Hello to all! I hope everyone is enjoying these first few weeks of the Fall season. It really is a transformative time, as the weather cools, the autumn colors start to take over, and pumpkin spice pervades every place that sells food or drink. For me, it is always a reminder that another year is coming to a close and the holidays are on the way. I have a few updates to get through, so let’s jump right into it.
You may have already heard by now, but the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ) announced that the passenger pickup changes in effect at Terminal 4, which were set to end after Labor Day, are being extended through the end of the year.
The PANYNJ said that the pickup changes at Terminals 4, 5 and 7 have been very effective at controlling congestion. They estimate that roughly 110,000 vehicles were kept out of the central terminal area during June through August. They also said that several days in August broke JFK records for the number of travelers.
Additionally, they stated that the pickup changes for Terminals 5 & 7 are in effect at least through the end of February 2026, when Terminal 6 is scheduled to open. Ultimately, the changes at 5 and 7 will be in effect until Terminal 6 opens.
During an industry call in September, they also discussed a couple of construction projects that will have significant effects. There is a utility project that will require a full shutdown of the Terminal 4 arrivals frontage, tentatively scheduled for four days, between September 30th through October 3rd. By the time you’re reading this, this may have already happened, but if not, it will be important to be aware since the entire frontage will be closed for a few days.
Additionally, PANYNJ will soon open the Terminal 5 and 7 access bridge, tentatively scheduled for October 6th. Once open, Terminals 5 and 7 will not be accessible via the Van Wyck. Drivers will need to access these terminals through the JFK Expressway. Lastly, they said that there will be significant road repaving and overhead sign structure installations throughout Q1 2026, and that this will result in numerous lane closures and rerouting, particularly overnight. They said drivers will need to be aware and approach each visit as “new” because the lanes and detours will vary. Maneuvering in JFK will undoubtedly continue to be a headache until all this construction is complete.
In some other news, you may recall that earlier this year, The Black Car Fund joined The Transportation Alliance in urging lawmakers to include for-hire vehicle (FHV) drivers among the list of professions that would benefit from President Trump’s “No Tax on Tips” policy in the One Big Beautiful Bill. When they initially drafted the language, FHV drivers were not included.
At this time, we are happy to confirm that, not only have taxi and rideshare drivers been added, but also transportation and delivery, shuttle drivers, goods delivery people, private and charter bus drivers, water taxi operators, and rickshaw, pedicab and carriage drivers. At the end of the day, this was a matter of fairness and we’re happy to have righted this wrong.
On the city level, in September, the New York City Council’s Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held an oversight hearing to get feedback on a number of bills that are being considered. One of them, Int 1000-2024, was particularly notable because it would allow FHV drivers to park in Commercial Parking spaces throughout New York City for the purposes of using a bathroom.
I wrote a memo of support for this legislation and submitted it to the Council’s Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. If you’ve been driving in NYC for any amount of time, then you know there is a significant lack of access to public restrooms. It is an age-old problem for which we have heard countless stories from drivers who struggle to find facilities. This problem is compounded by the City’s parking regulations, such as commercial-only parking zones, which are often located close to public restrooms. Parking in these zones has remained off-limits to FHVs.
We support this legislation because, without a practical way to access restrooms, drivers are left in untenable situations that affects their health, safety and ability to serve passengers. We will keep an eye on this bill and update you as it progresses.
I also submitted a memo of support for Intro. 139, legislation aimed at strengthening the Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) Board of Commissioners by adding industry representation. I believe this is critical because it ensures that the voices of both drivers and bases – the very people and businesses being regulated – are meaningfully included in decision-making, without ceding control of the Commission itself.
Rather than adding two new commissioners to expand the size of the Board, my recommendation is that two of the Mayor’s four appointees be drawn from the regulated industries. The current proposal would require that both new appointees be licensed drivers; in my testimony, I suggested that a more balanced approach would be to designate one seat for a driver and one for a business representative. This kind of mixed representation is common in other jurisdictions, and I believe it would lead to better, more informed policy decisions. I look forward to continued discussions on this important issue.
As I wrap up, I wanted to update you all on our most recent Resource Fair that we held for upstate drivers. On September 15th and 16th, our team, as well as the team from Drivers Benefits, was at the North Tonawanda Football Hall of Fame, speaking with drivers about the workers’ compensation benefits that The Black Car Fund provides, as well as all the no-cost benefits that drivers can access through our Drivers Benefits Program. We were also joined by our partners from the Independent Drivers Guild, and I want to thank them for always working with us to support the drivers who keep New York moving.
The upstate resource fair was again successful, and many drivers went home with not only a ton of helpful information, but some great raffle prizes as well, such as dashcams and gift cards! We plan to be back in the Buffalo area early in April of 2026, so keep an eye out for more information on that!
For our downstate drivers, our next resource fair will be on Monday, November 17th, at our Driver Education Center, located at 3710 Skillman Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101. Come join us for a fun and helpful day with great resources and health screenings from us, Drivers Benefits, and all of our partners.
Our last downstate resource fair that we held in August was our biggest one yet, so this time around, RSVPing is more important than ever. Space is limited and we want to ensure we can provide the best experience for the driver attendees. So don’t wait, RSVP now by clicking https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2025BCFFallRF, and help spread the word to your fellow drivers!
On a final, exciting note, The Black Car Fund’s new mobile app is officially live! This app is a major upgrade from our previous one, with tons of new and improved features built with our Covered Drivers in mind. You’ll be able to report your accident faster than ever, as well as log in to check your claim status and detailed claim information. You’ll also be able to learn about all the benefits in our Drivers Benefits program, as well as enroll in the program and learn how to access your benefits. You’ll even be able to use our app to find public restrooms near you! It’s available on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. If you already have our old app installed, then simply update it to access all the new features! If you have any questions, please reach out to us at info@nybcf.org.
Until next time!
