-oriented approach aligns well with Target’s commitment to delivering an exceptional shopping experience for our guests.” Shipt founder and CEO Bill Smith said the company is excited to partner with Target and is eyeing additional expansion. “Partnering with Target and the national scale they provide allows Shipt to further accelerate our growth, bringing our service to more people, in more markets across the country,” he said. “We’ll continue growing our marketplace and membership base, working with a variety of retailers to drive scale and efficiencies. We look forward to introducing Target guests to the convenience of our same-day delivery services, with the level of personal attention only Shipt can provide.” This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website. Republished with permission from the Alabama NewsCenter.
Target to buy Birmingham’s Shipt for $550 million in challenge to Amazon
Target on Wednesday announced it will purchase Birmingham-based grocery-delivery startup Shipt, a leading online same-day delivery platform, for $550 million in cash. Target will leverage its network of stores and Shipt’s proprietary technology platform and community of shoppers to quickly and efficiently bring same-day delivery to guests across the country, immediately making it a contender to challenge Amazon’s e-commerce dominance. “With Shipt’s network of local shoppers and their current market penetration, we will move from days to hours, dramatically accelerating our ability to bring affordable same-day delivery to guests across the country,” said Target’s chief operating officer John Mulligan in a statement. Target will offer some same-day delivery service for online purchases The acquisition significantly accelerates Target’s digital fulfillment efforts, bringing same-day delivery services to guests at approximately half of Target stores by early 2018. The service will be offered from the majority of Target stores, and in all major markets, before the 2018 holiday season. At launch, Target will offer same-day delivery of groceries, essentials, home, electronics and other products, while expanding the products offered over time. By the end of 2019, same-day delivery will include all major product categories at Target. Founded in 2014 and located in Birmingham, Alabama, Shipt is a rapidly growing membership-based grocery marketplace and same-day delivery platform. The service leverages an extensive network of over 20,000 personal shoppers to fulfill orders from various retailers and deliver within hours in more than 72 markets. “We are very excited to partner with Target, one of the most loved retailers in the country with a reputation for supporting local communities. Partnering with Target and the national scale they provide allows Shipt to further accelerate our growth, bringing our service to more people, in more markets across the country,” said Shipt’s founder and CEO Bill Smith. “We’ll continue growing our marketplace and membership base, working with a variety of retailers to drive scale and efficiencies. We look forward to introducing Target guests to the convenience of our same-day delivery services, with the level of personal attention only Shipt can provide.” Shipt will be a wholly owned Target subsidiary, and will continue to run its business independently. All current Shipt employees will continue to be employed by Shipt and will work from their current offices in Birmingham and San Francisco, and will continue to operate like a retail partner. Shipt currently requires a $99-a-year membership for unlimited deliveries. The minimum for Shipt orders is $35, but Target may opt to remove that requirement for orders from its stores.
Birmingham tech start-up Shipt expanding into Huntsville market
A tech start-up founded in Birmingham, Shipt, announced Monday it will expand its app-based delivery service to serve customers in Huntsville, ahead of the upcoming holiday shopping season. The firm’s founder and CEO Bill Smith trumpeted the announcement Monday, saying it will create around 100 new jobs in Huntsville. “Our team could not be more excited to launch Shipt in a market in our own backyard, and to provide a new convenience to Huntsville, a city known for its innovation,” said Smith. The app’s employees – called “shoppers” – select and deliver groceries from local stores based on specifications provided by customers using the firm’s smartphone app. Huntsville, located about 90 minutes north of Birmingham near the Tennessee-Alabama border, is the company’s first foray into a new geographical market inside Alabama. The service costs typically costs $99 a year or a monthly fee of $14, though they are offering a special promotion to customers in the Huntsville area. Customers who sign up before December 2 can buy an annual membership for $49. Shipt generally charges a surcharge for convenience of around $5 for every $35 order. The company was founded in 2014 and currently serves eight cities in Florida as well as Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Nashville, and Phoenix.
Movement to bring Uber to Birmingham building momentum fast
A weeks-long organized effort to bring ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft to Birmingham seems poised to cross the goal line in the near future. An outpouring of public support both from citizens – including via “Draft Uber”-style drive on social media – had been reciprocated by elected officials. City Council President Johnathan Austin declared yesterday that the city “definitely wants” Uber in town. Mayor William Bell has also signified his support, and has agreed to an expedited process that will accelerate the drafting and passage of a pro-ridesharing city ordinance. A spokesperson for Uber confirmed the progress on Thursday. “Based on today’s conversation, we’re optimistic that City Council is on a path towards bringing ridesharing to Birmingham,” a spokeswoman told Alabama Today. “We thank Council President Austin for his leadership, and look forward to working with City Council on an ordinance that aligns with the nearly 50 US jurisdictions with pro-innovation, pro-consumer ridesharing regulations.” Negotiation with the Magic City’s municipal government occurred last summer as well, but the two sides could not come to an agreement so talks fizzled. Talks broke down along lines familiar to those who have watched the ridehailing vs. taxis political/regulatory food fight that has occurred across the country – background checks, insurance requirements and taxes. Uber recently staged a unilateral pullout in South Florida’s Broward County after commissioners there attempted to fold ridesharing services – with some minor tweaks – into regulatory scaffolding that governs taxi cabs there. Representatives from Uber said that was not fair, because their business model is entirely different. Back in July local businessman Bill Smith – CEO of grocery delivery service Shipt – started a GoFundMe page to raise money for pro-Uber advocacy efforts. The drive surpassed its $10,000 goal easily. Council President Austin said Wednesday he hopes to have the new rules allowing for Uber and similar services to operate in Birmingham within one month from yesterday’s meeting of the city Transportation Committee.
