Hello to all! I hope everyone has been staying warm, as it has been a very cold winter so far. I have a number of things I want to update you on, so I’ll jump right into them.
It came down to the wire, but after Judge Leo Gordon rejected New Jersey’s push to stop congestion pricing from going into effect, the plan officially went into effect. New York became the first city in the United States to establish a congestion pricing system.
Now that it is in effect, everyone is going to ask if it’s working. After an analysis of the first week of data showed significantly lower volumes of traffic, it appears that the plan is having a positive effect on congestion. According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), there has been an average of 7.5% fewer vehicles in Manhattan’s Central Business District.
Travel times have also improved, particularly for river crossings. For example, it now takes an estimated 30-40% less time to travel between Manhattan and New Jersey through the George Washington Bridge, and the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels. Buses and cars driving crosstown have also benefited from reduced travel times of between 20-30%.
Reducing congestion, however, is just one of the goals of the congestion pricing plan. The other question that will be asked soon is how much money the program is actually raising for the MTA. For now, we don’t know as the MTA has not yet calculated or released any information regarding the revenue generated by the program.
It’s also important to keep in mind that while the program has officially started, it still faces numerous threats. Between ongoing lawsuits, additional information requested from the federal government, and the incoming presidency of Donald Trump who has vowed to kill congestion pricing, it’s future is still in question. I’m certain that I will continue to have monthly updates on this topic.
Moving onto some news from the Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC), a public hearing is scheduled for February 5, at 10:00am, on proposed rule changes that would increase the minimum per-mile pay for high-volume for-hire vehicles (HVFHVs) and change the way that utilization rates are calculated and applied when determining the minimum pay rates.
The TLC, in their statement of basis and purpose, point to analysis done on rising driver costs as justification for the increase in payment they have calculated. The TLC also argues that issues surrounding the utilization rate have led to lockouts, where drivers who are already logged in and working, or trying to log in, are temporarily restricted from accessing the app. The proposed rules TLC has made are aimed at reworking the utilization rate so that lockouts can no longer effectively affect it. I encourage everyone to watch the hearing on February 5.
By now, many of you have likely realized that the passenger pick-up changes that the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ) put into place at JFK Airport’s Terminal 4 have been rescinded. As of January 7, FHV drivers have been able to once again pick up passengers at the Terminal curb, rather than at a remote site. The PANYNJ, in a briefing to industry stakeholders, stated that these changes were very effective in reducing congestion in the central terminal area during the months of June through December.
Looking at 2025, the PANYNJ has a lot of work planned for JFK. The roadwork in the central terminal area and various terminals isn’t set to be completed until mid-2026, and early estimates are already predicting even larger passenger volumes in 2025 compared to 2024. The PANYNJ themselves have acknowledged that they anticipate having to reinstate passenger pick-up changes as early as April, as well as at additional terminals, like 5 and 7. Based on how things played out in 2024, I would say it’s a safe bet that these changes will end up being in effect for most of 2025. This is an issue we are monitoring closely, particularly since there is always a fairness issue in the PANYNJ’s decisions of who to continue allowing pick-ups at the curb. Remember, yellow taxis and private vehicles were allowed to pick-up at the curb for almost all of 2024, while for-hire vehicles and black cars were pushed away.
As I wrap up, I have a few exciting announcements to make. First, as you’ve likely heard by now, The Black Car Fund’s next Resource Fair event is being held on Monday, February 10, at our Driver Education Center located at 37-10 Skillman Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101. As always, these events are put together to provide drivers with opportunities to speak with us directly about their benefits, protections, or any questions they may have about The Black Car Fund. We have continually worked to bring new partners to these events as well, to provide additional resources and helpful information to our Covered Drivers.
This time, we will also have even more raffle items to give away to drivers, as well as door prizes for the first drivers who arrive at either our morning or afternoon sessions. Space is limited at these events, so we require drivers to RSVP to ensure we have enough room for everyone! If you haven’t already, please click here to RSVP for the event, and if you have any questions, please reach out to our planning team at COM@nybcf.org. I look forward to seeing you there!
I also want to let you all know that effective February 1, the payment drivers will receive for taking our Wellness STEP Class has been increased to $250. Remember, you can take this class at our Driver Education Center once every three years! So, if you haven’t taken it yet, or it’s been more than three years, head on over to www.blackcarsafetyclasses.com to sign up for the class now!
Finally: Also effective February 1, the BCF Surcharge that is applied to passengers will decrease for the second time in two years. In 2023, we reduced the surcharge from 3% to 2.75% and now, it is being further decreased to 2.5%. Overall, this reduction will save passengers money, while we continue to expand the benefits and programs that we offer our Covered Drivers.
Until next time!
