Uber and Lyft ride services paused for Tuesday night's curfew in New York City
New York(CNN Business) Uber, Lyft and other "for hire vehicles" in New York City will cease ride services Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, in keeping with the city's curfew.
The move comes at the request of the city, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.
For-hire vehicle services shut down at 8 p.m. Tuesday and will resume at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, the source said. Yellow cabs will continue to operate.
The move means essential workers, who are exempt from the curfew, will be limited to walking, biking, taking yellow cabs or using public transportation to get around New York City on Tuesday night. Many people are still wary of using the subway because of the continued risk of Covid-19.
Lyft (LYFT) is taking similar actions in other cities where it operates, according to the app. In Santa Monica, California, for example, the Lyft app says ride services are suspended during curfew, from 2 p.m. Tuesday to 5:30 a.m. Wednesday.
"We'll be following local guidance around the operation of our services," a statement on the Lyft app reads. "In some areas, we have been asked to temporarily pause operations. ... Some curfews may permit certain types of travel, such as workers heading to essential jobs. If you're riding during a curfew, please follow the guidance set out by your local officials."
After 8 p.m. in New York on Tuesday, Uber's (UBER) app also showed a notification that a local curfew "may be in effect."
"Please travel only for essential trips," the notification read. When inputting a new trip, the app said: "Unfortunately, Uber is currently unavailable in your area."
An Uber spokesperson said the company is working with cities across the United States to determine how it should operate during curfews.
"Some cities have requested that we suspend operations during curfew hours while others want to ensure Uber is available for essential services," the spokesperson said.
Via, another ridesharing service, also shut down in New York on Tuesday night. A company spokesperson said that passengers using the service after the restriction lifts at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday but before the curfew ends at 5 a.m. may be required to provide a reason for travel to the New York Police Department. Via is also shutting down its services in Washington, D.C. in keeping with the local curfew there.
Demonstrations over the killing of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, Minnesota have swelled and spread across the United States over the past week. In recent days, some cities have enacted curfews in hopes of curbing the violence and damage that have come along with some protests.
New York City's curfew began Monday, and the hours were extended Tuesday. It is set to last through the end of the week. It is the strictest curfew in New York since the race riots of 1943. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio pointed to looting that occurred in lower Manhattan on Sunday night as the reason for the curfew.
