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Article snippet: Brian Rybak’s first day as an Uber driver in the Hamptons did not start off well. Moments after midnight on Friday, about 24 hours after it became legal in New York State for ride-hailing services to operate outside New York City, Mr. Rybak checked his cellphone, clicked to accept a ride request and drove his shiny black Lincoln MKZ to the given address in East Hampton, Long Island. After several turns down dark streets, Mr. Rybak realized he had been called to a cemetery. “I think I’m being punked,” he said. Across the graveyard, cellphone lights blinked in the darkness, perhaps belonging to the pranksters. As Mr. Rybak drove through the Long Island towns on June 30, learning both the pitfalls and perks of his new job as a driver for the multibillion-dollar company, drivers around the state were doing the same. The law was passed this spring after two years of campaigning by companies like Lyft, Via and Uber, which had been banned from operating upstate and on Long Island because of the type of insurance coverage such companies carry for its drivers, among other factors. The new law, which was championed by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, a Democrat, amended the rules and put ride-hailing services under the jurisdiction of the State Department of Motor Vehicles, rather than individual cities and towns. Localities may still regulate traditional taxi operations. A second law strengthened restrictions on who may be a driver, requiring background checks and barring all sex of... Link to the full article to read more