Hello and Happy New Year to all! I hope everyone had a joyous holiday season with family and loved ones. 2023 was an eventful year and 2024 is shaping up to be the same. December was a very busy month and there are several issues that I need to update you on, so let’s jump right into it.
As the year came to a close, congestion pricing took another large step towards becoming a reality. The Traffic Mobility Review Board (TMRB), issued their final report with their formal recommendations for the tolling structure. I encourage everyone to read this report in full. It contains a lot of important information. To recap the major points briefly:
- Passenger vehicles will be charged a $15 toll for entering the Central Business District (CBD), no more than once per day.
- Trucks will be charged a $24 or $36 toll depending on their size.
- TLC-Licensed vehicles will be exempt from the $15 daily toll and instead will have a per-ride surcharge added to each fare, paid for by passengers.
- Yellow taxis and all other FHVs will have a $1.25 per-ride surcharge, while app-based FHVs like Uber and Lyft will have a $2.50 per-ride surcharge.
Just a few days after the report was released, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) overwhelmingly voted in favor of it. Now a comment period has officially been kicked off and there will be four public hearings in late February and early March.
Throughout this period, there is a possibility that tweaks could be made before what will be a “final” vote tentatively set for April. Since the MTA’s vote, there have been some developments that could result in tweaks. There has been an increased push for yellow taxis to be completely exempt from the $1.25 passenger surcharge. Mayor Adams has called for yellow taxis to be exempt, and the New York Taxi Workers Alliance has been very vocal about this as well, going as far as organizing a rally outside of Governor Hochul’s office.
Ultimately, parity among the ground transportation sectors is crucial. The government should not be picking winners and losers by giving unfair advantages to one group and not another. We will be testifying at the upcoming hearings to ensure that this point is made and heard.
Moving onto some other news, in late December the City Council passed a bill that will allow in-vehicle advertising tablets to be installed in TLC-licensed vehicles. In summary, the tablet must be a third-party tablet approved by the TLC, it can contain a wide variety of content including advertising, and drivers have complete discretion as to whether or not to install one in their vehicle. If a driver chooses to install one, they will receive 25% of the revenue generated by the tablet and may accept compensation to install it.
Now, the TLC will have to establish detailed rules on the implementation of the tablets and their software and will be required to submit a report after the first year to the City Council and Mayor. Then the TLC will have the discretion to adjust the amount of compensation drivers receive. As more details are released about this issue, I will be sure to relay the information to you.
For those of you who have electric vehicles (EVs), the TLC announced a program from Con Edison that gives drivers an opportunity to earn rewards while charging their EVs. It’s called the EV SmartCharge New York Program and it incentivizes drivers to charge during off-peak times (12pm-8am) with an estimated incentive of $475 per year. Drivers can earn $25 after participating in the program for 3 months, up to $175 if you avoid charging during weekdays from 2pm-6pm, and 10 cents per kWh when you charge from midnight-8am. To learn more about this program and enroll, please visit https://scny.ev.energy.
Speaking about the TLC, they also announced the establishment of a new, short-term storage program which will permit licensees to put their current FHV license in storage once every 2-year renewal period for up to 90 consecutive days. This program is meant for drivers who may be traveling overseas for extended periods or who may be experiencing issues with their vehicle.
In order to be eligible for this program, you cannot have any suspensions or outstanding fines and fees due to the TLC. You also cannot have a pending plate, a pending transfer, or a pending renewal. If these criteria are met, you can use the TLC UP portal to place your FHV license in storage.
As I wrap up, I’m excited to let you know about The Black Car Fund’s next Resource Fair event! Our last event in September had an overwhelmingly positive response and we and our partners are excited to host another event. Our “Steering Towards Success” Resource Fair will be held on January 29th, from 10am-3pm at our Driver Education Center located at 3710 Skillman Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101.
Like last time, staff from The Black Car Fund and our Drivers Benefits team will be on hand to answer questions about The Fund, the benefits we provide and how you can access them! We will also have other organizations partnering with us to connect you with helpful resources. Finally, there will be many free giveaways and raffles to make the day exciting!
Due to space limitations, we are asking drivers to RSVP, so please click here or visit our linktr.ee page at https://linktr.ee/nybcf to secure your spot now! Looking forward to seeing you there!
Until next time!
