With another holiday season in the books, I want to give a big shoutout to our drivers who keep New York City moving during these festive seasons. Whether it’s tourists who are seeing the skyline for the first time, or New Yorkers trying to get across town to meet their families, I appreciate everything TLC licensees do as ambassadors for the Big Apple.
Many of our successes in 2023 focused on pay, safety, and modernizing rules to give you more flexibility. And as we flip the calendar to 2024, we plan to keep the meter running when it comes to progress.
I began the new year with a trip to our Long Island City office – a place many of you know well. The same way I jumped into the driver’s seat of a TLC-licensed vehicle to understand your concerns while on the road, I liked going behind the counter to listen and learn how we can make things more efficient. I shook hands with some of you, handed out medallions and new license plates, and fielded some of your day-to-day questions.
I also did first-hand training on the ins-and-outs of the licensing process, with the goal of improving and streamlining operations for licensees and staff. This is part of a larger modernization project, which, once completed, will cut down on paperwork and simplify procedures for licensees and our dedicated staffers.
We also want to make sure TLC licensees are juiced about electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, so in January we teamed up with Con Edison to host a webinar just for TLC drivers. If you want to put anywhere between $500 to $1,000 (cha-ching!) annually in your pocket, then the SmartCharge programcan help. Plug in your EV during off-peak hours and you can charge, earn and sleep all at the same time. And don’t worry if you missed out – we hope to hold more of these types of seminars. In the meantime, you can sign up for the program whenever you have a few minutes.
Our federal government friends also rang in the new year with some good news, allocating $15 million to help the City bring a charging depot to The Bronx. We know that’s music to many licensees’ ears, especially those who live far from chargers. On the same note, our just-launched FAQ page has a bunch of tips about maps and apps to help you take charge of your EV future. We’ll keep it updated, and it’s an easy one to remember: nyc.gov/charging.
Also, don’t forget about monthly “WAV Days” – which happen on the third Tuesday of the month and raise awareness about accessible rideshares. These events are hosted at the Taxi Clubhouse – a wonderful resource for drivers to rest, recharge, and use the bathroom (the Clubhouse can be reached by calling 917-540-0512). We go over the benefits of driving a wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) and cover topics like the Taxi Improvement Fund (TIF), how to earn extra money by driving a WAV, and how to convert to a WAV. We currently have the most accessible fleet in TLC history, and as we move forward, we will continue to build on that.
The momentum of 2023 will only energize what we do in 2024. Together, we have the drive to make this another successful year.
See you out there,
David Do
Commissioner, NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission
