Hello to all! I hope that everyone has been enjoying the warm weather and is excited for the start of summer. This summer is poised to be an interesting one, with congestion pricing set to go into effect at the end of the month.
As you know, the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) gave their final approval to the congestion pricing plan and motorists will begin being charged for entering the congestion zone at midnight on June 30th. All of the tolling infrastructure needed for the plan has been installed across 108 locations, but as a for-hire vehicle driver, the MTA will be using trip sheet data, in order to confirm trips into the congestion zone with passengers. Bases will be responsible to enter into a Per-Trip Charge Agreement with the MTA and collect the congestion fee on trips into the congestion zone, and then send that money to the MTA.
It has also been unclear whether drivers will be charged for entering the congestion zone without a passenger. However, according to an Industry Notice issued by the Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) on May 21st, under the per-trip charge plan, taxis, street hail liveries and FHVs will not be charged unless the vehicle is on a trip.
On another note, the MTA is still facing several lawsuits seeking to delay or stop congestion pricing. The Judge in New Jersey’s lawsuit, widely seen as the most serious challenge to the program, has stated that he will try to render his ruling with time to spare before the program goes into effect. However, as of the time I’m writing this, no decision has been made. I would encourage everyone to keep their eyes peeled for news on this issue. We will also share updates on The Black Car Fund’s social media pages as soon as we receive them.
At the end of April, The Black Car Fund held another Steering Towards Success Resource Fair at our Driver Education Center in Long Island City. As you know, these events are meant to provide an opportunity for our Covered Drivers and our Member Bases to speak directly with The Fund, learn more about our Drivers Benefits program, and ask any questions that they may have about what we do.
Once again, we had a great turnout and many drivers went home with exclusive giveaways and raffle prizes. Our partners at Drivers Benefits were on the scene with the BCF Vision Van, helping drivers learn about and get access to the many health and wellness benefits we offer. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center was also on site, providing no cost health screenings and connecting drivers with additional health resources. I’d also like to thank the Independent Drivers Guild for helping to spread the word about this event to drivers.
I would also like to extend a huge thank you to the Taxi & Limousine Commission and Commissioner David Do. TLC staffers were on site to assist drivers with TLC related issues, and Commissioner Do stopped by to lend his support and speak with our drivers and partners. It was great to have him and his team on board, and we’re already looking forward to our next event, slated for early September!
Speaking about our Driver Education Center, many of you have likely taken a class there, or stopped by one of our previous resource fairs. I want to let you know that we have recently replenished our stock of seatbelt stickers for your vehicle. These stickers notify your passengers to buckle up and can be placed on the rear windows of your vehicle. The stickers are available to any drivers who attend a class at our Education Center, or if you’d like to pick some up, you can stop by whenever classes are scheduled.
There are three Earn While You Learn opportunities we offer at our Driver Education Center, so if you haven’t already, I strongly encourage you to sign up for one of our free classes and earn some money while you do! To sign up for our new Driver Education Course, please visit https://drivered.nybcf.org. To sign up for our Enhanced NY State Certified Defensive Driving Course, or our Wellness STEP class, please visit https://www.blackcarsafetyclasses.com.
In early June, the TLC will be holding it’s annual Honor Roll event, where they recognize the city’s safest drivers, as well as bases, fleets and accessibility leaders for their outstanding safety, service and commitment to providing transportation for those who use wheelchairs.
The Black Car Fund was proud to be a sponsor of this event as we recognize how important it is to drive safely, both for passengers and pedestrians. Driving in New York is certainly a unique skill, and the drivers recognized at this event truly are masters of their craft.
Before I wrap up, the past month was a busy one here at The Black Car Fund, and I have some exciting news to share. First, on May 4th and 5th, we held our first Defensive Driving Courses for drivers in Upstate New York. We partnered with Liberty Cab of Buffalo to bring this opportunity to upstate drivers. Since our Driver Education Center is located in New York City, it has been difficult or impossible for drivers who live and work upstate to attend the class. We have wanted to expand this opportunity for some time, and we’re excited that the response to these initial classes was very positive. Stay tuned, as we plan to offer more upstate classes in the near future.
Lastly, The Black Car Fund hit an incredible milestone in May. We have officially reached 50,000 drivers who are enrolled in our Drivers Benefits Program. This program was established by The Black Car Fund in order to provide a full-suite of health and wellness benefits beyond workers’ compensation to the drivers we serve.
In the few years since its launch, we have expanded the program significantly to include income protection when you’re NOT working, through our Accident Disability Insurance Plan, Personal Accident Insurance and the Critical Illness benefit. These, combined with telemedicine access, dental insurance, vision coverage, and more, create a safety net of benefits that independent contractor drivers in the rest of the country do not receive.
If you haven’t already, please enroll in our Drivers Benefits program. Enrolling is free and the benefits are always provided to you at no cost. Also, please spread the word to your fellow drivers to ensure that they know about the program and are enrolled as well. As I wrote in January, our goal for 2024 is to ensure that every eligible driver is enrolled in our Drivers Benefits program.
Learn more and enroll or access your benefits now by visiting https://ny.driversbenefits.org.
Until next time!
