Raise For All: Comment on TLC Rulemaking

I submit this as testimony to the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission as they consider a raise for all drivers. 

My name is First and Last Name*. My TLC hack number is Number* . I have been driving professionally in New York city since Number* . I am Number* years old.

I currently drive   Please Select for Uber and/or Lyft a yellow cab livery a black car a green cab *. On average, I work   Number*   days a week and approximately   Number*   hours a day. I work overnights   Number*days a week. I Please Select sometimes often never * work holidays and weekends. Unfortunately, this job is dangerous. I  Please Select have been know of someone who was am friends with someone who was do not know of anyone who was * assaulted or robbed while on the job.

Our job is dangerous and demanding. Driving professionally requires skill for customer service and safe driving, and we are held to higher licensing standards than other motorists on our streets. I am proud to be part of an industry that serves so much of our city, and provides millions of trips a month to New Yorkers and our visitors.

We drivers are essential to the City of New York. But I do not earn enough income from this labor that is essential to the City. My take-home income supports Number* people, including myself.

I am struggling to pay for   write in examples here, like rent, groceries, school costs for kids, medical care.* 

This is made worse by the increase in gas prices. In February, I was paying $Number*   for gasoline a week. Now, I am paying $Number*   for gasoline each week.

I need a raise, and I need it now. I call on the TLC to enact the demands of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance:

1.  $25/hour TAKE-HOME Pay after all expenses!
2.  Immediately pass $0.75 temporary fuel surcharge on all trips and pass permanent rule for temporary fuel surcharges in case of spike in gasoline in the future
3.  Raise App Driver Payments on distance & time
4.  Raise Yellow/Green Cab Meter Rates
5.  Use Consumer Price Index for professional drivers when adjusting App Driver Payments based on Inflation every January
6.  Increase Taxi Meter every January based on inflation for professional drivers
7.  Uber/Lyft Drivers Must be Paid Whatever Is Higher: 85% of what passenger pays or 100% of the increased TLC driver payment rates
8.  App Driver Payments must be double the rate outside city lines
9.  E-hail companies cannot pay yellow & green cab drivers less than the metered rate - including on Access-A-Ride trips
10. E-hail companies must pay fee to driver if passenger cancels
11. Add $5 Surcharge for LaGuardia-Manhattan yellow cab trips on top of meter
12. Raise JFK-Manhattan to $70
13. Raise Yellow Cab Newark Airport Surcharge
14. CAP FHV Leasing and Financing, like we won for yellow cab drivers
15. New yellow cab lease caps to cover 24-hour shifting
16. Automatic retirement extension because of inflation for all cabs that pass inspection
17. Cap TLC Fines
18. Uber and Lyft cannot charge passengers below the yellow/green meter rate
19. TLC must look into WAV exemptions for yellow cab drivers 60+
20. NYC must work with state and federal government to get grants to support WAVs
21. Put metered rates back on yellow cab doors
22. Uber, Lyft and e-hail companies must give detailed statements to drivers that show what passenger paid and how much drivers received
23. TLC Study on Retirement Fund for All Drivers
24. TLC must enforce against illegal pick-ups at Departures & Arrivals at the airports