Now that the New York State Senate has overwhelmingly approved a bill allowing ride sharing apps to operate here in Upstate New York, it's expected that the Assembly will be voting on the measure soon.  Meanwhile, Uber has announced that nearly 6,000 residents of the state are already driving for them in neighboring states.  The company says the drivers travel to Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts to earn extra money.

Uber has also launched a new TV commercial throughout the state that targets the Assembly.  The ad urges people to tell their rep to "Say yes to Uber, no to special interests."   The Post Standard reports that Taxi companies are opposing the ride sharing bill, saying it is soft on public safety and will ruin their industry.

This is the second time the bill has passed in the state Senate.  However, last year the Assembly failed to act on it.  Governor Cuomo has made it known that he favors ride-sharing in Upstate New York, saying it will cut down on drunken driving and provide many jobs.

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