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🪧 NYTWA Plans City Hall Rally Next Wednesday, November 15th
New York Taxi Workers Alliance (NYTWA) plans "PROTECT OUR FULL TIME JOBS" rally in front of City Hall next Wednesday, November 15th at 1pm. TLC Chair David Do directly responds to NYTWA's legal action
The yellow cab industry’s anger over the surprise reinstatement of the EV exemption to the FHV License Pause (a/k/a TLC Plate Cap), continues to build. In addition to a recent legal action against TLC Chair David Do, TLC and the City of New York, NYTWA now plans to stage a City Hall rally to “PROTECT OUR FULL TIME JOBS”, next Wednesday, November 15th at 1pm.
In a publicly viewable NYTWA distribution, the influential driver advocacy group lists four bullet points.
Stop TLC from Flooding the Streets with More Cars
Demand Protection for Renters and Car Owners Facing High Rents/Financing + Fair Pathway for Those Who Want Plates
Pass bill 1078 to End Unfair Deactivations
Pass bill 1079 to stop low pay for yellow/green cabs in ehail trips
Do Responds
In the same NYTWA distribution, the advocacy group shares the full text of a Crain’s New York Business article written by Caroline Spivack. In that article, we get a direct statement from a combative TLC Chair David Do, who is described by Spivack as doubling down on his Commission’s decision.
“Resuming the issuance of EV licenses not only has long term benefits for our environment, but also drivers who have been stuck in predatory leasing arrangements,” Do said. “It’s a shame that NYTWA leadership would try to derail progress that improves our air, expands our charging infrastructure, and puts more money into drivers’ pockets.”
- Crain’s New York Business
As we mentioned yesterday, Do and his deputies have decided, with NO public hearing or specific math, to claim “predatory leasing” is rampant AND that issuing more FHV Licenses (TLC Plates) is the ONLY solution to combat said “predatory leasing”. The TLC does not specifically quantify their arguments or present any sort of study about these leasing companies (we have).
In fact, the TLC’s policy may have, ironically, incentivized many NYC TLC drivers to enter into unsustainable auto financing arrangements, which is also cited in NYTWA’s statement.
“Some insurance brokers report as many as 20,000 new cars are expected to hit the streets. Meanwhile, the city has only 24 public charging stations - of which only 1 is in the Bronx. Some financing terms for new EVs are as high as 24% interest rate with 75 month terms - leaving drivers desperate to leave renting with still high costs and in deep debt”
- NYTWA
This publication maintains its position that David Do must resign as Chair & Commissioner of the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) effective immediately, whatever the outcome of NYTWA’s legal action.
Do has simply lost credibility and is tone deaf to genuine concerns that many TLC-licensed drivers, congestion advocates and other industry participants have clearly and repeatedly expressed.
As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or by emailing us at info@automarketplace.com.
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