Gardendale is now ready for Uber, whenever Uber is ready for Gardendale.

The Gardendale City Council has joined Birmingham and several other suburban cities in passing an ordinance that would allow the operation of ride-sharing services such as Uber to operate legally.

The ordinance passed unanimously in the council’s regular session Monday night.

Uber is the best known of what are called transportation networking companies. A customer who needs a ride uses a smartphone app to find a nearby driver who will pick them up. The end result is much like a high-tech way to hail a taxi, except that the cars are privately owned and carry no markings, except for a small window decal. Drivers work when they please, and fares are usually much less than traditional taxis.

Birmingham was one of the last major American cities to allow Uber and similar companies to operate legally, despite opposition from established cab operators.

Before Birmingham came on board, Mountain Brook and Trussville had already enacted enabling ordinances, and Trussville followed suit last month. Hoover is scheduled to follow suit in the next few weeks.

Mayor Stan Hogeland said that the new ordinance requires a business license to be purchased for $500 by the network companies only, and not the individual drivers. Birmingham’s ordinance requires drivers to be licensed, though for a much lower fee; they are also required to have certain background screening.

Hogeland announced an effort to get more residents to sign up for recycling service from the city’s new garbage hauler, Santek Waster Services.

When Santek took over the city contract, they offered recycling pickup for an additional fee, provided a minimum number of customers signed up. That minimum hasn’t been met so far.

“Santek figures they need 300 customers to make this break even,” Hogeland said. “We have about 180 signed up right now.”

The city has sent letters with sign-up details to all current garbage customers. The letters should be in mailboxes by Thursday.

In other business, the council:

•Authorized Hogeland to solicit bids for the repair or replacement of a boiler and six HVAC units at the civic center, and for a replacement for the outdoor deck at the city library

•Approved spending $11,503.58 to upgrade radios in three new Gardendale Police Department patrol vehicles, which will be used with E-911 service

•Approved a change order for ADA-compliant curbs at the city’s new Lighthouse Building

•Hired Erin Lightsey for a vacant technical services/catalog clerk position at the library.