If I were to run down a wish list of things I’d like to see happen in the industry in the coming year, improved benefits for FHV drivers would certainly fall near the top. Anything that helps drivers bring home more money, reduces stress and adds stability to their lives is monumentally important.
You may recall, I have been encouraging drivers in recent months to sign up for and use a variety of benefits offered by The Black Car Fund (BCF) – including free vision checks/glasses, telemedicine and flu shots and mental health counseling – otherwise, it seemed like they could lose them. Just as we were wrapping up this first issue of 2020, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into a law a bill that solidifies the “portable” benefits provided to drivers through the BCF and opens the door to even more benefits… some of which are already in the works.
Brendan Sexton, executive director of Independent Drivers Guild, noted, “It’s a great day for New York’s hard-working, professional drivers. New York has been the nation’s trailblazer in providing crucial benefits and protections for professional drivers, and this new law allows our state to lead the nation and expand on that success.”
One such new benefit is the BCF’s Safety Advancement for Excellence in Driving (S.A.F.E. iD) Pilot Program, which uses dashboard cameras and on-board diagnostics devices (OBD) to improve driver safety, further streamline the accident-reporting process and earn rewardsfor their accomplishments. Since this new benefit is still the “pilot” stages, there are a limited number of spots available to participate, so don’t wait: Learn more and sign up at www.nybcf.org/safeid.
It’s the dawn of a new decade, and while we’ve seen some tough times these past few years, I’m hopeful that things will get better for our industry. I would like to wish all of you a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!
