Note: The New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) has now extended the public comment period related to its proposed driver pay rules to Wednesday, March 5th.
The PDF below contains published public comments submitted by the original February 5, 2025, comment deadline.
This is Part 2 (of 2) of our coverage on last Wednesday’s (February 5th) ~2.5-hour TLC public hearing on proposed rule changes to the NYC minimum driver pay formula—which Uber and Lyft are subject to.
The video included in this article has removed any overlap with the video in ‘Part 1.’ To directly access the full NYC TLC public hearing, click here.
(Technical note: At 1:10:20, our video file becomes corrupted, but the audio continues to function for transcript generation.)
Today’s article (‘Part 2’) focuses on written and spoken public testimony from NYC TLC drivers.
Written testimony summary (to Feb 5th)
Below, with the help of AI, we summarize all written driver testimony included in the public comments PDF. This written testimony appears to represent the opinions of over 50 NYC-TLC licensed drivers across more than 70 PDF pages.
Remember, the TLC recently extended the public comment period to March 5th, so the summary below reflects written driver testimony submitted by the original February 5th deadline.
1. Driver Pay & Fair Compensation
Drivers demand a fairer distribution of ride fares, advocating that Uber/Lyft should give drivers at least 80% of the total fare.
Many drivers report financial struggles, with some earning so little that they struggle to afford basic necessities.
⭐ The reduction of minimum fares to as low as $3.99 is seen as unsustainable; drivers are calling for a regulated minimum fare of at least $8 per trip, adjusted for inflation.
Long-distance rides are especially problematic, as drivers are often paid less when traveling outside NYC, while yellow cabs receive double rates.
Many drivers argue that Uber/Lyft take too much commission (over 50%) and want a cap on platform commission at 10% per ride.
2. Lockouts & Driver Access to Work
The proposed 72-hour lockout notice may be used by Uber/Lyft to control driver availability unfairly, prioritizing new drivers over existing ones.
Drivers oppose utilization rate policies that allow companies to limit driver access based on manipulated demand metrics.
There is strong concern about potential mid-shift lockouts, which can significantly impact a driver’s ability to earn a stable income.
Some drivers want TLC to manage driver waitlists instead of allowing Uber/Lyft to control hiring and access.
Calls for strict penalties on companies that attempt to reintroduce lockouts or manipulate platform access.
3. Vehicle & Regulatory Issues
Many drivers oppose the proposed requirement to replace vehicles every five years, arguing it imposes an unnecessary financial burden.
TLC is urged to ensure that electric vehicles (EVs) are not phased out prematurely and that their operational lifespan is equivalent to gas-powered cars.
⭐ AM Note: Nothing in TLC rules explicitly prevents Uber and Lyft from dispatching to vehicle models five years or older.
Drivers request that Uber/Lyft be prevented from arbitrarily updating vehicle eligibility lists without notice, as this forces drivers to buy new cars unexpectedly.
Calls for fairer insurance policies, particularly for EV owners, and for ticket-related expenses (caused by app navigation issues) to be considered business costs.
4. Industry Regulation & Market Oversaturation
Many drivers express frustration over TLC continuing to issue new driver licenses and plates, arguing it leads to oversaturation and lower earnings per driver.
There are concerns that the presence of non-TLC-licensed drivers from out-of-state taking NYC trips is reducing job opportunities for licensed drivers.
Some drivers propose limiting the number of ride-hailing vehicles in NYC to ensure existing drivers have enough work.
There are demands to balance the number of Uber/Lyft vehicles with yellow cabs, suggesting a 50/50 ratio.
5. Transparency & Platform Accountability
Drivers are calling for transparency in fare distribution, demanding a clear breakdown of passenger payments vs. driver earnings.
Concerns about Uber/Lyft lowering driver pay while increasing passenger fares without regulatory oversight.
Some drivers want TLC to regulate pay structures across all Uber service levels, including Comfort, Black, XL, and SUV, to ensure fair pay across categories.
Advocacy for stronger enforcement against Uber/Lyft for manipulating earnings, removing vehicle categories, and reducing driver eligibility without proper notice.
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Public testimony summary
As you can tell from the video, transcript, and summary of written driver testimony (to February 5th), several advocates presented technical arguments for (and against) TLC’s proposed minimum driver pay rules.
New York Taxi Workers Alliance (NYTWA) leader Bhairavi Desai supported the regulator’s new pay rules and dismissed Uber and Lyft’s public statements and testimony. Andrew Greenblatt of the Independent Drivers Guild (IDG) argued that the TLC should focus on capping new TLC driver licenses rather than for-hire vehicle (FHV) licenses (the 'plate cap') to structurally prevent driver lockouts caused by market oversaturation.
Our YouTube table of contents (see below) allows you to navigate the video and hear the varying viewpoints of many drivers. Many of these views are represented in our summary of drivers’ submitted written testimony.
$4 trip minimum is a big issue
Earlier today, a driver reached out to us and wrote the following.
“I noticed uber cut our fares smh. $4 trips?? I just completed a 15 mins 2.6 miles trip didn’t even get $10 for it smh. Nobody really gives a damn about us and how hard it is. We have bills too.”
- NYC TLC driver message to AutoMarketplace
In the written public testimony (PDF attachment at the beginning of the article), you can find the following statements from drivers.
“Currently, drivers are getting as little as $4.14 for a local call, while Uber charges passengers much higher fares and keeps most of the revenue.”
“No driver should ever earn as little as $2 to $4 per ride. Yellow cabs have a base fare and do not have to travel long distances for pickups. In contrast, Uber and Lyft drivers often drive significant distances before reaching their passengers. We propose a $10 minimum base fare, aligning with the standard set for taxis.”
“Today in 2025, Uber’s minimum is $4! That's an insult, not a payment! If adjusted for just inflation, $6 minimum fare they set in 2013 would be $8! The TLC must regulate minimum fare that is at least $8.”
“[F]or what uber and Lyft doing now with the pay rate it’s unbelievable driving 10min to pick up customer then another 6-8min for a fare $4-5 driving total of 16 minutes for $4-5 it’s unbelievable to accept. Not everyone has old car now a day's 90% people driving new cars and it’s expensive and with this fare it’s unfair for us all.”
“Despite these rising expenses, Uber and Lyft have reduced the minimum fare to $4 per trip, when in 2013, it was $9.60. Adjusted for inflation, today’s minimum fare should be at least $8 to reflect the real cost of living and operating in this city”
To conclude this article, we wanted to specifically focus on driver complaints about 'trip minimums,' or the lowest total payment a driver receives when completing a trip in NYC. Recently, this minimum payment has decreased, with some drivers reporting that a 10- or 15-minute trip earns them just $4 (e.g., the customer might pay $20).
To our knowledge, there is no specific regulation setting a minimum absolute payment for NYC TLC-licensed drivers working for Uber and Lyft. The TLC should investigate this issue.
Just a thought: Could utilization rate (UR) rules—intended to keep drivers busy—be incentivizing app companies to game regulations by increasing driver activity while reducing per-trip earnings across multiple trips? We don’t know for certain, but concerns about minimum trip payments appear to be a relatively new issue.
The regulator must determine whether the use of a utilization rate (UR) (or the proposed use of a second distance-based UR) in any way relates to this newly reported problem. Maybe there is no connection, but we want to highlight a question posed by TLC Board Commissioner Sarah Kaufman (in ‘Part 1’).
TLC Board Commissioner Sarah Kaufman: Do you anticipate any impact to rides that drivers accept or that apps push to drivers…based on trip distance or length? Any differently than has been happening previously?
TLC Director of Policy Research Russell Glynn: That’s a good question whether the utilization rate for distance might shift how the companies distribute rides. Right now, I wouldn’t say I anticipate any changes, but we can explore that further as we refine the methodology around the distance utilization rate.
We consider ourselves fairly sophisticated operators, yet even we are struggling to fully understand why the TLC is so adamant about creating such a complex driver pay formula. Multiple members of the Board of Commissioners are also clearly having a hard time conceptualizing it.
You have to remember that the TLC is not necessarily accusing Uber or Lyft of any illegal activity; rather, they are attempting to close “loopholes” in their original driver pay formula.
This is increasingly beginning to feel like regulatory overengineering—a sort of whack-a-mole situation where fixing one problem inadvertently creates others, with new “loopholes” potentially being exploited in non-obvious ways (though lockouts were entirely predictable).
We still believe this doesn’t need to be so complicated.
“We do not believe a utilization rate (UR) is necessary in the TLC’s driver pay formula. Eliminating its use—while appropriately managing FHV license supply—will likely put an end to NYC driver lockouts.”
- AutoMarketplace (February 2, 2025)
Also available on YouTube ⬇️
TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:00 Intro to public hearing 0:50 Bhairavi Desai, New York Taxi Workers Alliance (NYTWA) 3:50 Andrew Greenblatt, Independent Drivers Guild (IDG) 6:05 Zubin Soleimany, NYTWA 9:09 TLC Chair David Do Q&A 10:51 Alli Langley, NYTWA 13:35 Michele Dottin, IDG 16:48 Leuys Taveras, NYC TLC driver, NYTWA, Uber, Lyft, 2023 Tesla Model Y owner 22:40 Carmen Cruz, NYC TLC driver, NYTWA, Uber, Lyft, Chevy Suburban owner 25:38 TLC Board Commissioner Paul Bader Q&A 26:37 Freddy Cevallos, NYC TLC driver, Uber, Lyft, NYTWA 30:52 Silvestre Cofesi, NYC TLC driver, IDG, Uber, Lyft 34:24 Jasleen Villamil, NYC TLC driver, Uber, Lyft, Rents TLC-plated vehicle 36:50 Mohamed Mohamed, NYC TLC driver, NYTWA, Uber, Lyft, Owner of 2015 vehicle 39:10 Bikash [Khanal], NYC TLC driver, Uber, Lyft wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) driver 41:45 Jorge Mejia, NYC TLC driver, Uber, Lyft 43:48 Ishtiaq Ahmed, NYC TLC driver, NYTWA, Uber 46:05 Daouda Diaby Gassama, NYC TLC driver, NYTWA, Uber, Lyft 48:52 David Obeissant, NYC TLC driver, IDG 51:25 NYC TLC Chair David Do Q&A with Professor James. A. Parrott 56:45 NYC TLC Chair David Do question on reduced driver minimum trip pay 58:50 Amanfo Assibu, NYC TLC driver, Uber, Lyft 59:50 Ushyed Ahmed, NYC TLC driver, Uber, Lyft, EV, Tesla, problem with comp & collision insurance 1:02:07 Osiris Vasquez, NYC TLC driver, Uber, $4 min payments, EV infrastructure issues 1:04:00 Blerim Skoro, NYC TLC driver, NYTWA, Uber, Staten Island tolls, Uber commission
(Technical note: at 1:10:20 our video file gets corrupted, but the audio continues to work for the purposes of generating a transcript)
1:08:10 Yadab Poudel, NYC TLC driver, Uber, Uber commission 1:11:13 Jose Lebron, NYC TLC driver, Uber, EV, 2023 Toyota bZ4X 1:14:28 Golam Mahbub, NYC TLC driver, Uber 1:17:45 Malik Anwaar, NYC TLC driver, IDG 1:20:50 Amdadul Haque, NYC TLC driver, EV comp. & collision issue 1:23:23 Shodi Halimzoda, NYC TLC driver, Uber, started in San Francisco 1:25:48 Kevin Littles, Uber driver based in Long Island (not TLC) 1:28:08 Saif Aizah, NYC TLC driver, NYTWA 1:30:50 Ibrahim Zoure, NYC TLC driver, NYTWA 1:32:05 Frank Cabral, NYC TLC driver, Uber, Lyft utilization rate (UR) 1:36:58 Nizamuddin, NYC TLC driver, Uber commission, Tesla EV maintenance issues 1:38:50 Jeremy Moskovitz, Voyager Global Mobility, TLC rental fleet co. 1:42:32 Jose Carrasco, NYC TLC driver 1:44:46 NYC TLC Chair David Do closing remarks
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