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NYC mayor signs ride-hailing vehicle cap into law
After the New York City Council passed legislation proposing a cap on all ride-hailing vehicles, mayor Bill de Blasio signed it into law today. This makes it the first US city to limit the total number of drivers working for Uber, Lyft and other services.
NYC’s mayor has a plan to get e-bikes on city roads
San Francisco and other cities around the US have been rolling out pedal-assisted e-bike sharing programs to help decrease street traffic and air pollution. Now New York City's Mayor Bill de Blasio has directed his city's Department of Transportation to start making rules that allow pedal-assist bicycles on the streets. Throttle e-bikes that can travel faster than 20 MPH, will not be included in the legalization effort, however. Pedal-assist bikes have been illegal to operate under the current administration due to safety concerns.
NYC will stop collecting info Trump could use for deportations
The NYC mayor's office has announced that it will no longer store personal records for immigrants who apply for the city's free IDNYC identification card. While the card allows users to secure accounts for utilities, banking and more, officials fear President-elect Trump could use the database for his proposed deportation plans. Mayor Bill de Blasio said in the weeks following the election that he would keep cardholders' personal records from the federal government and other authorities.
NYC's parking meters are getting a big upgrade this year
Driving in New York City is stressful enough as it is and that's before you have to try finding a parking spot only to realize that you're out of quarters. Mayor Bill de Blasio has a plan in place for making the latter easier, however: upgrading Gotham's 85,000 parking meters so they all accept smartphone-based payment systems by year's end. Rather than printing out a slip and putting it on your dashboard, soon you'll be able to just flash your phone at the new Muni-Meters.
NYC won't limit Uber surge pricing
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's war with Uber was all for naught. Today, the City Council voted not to limit Uber's surge pricing, which inflates prices during periods of peak demand, the Wall Street Journal reports. Additionally, the city released a long-awaited report (PDF) on Uber's impact on local traffic, which was notable for costing $2 million and taking months to complete. The result? Uber isn't adding to traffic congestion at all. Instead, construction, freight trucks and a larger population seem to be the bigger culprits.
Verizon gets slapped by New York City mayor
Way back when, Verizon pledged to build fiber optic services to every home in NYC, but for some reason, it never got around to finishing it. Unfortunately, New Yorkers are used to getting what they want, and so Mayor Bill de Blasio has slammed the company saying that it needs to sort out the problem, or else. The city has delivered Big Red a very public ultimatum: Either it brings its FiOS network to "every household" in the five boroughs, or it'll face some heavy penalties.
NYC commits $70 million toward universal broadband
In an ambitious effort to close New York City's digital divide, the De Blasio administration has announced that it's going to spend $70 million bringing high-speed internet access to the city's residents. An estimated 22 percent of New Yorkers overall lack a home internet connection (with that number jumping to 36 percent for the poorest residents), which significantly impacts their social mobility, according to the mayor's office.
NYPD is getting equipped with over 40,000 mobile devices
Thanks to a massive $160 million investment, the New York City Police Department is on its way to receive a combination of up to 41,000 smartphones and tablets. Known as the NYPD Mobility Initiative, which will be mostly financed by criminal asset funds provided by the Manhattan DA's Office, the goal is to provide the the city's law enforcement with tools that can improve and streamline their overall workflow. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio said there are a few key elements to this plan, such as offering better case support for detectives, providing features including real-time 911 data, enhanced database access for patrol staff, quick entry points to info like Amber Alerts and email accounts for every officer.
