On Monday, the City Council’s Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, chaired by Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, held a hearing on a slate of bills that could reshape how taxis, for-hire vehicle (FHVs), including commuter vans, and TLC-licensed drivers operate in New York City.
What was discussed?
From granting FHVs access to commercial parking space to addressing illegal commuter van activity and enforcement to expanding the TLC Board with two additional seats for licensed drivers, the City Council proposals sought to address long-standing industry issues and driver concerns (i.e., access to commercial parking would make it easier for drivers to use restrooms while working).
Proposed legislation could eventually have major implications for city curb space, enforcement, and, we recently discussed, the value of TLC plates and medallions.
Int. 0115 (Avilés) – Would require the city to create a mobile app mapping all EV charging stations, with real-time information on charging levels, connector types, e-bike compatibility, and availability.
Int. 0139 (Brooks-Powers) – Expands the TLC Board from nine to eleven commissioners by adding two licensed driver representatives.
Int. 1000 (Brannan) – Allows NYC TLC-licensed for-hire vehicles to use commercial meter parking zones for up to 30 minutes, four times per day.
Int. 1346 (Brooks-Powers) – Requires DOT to conduct a commuter van study every four years.
Int. 1347 (Brooks-Powers) – Establishes a TLC-led (working with NYPD and DOT) enforcement checklist for unlicensed commuter vans.
Int. 1346 and Int. 1347 are co-drafted pieces of legislation related to meetings between Council Member Brooks-Powers and a commuter van working group, which included commuter van operators, TLC, DOT, NYPD, taxi stakeholders and transit unions.
Two Part Summary
The hearing lasted over 2.5 hours and is best divided into two parts.
Part 1: Formal NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) and Department of Transportation (DOT) presentation, including City Council Q&A (~51 minutes)
Part 2: Public testimony, including City Council Q&A (~1 hr 38 minutes)
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NYC TLC & DOT Testimony to City Council
Speakers – NYC Council
Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers – Chair, City Council Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure. Oversaw and led the hearing.
Council Member Alexa Avilés – Sponsor of Int. 115 (EV charging app).
Council Member Mercedes Narcisse – Questioned TLC on commuter vans and enforcement.
Council Member Sean Abreu – Raised questions to DOT regarding delays on the Riverside Drive Viaduct project.
Speakers – Agency Panel
David Do – Chair & Commissioner, NYC TLC.
Eric Beaton – Deputy Commissioner for Transportation Planning & Management, NYC DOT.
Rick Rodriguez – Assistant Commissioner for Intergovernmental Affairs, NYC DOT.
NYC TLC & DOT Positions on City Council Bills
Int. 0115 (Avilés – EV Charging App)
TLC: Opposed 🛑— called it duplicative and costly given existing private and federal apps; argued little added value.
DOT: Cautious — acknowledged the fragmented app landscape but emphasized focus should remain on infrastructure, not duplicating services. Preferred public-private collaboration instead of a city-run platform
Int. 0139 (Brooks-Powers – TLC Board Expansion)
TLC: Opposed 🛑 — argued adding active TLC licensees as commissioners creates conflicts of interest. Suggested filling vacancies with individuals who have past industry experience instead.
DOT: No formal position (bill mainly concerns TLC governance).
Int. 1000 (Brannan – FHV Access to Commercial Meter Parking)
TLC: Neutral/Defer — supported need for more driver relief stands but deferred to DOT since TLC doesn’t regulate curb space. Support more taxi/FHV relief stands.
DOT: Opposed 🛑 as written — warned it would displace delivery vehicles, increase double-parking, and require costly re-engineering of meter systems. Suggested expanding designated relief stands instead. Working with TLC to implement more taxi/FHV relief stands.
Int. 1346 (Brooks-Powers – Commuter Van Study)
TLC: Supportive ✅ in principle — said a study would aid policymaking and help track recovery of the licensed van industry; deferred to DOT to implement.
DOT: Supportive ✅ — cited prior 2018 van study and estimated vans serve 70,000 daily riders in lower income, outer-borough transit deserts. Mentioned Local Law 7 of 2017 capped number of commuter van licenses to 735. Agreed another study could provide modest but useful insights.
Int. 1347 (Brooks-Powers – Enforcement Checklist for Commuter Vans)
TLC: Opposed 🛑— argued checklist would slow officers during stops and reduce effectiveness of enforcement against illegal vans.
DOT: No formal position — bill is TLC/NYPD enforcement-focused.
Key Themes & Representative Testimony
City EV Charging App
Council Member Alexa Avilés defended her EV charging app bill (Int. 0115), arguing that EV drivers currently face a fragmented system—juggling multiple private apps, inconsistent charger compatibility, and unclear property restrictions. She described the situation as a “hodgepodge of systems that doesn’t work” and said New Yorkers deserve a comprehensive city-backed solution.
TLC and DOT officials pushed back, warning that a city-run app would be duplicative, expensive, and redundant given existing platforms such as Google Maps, Waze, and the federal Department of Energy’s station locator. DOT also mentioned 90%+ utilization at some city charging points.
DOT emphasized its role is building infrastructure, not maintaining software. Council Member Avilés asked pointed and specific questions, including how much the city is spending on current EV charging projects (FLO).
Commuter Vans: Need For Increased Enforcement
Beyond EVs and AVs, much of the hearing focused on commuter vans:
Licensed vans have slowly rebounded (51 in operation today vs. fewer than 40 a year ago).
Unlicensed vans continue to proliferate, with 119 summonses issued in 2025, double the number in 2024. TLC acknowledged it lacks reliable data on how many operate citywide.
Council Members pressed for stricter enforcement, while also recognizing that vans remain essential in transit deserts across Brooklyn and Queens.
Avilés on Autonomous Vehicles (AVs)
During her remarks, Avilés pivoted to a broader critique of city transportation priorities. She bluntly stated:
“If our city is truly prioritizing New Yorkers, drivers, and consumers, we would just reject autonomous vehicles. We should not be piloting ways...to get rid of jobs instead of improving conditions.”
Her comments drew applause from the audience, prompting Chair Brooks-Powers to call for order and remind attendees that only hand gestures, not clapping, were permitted. The exchange underscored how contentious AV deployment remains in a city already balancing job security and safety concerns.
Source: NYC Council
Takeaways
Part 1 of the hearing revealed a fairly deep divide between Council Members and city agencies on several proposed bills:
NYC TLC was opposed to expanding its Board of Commissioners and a commuter van enforcement checklist.
NYC DOT opposed FHV access to commercial parking areas.
Council Member Avilés sees the EV charging map as a necessary public good to accelerate clean technology adoption; TLC and DOT see it as wasteful redundancy.
Council Member Brooks-Powers and Narcisse emphasized order and balance between enforcement and access related to commuter vans.
Council Member Avilés’ rejection of autonomous vehicles (AVs) struck a populist tone, directly tying AV pilots to job loss and inequity.
The only proposed bill that was broadly supported was Int. 1346 (Brooks-Powers), requiring the DOT to conduct a commuter van study every four years.
We will concurrently publish Part 2 of the hearing, which provides an overview of the public testimony before the City Council’s Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Also available on YouTube ⬇️
TABLE OF CONTENTS
00:30 – Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers opens hearing; outlines agenda and bills. 07:00 – TLC testimony: state of industry 10:20 – TLC testimony: driver wage protections and Uber/Lyft lockouts. 11:33 – TLC testimony: commuter van industry and enforcement update 12:42 – TLC testimony: progress on previous City Council legislation (bike decals, no-fault (PIP) coverage reduction) 13:40 – TLC positions on Council bills: opposes EV app (Int. 115), board expansion (Int. 139), enforcement checklist (Int. 1347); supports commuter van study (Int. 1346) and defers to DOT on commercial parking (Int. 1000). 19:20 – DOT testimony: curb management, parking, commuter van study. 22:30 – Council Member Alexa Avilés statement supporting EV charging map bill (Int. 115). 26:00 – Council questions to TLC on commuter van licensing, insurance, and enforcement. 33:00 – TLC on challenges tracking unlicensed vans and seizure complications. 35:00 – TLC & DOT on curb management, pickup zones, and NYPD enforcement. 38:00 – TLC on consumer complaints and enforcement response times. 40:06 – Avilés questions DOT on FLO app, EV charging infrastructure, and e-bike charging. 43:51 – Avilés statement rejecting autonomous vehicles (AVs); Chair Brooks-Powers restores order. 45:05 – Council Member Mercedes Narcisse on commuter van quality-of-life concerns, calls for enforcement. 48:20 – Council Member Sean Abreu questions DOT on Riverside Drive Viaduct delays; demands accountability. 52:00 – Agencies conclude testimony; hearing opens to public comment.
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