π€ Daily News Reader Wants To Tow Parked TLC Vehicles
Daily News editor(s) highlight reader's frustration with parked TLC-plated vehicles. Is the complaint really about need to double-shift ππ TLC vehicles?
A few days ago, the editorial team at the Daily News decided to publish a readerβs complaint about TLC-plated vehicles parked overnight π€. We kindof found it confusing, especially the calls for the TLC and NYPD to take enforcement actions π€·.
The Daily News has a large City-wide readership, so the decision to publish this opinion is intriguing. The only thought that crossed our minds is given the history of yellow cabs being double-shifted ππ and/or operating out of a taxi garage, we suppose it wasnβt (historically) a very common sight to see many yellow cabs parked on the street overnight (maybe weβre wrong on that, please let us know!).
With the rise of βhigh volumeβ (HV) services Uber and Lyft, which now have an over 75,000-strong affiliated NYC vehicle fleet, perhaps more New Yorkers are frustrated that there are (seem to be), so many TLC-plates taking up street parking π ΏοΈ spaces around the City. Remember, the vast majority of NYC Uber and Lyft vehicles are driven single shift (driven for 8 to 12 hours a day, by one person).
One could argue a healthily utilized NYC for-hire transportation fleet, that services ongoing hand and βe-hailsβ, should likely be double-shifted ππ when measuring true utilization. Furthermore, this concept adds additional complexity for policymakers when assessing both the need for more FHV Licenses (a/k/a TLC Plates) AND how feasible an NYC FHV EV mandate is currently.
As we recently spoke about, in an extensive 2013 Bloomberg administration-TLC report related to City goals of electrifying 1/3rd of the taxi medallion fleet by 2020, all the analysis and math assumed double shifted ππ taxis!
We believe the concept of double-shifting ππ not only yellow cabs, but NYC Uber/Lyft-affiliated vehicles, will likely start being discussed by policymakers and the high-volume app companies more. Technically, a healthy taxi medallion industry would see the return of a fully double-shifted ππ ~13,500 yellow cabs on the road, where multiple drivers are making a livable wage.
In addition, given ~70% of non-taxi medallion TLC-plated vehicles are controlled by owner-operators, itβs actually an incredible business opportunity for many of those drivers to increase their income π°π° and perhaps even fight back against any predatory leasing companies or brokers (i.e., driver-to-driver rentals π)!!!
I know some NYC TLC drivers arenβt going to like us mentioning this, but itβs better to be prepared for the discussion, than blindsided by it. Itβs also important for policymakers to start assessing utilization by thinking about what % of NYC FHVs are double-shifted ππ. We would also imagine congestion advocates and fleets would start looking at this metric.
As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or by emailing us at info@automarketplace.com. Hope you stay safe and dry βοΈ out there as well!!!
AutoMarketplace NYC covers the for-hire transportation industry and automotive news. Check out AutoMarketplace on YouTube βΆοΈ
For just one shift an FHV vehicle can carry, on average, dozens of people per day transporting. Regular cars (non-FHV) transport 0-4 people per day. Tow those cars which number many-fold over TLC cars. Those non-TLC cars are useless. People donβt even drive them. And Iβm not renting my FHV car out. I drive when I want to drive and sometimes that will be in the other shift. This is my freedom. This is my liberty. Tell them to go tow cars no one uses. I use my car.