New York City just voted to cap Uber and Lyft vehicles, and that could make rides more expensive
New York City just voted to cap Uber and Lyft vehicles,
and that could make rides more expensive
·
NYC will cap the number of ride hail vehicles
for one year, and impose a minimum wage for drivers.
·
Some are worried that prices and wait times will
increase for rides.
·
Affected companies like Lyft and Via have spoken
out against the initiative.
By Ariel Shapiro August 8, 2018 CNBC.com
New York City Council passed regulations on ride-hail
companies on Wednesday, capping the number of vehicles on the road for one year
and requiring that drivers to be paid a minimum wage.
Council Speaker Corey Johnson said earlier that the
regulations are intended to protect drivers, fairly regulate the industry and
reduce congestion. The year-long cap on new licenses for ride-hailing vehicles
will take place while the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) studies the
effects of ride-hail service in the city. The cap would not apply to new
wheelchair-accessible vehicles or new vehicles serving an area demonstrating
need in a way that does not increase congestion.
App-based ride services account for 80,000 vehicles in
New York City, and provide 17 million rides per month, according to a study by
The New School for the TLC. The surge in ridership coincided with increased
resident frustration with the local subway system. The move to cap the number
of vehicles could result in longer wait times and higher prices for rides with
companies like Uber and Lyft.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement that
"Our city is directly confronting a crisis that is driving working New
Yorkers into poverty and our streets into gridlock. The unchecked growth of
app-based for-hire vehicle companies has demanded action – and now we have
it."
"The City's 12-month pause on new vehicle licenses
will threaten one of the few reliable transportation options while doing
nothing to fix the subways or ease congestion," Uber said in a statement.
"We take the Speaker at his word that the pause is not intended to reduce
service for New Yorkers and we trust that he will hold the TLC accountable,
ensuring that no New Yorker is left stranded."
Lyft's vice president of public policy Joseph Okpaku said
in a statement that "these sweeping cuts to transportation will bring New
Yorkers back to an era of struggling to get a ride, particularly for
communities of color and in the outer boroughs. We will never stop working to
ensure New Yorkers have access to reliable and affordable transportation in
every borough."
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