Drivers licensed by New York City’s Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) now have a dedicated place to relax between jobs or after long shifts at a new “Taxi Clubhouse,” located at 22nd Street and Seventh Avenue in Chelsea. The Clubhouse features amenities like bathrooms, food, beverages, and wifi, along with TVs, video games, a gym, and space to pray.
The 3,000-square-foot clubhouse, which is open to all Taxi and FHV drivers licensed by the TLC, was funded by Marblegate Asset Management, a Greenwich, Connecticut private equity firm and the largest holder of taxi medallion debt. After agreeing to a loan-restructuring program and forgiving over $350 million in debt, Marblegate executives announced they wanted to do more help ensure the industry “thrives well into the future.”
“We consistently heard about the long hours, the difficulty in finding a place to take a break, or even use the restroom,” said Andrew Milgram, Marblegate’s managing partner. “Since our soft opening, the reaction from the driver community has been tremendous, and it is clear we’re onto something. This is just the beginning as we look to provide more spaces like this one for drivers across the city so they can meet their fundamental needs and restore dignity to this profession.”
Bhairavi Desai, head of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance union called the clubhouse an unprecedented investment in the people of the industry. She urged drivers to check out the clubhouse and take some personal time to drink a coffee, lounge in a massage chair, and play a free, old-fashioned arcade game.
Source: amNY
