A June 21 rally outside Gov. Hochul’s Manhattan office – where drivers and medallion owners protested for an exemption from congestion pricing fees – was my inspiration for one of two essential topics that I am discussing this month:

  1. I urge all TLC-licensed drivers to stand shoulder to shoulder, join an industry group that advocates on your behalf, and line up to make your voices heard at upcoming hearings on what is arguably the most important battle NYC taxi and for-hire vehicle (FHV) drivers have ever faced: Congestion Pricing.
  2. The second topic: You must sign up in advance to enjoy a historic new benefit from The New York Black Car Fund that provides financial relief to ill or injured drivers, even when they aren’t working. (If you’re not signed up and something happens to you, you WILL NOT be covered. You CAN NOT sign up after the fact, so please do yourself and your loved ones a favor and sign up today. See more details below.)

Congestion Pricing Inches Closer

As I’m sure you know by now, Congestion Pricing could go into effect as early as May 2024. Under current guidelines, taxis and FHVs are expected to be charged once a day – between $9 and $23 – to help fund the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s (MTA’s) capital budget. Although a once-a-day fee is written into the law, industry leaders, drivers and base owners still have some opportunities to show strength in numbers and explain why the law either needs to be changed to a per-ride fee structure that “taxes” riders, rather than struggling drivers… or, even more ideally, exempt TLC-licensed vehicles from Congestion Pricing altogether.

In late June, federal regulators gave final approval to NYC’s Congestion Pricing program, but the war isn’t over. Before it can be implemented, the Traffic Mobility Review Board (TMRB) has to develop a recommended toll structure. Factors like traffic patterns, traffic mitigation measures, operating costs, public impact, public safety, vehicle types, discounts, peak and off-peak rates, air quality and emissions trends are being considered. The TMRB’s report will explain its recommendations to the Board of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (TBTA), who will adopt and establish the tolling structure.

According to Crain’s New York Business, the MTA will hold one last public comment period, followed by a public hearing on the proposed tolling plan before it is voted on and adopted. However, Tiffany-Ann Taylor, the Regional Plan Association’s Vice President for Transportation, said she expects the TMRB to give the public more of a chance to weigh-in: “My gut tells me there’s probably going to be two, maybe three meetings if they’re ambitious. That will be an opportunity for folks to give public testimony in person,” Taylor told Streetsblog.

Although the time window for effecting change is shrinking by the day, there are opportunities for our industry to be heard, whether by attending every available hearing and voicing your opinions or marching in the streets to demonstrate the POWER IN NUMBERS you wield – and the fact is, logic and fairness are on your side. Legislators and regulators must consider the following:

  • Taxi rides already subsidize MTA operations with two surcharges – a 50-cent-per-ride fee instituted in 2009, and a congestion surcharge of $2.50 on all rides that pass through Manhattan below 97th street, an article in Yahoo! News pointed out.
  • A recent letter sent to Gov. Hochul by the Independent Drivers Guild called on the state to increase a pre-existing $2.75 congestion surcharge paid on FHV rides by $1, rather than charging drivers one time per day. This would help ensure the fees are paid directly by customers, not drivers.
  • TLC Chairperson David Do recently told members of City Council, “Our for-hire vehicles and taxis have already paid almost $2 billion to the MTA in congestion charges.”
  • One of the stated goals of Congestion Pricing is avoiding a disproportionately high, negative effect on the environmental justice population, of which NYC taxi and FHV drivers are a part.
  • An article that ran in AutoMarketplace NYC noted that “Implementing congestion tolling on taxis and FHVs could be a logistical nightmare. Many would be coming in and out of the congestion zone multiple times per day. Trusting E-ZPass to deliver a smooth technology solution is, at this point in time, foolish.”

I know it feels like life or death at this moment, but the Crain’s article referenced above noted that, “There’s still much work to be done. An MTA-appointed panel must deliberate on the fees and possible discounts and exemptions before recommending tolls to the authority’s board.”

“There is a board of individuals listening to all recommendations from the public, affected communities, people in transportation, commuters,” Gov. Hochul told Fox 5 New York. “There’s a lot of data that will be digested over the next few months, and they’ll make a determination on what the rate should be for individual classes, times of day.”

“It’s hard to imagine a scenario where a once-a-day fee doesn’t fall onto the drivers,” argues Ira Goldstein, executive director of The Black Car Fund. “How would you properly split up a once-a-day fee among your passengers, or even among the multiple companies you may work for? We want to see the surcharge kept as low as possible and applied equally throughout the ground transportation sector. When the public comment period and hearings are announced, it will be important for drivers to make their voices heard. Ultimately, when there is a final decision, we may need to explore our legal options.”

Sign up TODAY for The Black Car Fund’s NEW Accident Disability Insurance Plan benefit!

Although it may not seem as pressing as Congestion Pricing, signing up for a new benefit that went into effect June 1 could seriously affect your financial future. The new benefit, which is being provided by The Black Car Fund, protects covered drivers from illnesses and injuries incurred even when they are not working.

Just make sure you sign up ASAP. If you sustain a serious injury or are diagnosed with a life-threatening disease and haven’t signed up, you WILL NOT be covered. Enrollment is FREE and easy. Eligible NY black car drivers (including those who accept rides from Lyft, Uber and traditional bases) can sign up at: https://signup.driversbenefits.org/?utm_source=WB_Aon_BCFAccidentDisability_221101.

This expansion of The Black Car Fund’s workers’ compensation benefits, called the “Non-Work” Accident Disability Insurance Plan, will also be receiving a significant boost to its minimum payment and maximum age eligibility, as well as the addition of a substantial death benefit. The Fund is also introducing an entirely new Critical Illness Benefit, which provides lump sum payments to drivers who experience covered illnesses.

The Accident Disability Benefit’s expansion includes the following:

  • The minimum payment was increased from $500 to $1,000.
  • The maximum eligibility age was increased from 65 to 70.
  • A $100,000 death benefit was established for drivers who die while NOT on the job.

The Fund’s new Critical Illness Benefit, which is expected to be in place before the fall, pays up to $20,000. Payments are based on the severity of the illness, and go directly to drivers for illnesses such as, but not limited to:

  • Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Coronary Artery Disease
  • Cancer
  • Heart Attack
  • Kidney Failure
  • Major Organ Transplant
  • Stroke
  • Skin Cancer

For more information, call The Black Car Fund at 833.814.8590 or visit www.nybcf.org.

Clearly, this is a historic time. Our industry’s future hangs in the balance as Congestion Pricing rate structures are being considered. In the meantime, make sure you protect yourself and your financial well-being 24/7 by signing up today for new and enhanced benefits from The Black Car Fund.

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Editor’s Note:

Last month, we published an incorrect amount for The Black Car Fund’s Driver Education Course, which is now also available online. In-person courses pay $200 (not $300, as I mistakenly printed last month), or you can receive $75 for com­pleting it online. Participat­ing drivers can take the course once every three years. Spots are available for in-person classes, but they are limited, so sign up today if you qualify at: https://dri­vered.nybcf.org/.

Article by Neil Weiss

Neil Weiss is the Editor/Publisher/Owner of Black Car News and Livery Times. He has been involved in the ground transportation industry since 1991, writing thousands of articles on a wide variety of subjects.

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