taxi and limousine commission
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NYC will enforce Uber and Lyft driver pay increases by the end of the year
NYC's Taxi and Limousine Commission voted to increase the per-minute and per-mile rates for Uber and Lyft drivers. Yellow and green cab meter will go up by the end of the year too.
Uber considers dispatching yellow taxis in New York City
Uber is lobbying New York City for permission to dispatch yellow taxis in what might be a response to driver shortages.
NYC-only affordable alternative to Uber and Lyft arrives today
Starting today, New Yorkers have access to a new option when it comes to ride-hailing apps, one that claims it's "built for New Yorkers by a New Yorker." Myle was founded by Aleksey Medvedovskiy, who says he's a 20-year veteran of the city's taxi industry. The company hopes to differentiate itself by giving people a more affordable alternative to Uber and Lyft.
NYC extends its cap on Uber and Lyft vehicles
New York City will cap the number of Uber and Lyft vehicles on its streets for another year. Today, the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) voted to extend the cap it approved last summer, which limits the number of for-hire-vehicles that can operate in the city. The rule is meant to fight traffic congestion and increase drivers' wages, but it has plenty of critics, including Uber and Lyft.
Uber shuts down New York City taxi beta, may see light at the end of the (Lincoln) tunnel in February (update: TLC responds)
Uber has been having a tough time getting a foothold in New York City, and it's temporarily withdrawing the UberTaxi service it had in beta. The withdrawal isn't entirely for the reasons you'd expect, however. While Uber claims to have been getting grief from the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission for offering a competing (if technically legal) service through its smartphone apps, the program's end was due to demand rather than any kind of outright ban -- the Commission's pressure reportedly kept Uber from matching interest with enough yellow cabs. Black car service is still on for those who don't mind the classic ride. Should that uncomfortable balance not be quite good enough, Mayor Bloomberg is promising a truce come February, when a shift in contracts will let New York change the rules and hopefully improve the market for taxi alternatives. Update: TLC Commissioner David Yassky has weighed in with both an elaboration and claims that the Commission has been in favor of newer technology for awhile. He notes that the contracts expiring in February relate to exclusive payment arrangements with Creative Mobile Technologies and VeriFone, and that apps of all kinds (Uber's included) can compete for attention at that point. His full statement: "In recent months, as e-hail apps have emerged, TLC has undertaken serious diligence and is moving toward rule changes that will open the market to app developers and other innovators. Those changes cannot legally take place until our existing exclusive contracts expire in February. We are committed to making it as easy as possible to get a safe, legal ride in a New York City taxi, and are excited to see how emerging technology can improve that process. Our taxis have always been on the cutting edge of technological innovation, from GPS systems to credit card readers."
NYC may let iPhones hail taxis
Soon, New Yorkers may be puling out their smartphones instead of waving their hands when they need to hail a cab. According to an ABC News report, the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) of NYC is looking for developers to help bring access to its taxi fleet to mobile phones. The Commission put out a call for developers who can implement a system that would let customers schedule a cab and pay for the ride using their smartphone. One such solution, Taxi Magic, is being used in 45 US cities to schedule over 30,000 taxicabs. Other companies like Hailo, which has a cab solution up and running in London, have set up shop in NYC and are hoping to break into what potentially could be a very lucrative market.
