As we say hello to March, there are reasons to have some extra spring in our steps.
Starting with yellow taxis, trips during the first week of congestion pricing were up about 10% compared to the same week in 2024. To be cautious, that’s one week and much more data needs to be collected and analyzed, but it aligns with what we hoped would happen when congestion pricing took effect. Combined with the fact that December 2024 saw more taxi trips than any month since March 2020, it feels like the recovering sector could be gaining more momentum. December also saw the second-highest number of high-volume and the highest number of livery trips since the pandemic as well!
Daily farebox revenue is also hovering around $3 million per day – up over 40% from before the 2022 fare increase. So even though there might be fewer total yellow trips than in 2019, each trip is an opportunity for yellow drivers to earn more. High-volume pay, which we are ensuring keeps up with inflation and rising expenses through our minimum pay rules, is also at an all-time high. Making NYC more affordable for working class citizens is a key priority for this administration, and informing the rules is a recent study we commissioned on driver expenses.
Electric Vehicle and wheelchair accessible trips are also humming along, with new monthly highs for both EVs (over 2.19M) and WAVs (over 1.967M), the bedrocks of our Green Rides Initiative. EV drivers should also be juiced up to learn that more plugs are coming to areas where they work and live. Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced that 267 new Revel fast-charging stalls are coming to New York City – with 178 set to debut in the next 12 months at locations like LaGuardia, JFK and the Bronx.
March will also see an important birthday: Van Hailin’, TLC’s Mobile Outreach Unit, turns two on March 31! That also broke records last year. In 2024, TLC staff helped about 2,300 licensees with services, partnering with 68 agencies, elected officials, and community organizations to expand and diversify services. You can always check out Van Hailin’s next stop at nyc.gov/vanhailin.
Lastly, I want to thank everyone who took time to give testimony and feedback at our Feb. 5 hearing – specifically licensees. We are always grateful when drivers voice opinions, and when it comes to a topic like driver pay, we especially need to hear from you. Given the magnitude of this issue and volume of comments from that hearing alone, we have extended the comment deadline for these rules to March 5, 2025. You can still submit comments to us by emailing tlcrules@tlc.nyc.gov. And if you get a chance, check out the latest episode of Commissioner Cab, which explains the history and importance of our driver pay rules.
See you out there,
David Do
Commissioner, NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission
