⬛📰 BLACK CAR NEWS (May 2024)
Video summary of this month's Black Car News (May 2024, Vol. 39 | No. 5). MTA might use trip sheet data, not gantries or license plate readers, to charge NYC FHV drivers new congestion tolls
Led by longtime Editor, Publisher & Owner Neil Weiss, Black Car News (BCN) continues to be one of the most important voices in the NYC for-hire transportation (TLC) industry.
Its monthly publication continues a near four decade tradition of providing thoughtful, NYC for-hire transportation (TLC) industry insight, from Neil himself and other market thought leaders, including:
Ira Goldstein, Executive Director of the NY Black Car Fund (BCF)
David Do, NYC TLC Chair & Commissioner
Matthew W. Daus, Esq., Former NYC TLC Chair & current President of the International Association of Transportation Regulators (IATR)
AND…many others, including industry lawyers, a medical professional, TLC drivers, base owners, driver advocates, insurance companies
You can directly access the May 2024 issue here.
🗣️ Notable quotes from this month’s issue.
“In case the ongoing uncertainty over [Manhattan’s Congestion Pricing plans] wasn’t stressful enough, The Gothamist recently reported that, ‘Drivers are exempt from the tolls if they stay on the FDR Drive, West Side Highway and Battery Park Underpass. But about two months before the MTA hopes to flip the switch and begin tolling, the agency has confirmed it’s not quite that simple. Certain exits on both [crossings] will be tolled differently. One route on the Queensboro Bridge avoids the toll, while some drivers crossing the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan will face an unexpected charge despite taking an exit for the FDR, which is exempt from the toll.’”
- Neil Weiss, Black Car News, Editor, Publisher & Owner
“We have learned that it’s likely that the MTA will use trip sheet data, not the gantries or license plate readers that will be used for the general public, in order to confirm trips into the Central Business District (CBD) with passengers. It was also unclear whether drivers will be charged for entering the CBD without a passenger. It appears possible that drivers will not be charged any fee if they enter the CBD without a passenger. None of this is official yet so keep an eye out in my next column to see if there are any updates.”
- Ira Goldstein, Executive Director of the Black Car Fund
“[Our] Uber and Lyft drivers continue to make history. As the world celebrated Earth Day on April 22, the TLC marked another milestone: the most EV trips (2.05 million!) we’ve had in a single month. March’s gains almost doubled the progress we’ve made since January, which was the first time we’d reached over a million EV trips. Since November 2023, EV trips have seen an over fivefold increase – up from 362K.
On top of our substantial sustainability gains, licensees are also riding the WAV. In March 2024, rideshare drivers completed the most WAV trips in the TLC’s history with 1.9 million – and a 32% increase from March 2023.”
– David Do, NYC TLC Chair & Commissioner