Anyone who’s been in or following the New York City for-hire transportation (TLC) industry for the past two decades will know of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance (NYTWA) and its leader Bhairavi Desai. NYTWA, led by Ms. Desai for over two decades, is one of the most influential and active driver advocacy groups in the nation.
While its origins are tied to the yellow cab industry, NYTWA is increasingly becoming an advocate for all NYC TLC-licensed drivers, including those who work with Uber and Lyft. For example, while many might know of NYTWA’s efforts related to pushing through a historic taxi medallion debt restructuring, its advocacy also resulted in a historic $328 million wage theft settlement for Uber and Lyft drivers across New York State, including NYC.
⭐ Desai also confirmed at 44:22 that drivers should be receiving their checks beginning July 22nd! ⭐
“Attorney General James would like to thank the New York Taxi Workers Alliance for bringing this matter to the office.”
- Official New York State Attorney General Office Statement (November 3, 2023)
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Locked Out
Today, NYTWA Executive Director Bhairavi Desai and AutoMarketplace Founder Dawood Mian spoke about NYC Uber and Lyft driver “lockouts”. As many of our readers know, “lockouts” is the term used to describe a situation where TLC drivers cannot access the Uber and Lyft app when and where they want.
Topics discussed included:
Why NYTWA thinks NYC TLC-licensed drivers who work with Uber and Lyft are being locked out. Including if TLC bears any responsibility for driver lockouts.
How NYTWA believes lockouts can end and why it believes using utilization rate (UR) in the driver minimum pay rate formula is important
NYTWA’s thoughts on TLC leasing companies and drivers “stuck” in rentals
Whether it’s fair to say NYTWA has a yellow cab bias
Uber and Lyft’s role in the NYC for-hire transportation market
Whether drivers are being fairly compensated and what that means
Details about NYTWA’s planned strike next Wednesday, July 17th at 1pm
We’ve also created a table of contents (see below) for the discussion.
Finally, we wanted to thank Ms. Desai for her time and willingness to share her perspectives. We don't agree with all of NYTWA's suggestions on how to end NYC Uber and Lyft driver lockouts, as we've recently shared, but many of their suggestions are sensible and worthy of consideration, in our opinion.
We hope you enjoy the discussion and let us know your thoughts in the comments section below and/or on YouTube. If you want to learn more about the NYTWA strike action next Wednesday, July 17th at 1pm you can call them at (718) 706-9892, email them at media@nytwa.org or sign up here.
Also available on YouTube ⬇️
TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:00 Introduction 0:48 Why are NYC Uber & Lyft “Lockouts” Happening? 3:48 What is Utilization Rate (UR)? 6:37 “Empty time is work time” 9:10 Uber implied they wouldn’t lock out drivers in 2023 9:52 “Two significant things happened” 11:59 NYC TLC issued over 12,000 TLC Plates in 2023 13:45 Why is adding more TLC Plates a bad thing? 16:28 Can’t forget about yellow cab & other FHV sectors 17:52 Why the TLC isn’t using “common sense” 18:13 Corporate interests causing bad policy 19:39 Drivers have been used to create the charging market 22:03 Drivers shouldn’t be EV “guinea pigs” 22:53 Why are Uber & Lyft pushing EVs? 24:13 TLC oversaturated market, but Uber also to blame 25:32 Addressing the “predatory” leasing issue 30:48 Lease Caps 32:00 Pathway for renters to claim TLC Plate 35:05 “Empathetic Capitalism” 36:12 NYTWA has a yellow cab bias? 44:22 Drivers should be getting NY AG settlement checks soon 45:08 What do you think Uber & Lyft’s role is in the NYC TLC market 49:15 “Poverty is not a dignified life” 50:21 “This is my job” 51:16 Labor vs. Shareholders 53:16 Why we are striking on July 17th 53:30 Uber can’t exist without drivers 54:08 How NYTWA believes NYC Lockouts can end 59:25 Should High-Volume (HVFHS) base threshold be increased? 1:00:40 Why Uber standalone UR is a bad idea? Lyft bankrupt? 1:03:12 Utilization (UR) should be done on two years vs. one year 1:06:22 Strengthen TLC Plate Cap, but allow certain reissuance 1:08:10 Taxi medallion industry reaction to suggestions 1:11:56 Story from 9/11 about driver unity ahead of July 17th strike 1:15:15 Every FHV sector can co-exist, there’s enough business 1:16:16 Summary of suggestions to end NYC driver lockouts 1:17:08 Uber & Lyft should not be able to take more than 15% 1:18:45 “Minimum wage is still functional poverty” 1:19:37 If you raise prices too much, trip demand will go down? 1:21:30 Drivers aren’t being compensated correctly 1:25:08 Lockouts are insult, on top of injury 1:27:14 Details of Wednesday, July 17th (1pm) NYTWA strike against Lockouts
🗣️🔒 Locked Out: Conversation with NYTWA's Bhairavi Desai