By Brendan Sexton
For-hire vehicle drivers can breathe a sigh of relief that at long last there are running water restrooms at the FHV lots at JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airports. As of this fall, there are running water restroom trailers at all three airport waiting lots for the very first time. Port Authority also passed a measure to build permanent running water restrooms and prayer/meditation space at its airport lots.
Nearly three years ago, the Independent Drivers Guild launched the campaign for restrooms at the airports. We organized petitions and calls to Port Authority and brought the media out to the lots to expose the problem. After years with no facilities at all at the JFK airport lot, we won the first ever port-a-potties at the JFK lot in 2017.
We made clear to the Port Authority that port-a-potties were a temporary measure and we demanded running water facilities, as well as a washing station and suitable space for prayer or meditation. We began holding regular conferences with Port Authority, and over two and a half years we worked with them to research the costs of obtaining and maintaining restroom trailers, getting water to the lot and insuring the facilities.
We are pleased that the more than 100,000 for-hire vehicle drivers who service these airports now have the dignity of sanitary facilities.
FREE FLU SHOTS
We are also pleased to be able to offer free flu shots again this year to Black Car and App-based drivers in partnership with Drivers Benefits and the Black Car Fund. The last thing drivers need is to get sick and have to miss a week of work, and the flu can be brutal. Get your free flu shot at any Rite-Aid (many of them have parking).
Sign up to get your voucher for the free shot (redeemable at any Rite Aid) at driversbenefits.org/fluor call 1-855-979-1445.
When you activate your Drivers Benefits to get your flu shot you will also get access to other free benefits. Our telemedicine benefit allows you to connect with a doctor via phone or video chat 24 hours per day, seven days per week. The vision benefit entitles you to a free vision check and free glasses. There are also a number of other benefits available from free classes to accident support. More than 300 drivers came out to learn about these benefits and sign up at a recent Drivers Benefits event in Queens.
