Uber, Lyft officially file applications for Nevada

Ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft have applied to be licensed as transportation network companies in the state.

The two San Francisco-based companies each submitted applications that arrived at Nevada Transportation Authority offices on Friday. Lyft submitted its paperwork by mail to the Las Vegas office and Uber delivered it by courier to the agency's Reno office.

While the Lyft application hadn't been processed late Friday, Transportation Authority Chairman Andrew MacKay said the Uber application plans 7,000 vehicles. The proposed Uber rate is $2.40 for the hire, $1.85 a mile and 30 cents a minute.

Under the terms Uber has applied, it would be required to pay a $500,000 application fee, MacKay said.

MacKay said the Transportation Authority would review the two applications and consider their approval at a future board meeting, probably in September.

The two companies lobbied the Nevada Legislature for a law to operate legally in the state after the Transportation Authority impounded Uber vehicles when the company attempted to operate for about a month in October and November.

The Legislature approved the bills legalizing transportation network companies and they were signed into law in late May by Gov. Brian Sandoval.

Since the signing, regulations governing operations have been on a fast track by the regulatory agency and on Monday, the Legislative Commission pre-approved regulations drafted by the authority.