UPDATE: JUDGE TEMPORARILY HALTS IMPLEMENTATION OF STREET HAIL LIVERY LICENSES

The New York State Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) to suspend implementation of the street hail livery program. This order is in response to three lawsuits filed by the yellow taxi industry. The judge has said he will attempt to resolve all pending motions quickly and bring the issue to a final resolution.

Please note that the previously scheduled information fairs have been postponed until further notice. If you have already made an appointment request, it will be preserved by the TLC. If you are interested in the program and would like to be informed if and when we can proceed, please vist:

www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/licenses/shl_info_form.shtml

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON PROPOSED RULES FOR FARES AND LEASE CAPS OF MEDALLION TAXIS

The TLC proposes to make changes to the rules which govern the fares and lease caps of medallion taxis. The Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposed rule. The public hearing will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, July 9, 2012. The hearing will be in the Commission hearing room at 33 Beaver Street, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10004.

The proposed rules to amend the Taxi and Limousine Commission’s rules governing fares charged in taxicabs and street hail liveries will

• Increase fares in taxicabs and street hail liveries by an amount that the TLC estimates will be the equivalent of 17% for the average passenger
  
  
  
• Specify that Owners can deduct amounts charged by T-PEP vendors as authorized by the TLC.
  The TLC plans to select, though a competitive bid process, a health care assistance entity to be funded by a deduction of 6 cents per trip for all trips to fund driver health care and disability coverage.
  
  
  
• Clarify that taxicab markings will be provided only on the Commission’s Web site rather than also set forth in the Rules. This will allow more streamlined updating.
  

The proposed rules to amend the Taxi and Limousine Commission’s rules governing the leasing of taxicabs or taxicab medallions will:

• Change the mechanism by which medallion owners collect credit card charges from drivers with a lease cap increase.
  
  
  
• Eliminate the lease cap differential applicable to hybrid vehicles.
  
  
  
• Authorize (but do not require) lessors who lease their medallions and vehicles on a shift basis to charge a lease cap surcharge for gas they provide to drivers who lease from them.
  
  
  
• Create a new class of lease, the Standard Medallion Lease, which includes long term lease of a vehicle or conditional purchase of a vehicle. The lease cap for the Standard Medallion Lease takes into account the cost of the vehicle.
  

Below are links to both proposed rule packages.

www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/downloads/pdf/proposed_fares_rule_capa_06_07_12.pdf

www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/downloads/pdf/proposed_leaseap_rule_capa_06_06_12.pdf

Photo: Elena Michaels

TAXI MEDALLION INCREASE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT IS AVAILABLE

The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC), as lead agency, has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for a proposed issuance of up to 2,000 new yellow taxi medallions. All of these new yellow taxi medallion licenses are restricted to vehicles that are accessible to individuals who use wheelchairs.

On March 9, 2012, the TLC published a Draft Scope of Work for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and an Environmental Assessment Statement (EAS) and issued a Positive Declaration. A public scoping meeting on the Draft Scope of Work was held on April 19, 2012 at TLC’s Commission Meeting Room. In accordance with the requirements of the City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR) and the State Environmental Review Act (SEQRA), the TLC has prepared a DEIS that identifies the potential environmental or economic impacts of increasing the number of new yellow taxi medallions.

Please be advised that the public hearing regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Statement that was scheduled for Tuesday, June 12, 2012 has been postponed until further notice.

Members of the public can download the DEIS and the Notice of Completion by clicking on the following links:

Draft Environmental Impact Statement:
www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/downloads/pdf/taxi_medallion_increase.pdf

Appendix D – Transportation Technical Backup - (Zip Files)
www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/downloads/zipfiles/appendix_d_transporation_technical_backup_data.zip

Notice of Completion
www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/downloads/pdf/notice_of_completion.pdf

If you would like to give TLC feedback on what you think should be considered in the review please submit written comments to the attention of Justine Johnson at:

NYC TLC
33 Beaver St., 22nd Floor
New York, NY 10004

or email: medallioneis@tlc.nyc.gov.

If you would like to submit your comments in person you will have the opportunity to do so at a public hearing. When a hearing is scheduled the Taxi Limousine Commission web site will be updated with the hearing's date, time, and location.

OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN ALTERNATIVE IN-TAXI SYSTEM PILOT PROGRAM

The TLC wishes to notify all medallion owners and owner/drivers of the opportunity to participate in an Alternate In-Taxi Technology System Pilot Program that will be conducted by Square, an electronic payment services provider. Up to 30 taxicabs will be equipped with Square’s payment technology. Visit the link below to find out more.

www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/downloads/pdf/industry_notice_12_19.pdf

Photo: Elena Michaels