Page 18 - The Indian EYE 080924

NORTH AMERICAN Newsline AUGUST 09, 2024 | The Indian Eye 18

NYC Mayor Adams secures agreement with

Uber, Lyft to put money back into drivers’ pockets

by drastically reducing lockouts

Both Companies Agree on Plan to Increase Access Immediately, Providing Much Needed

Relief to Hardworking Drivers Who Keep NYC Moving

OUR BUREAU

NEW YORK, NY
ew York City Mayor Eric Ad-
ams and New York City Taxi
Nand Limousine Commission
(TLC) Commissioner David Do has
announced that the city has secured
agreements from rideshare compa-
nies Uber and Lyft to drastically re-
duce access restrictions — common-
ly known as “lockouts” — that have
resulted in reduced earnings for New
York City’s for-hire drivers since mid-
May.
“Our Uber and Lyft drivers de-
liver us where we need to go, and now
it’s time for us to deliver for them by
helping them earn a decent wage,”
said Mayor Adams. “We will always
go to bat for working-class New
Yorkers, and the deal we’ve secured
today will put money in the pockets
of hard-working drivers and help
them continue to afford to live in the
greatest city in the world.”
“We were the first city to ensure
that rideshare drivers — who were
making less than minimum wage
before TLC passed its minimum that should it become necessary.” nies like Uber and Lyft onboard too 2024. In tandem with the Green Rides
pay rule — have a dignified, livable New York City’s for-hire vehicle many drivers. As part of the agree- Initiative — which requires that all
income,” said Deputy Mayor of Op- drivers were the first drivers in the ment, both companies will also pause rideshare vehicles be zero-emissions
erations Meera Joshi. “We will nev- nation to receive mandated mini- onboarding for new drivers, as this or wheelchair accessible by 2030 —
er back down on minimum pay and mum pay, which guarantees that driv- helps to increase utilization rates and the administration also lifted the
we’ve made it clear to Uber and Lyft ers get paid for time spent between allows more work for existing drivers. licensing pause on electric vehicle li-
that we want to see them responsibly trips. It also discourages rideshare Lyft will minimize lockouts as the on- censes, allowing nearly 10,000 drivers
managing their driver pools without companies from flooding the market boarding pause continues. to own their small business and save
widespread access restrictions. This with too many drivers. Additionally, thousands of dollars in rental costs.
agreement gets both companies in the Adams administration has imple- Supporting the city’s taxi and for- “This agreement will allow us to
position to cease restrictions as soon mented the nation’s first minimum hire drivers has been a cornerstone immediately reduce and aim to soon
as possible, beginning with Uber.” pay rules for delivery workers, which of Mayor Adams’ administration. eliminate platform access restrictions
“Our priority is to provide relief resulted in a 64 percent increase in Shortly after Mayor Adams assumed for existing drivers,” said Josh Gold,
to the city’s drivers as quickly as pos- pay when comparing the first quarter office, the administration launched senior director of policy and commu-
sible, without having to go through of 2024 to the first quarter of 2023. the Medallion Relief Program Plus, nications, Uber.
a lengthy and likely contentious Under the agreement, Uber will which has provided $468 million in “Lyft supports an environment
rulemaking process that could pro- immediately begin phasing out access debt relief for over 2,000 medallion that allows New York City drivers
long their suffering. This deal is the restrictions for drivers using its plat- owners. In order to secure a pay in- to earn whenever and however they
shortest possible path towards that form, with the goal of ending them crease for taxi drivers, in late 2022, want while driving on the Lyft plat-
relief,” said TLC Commissioner Do. entirely by Labor Day if Lyft main- the TLC passed the first taxi meter form,” said Megan Sirjane-Samples,
“At the same time, we have prepared tains an annual company utilization fare increase in 10 years. The Adams director of public policy, Lyft. “We
a robust rule package designed to dis- rate (the time drivers spend with a administration also successfully se- never want to enact supply controls,
incentivize access restrictions, and we passenger) of at least 50 percent — a cured pay increases for Uber and Lyft and we will continue to work with
are absolutely prepared to introduce figure that is reduced when compa- drivers in March 2023 and February TLC in the best interest of drivers.”

www.TheIndianEYE.com