TLC HOSTS FIFTH ANNUAL |
 |
October 17, 2018
The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) today hosted its fifth annual Vision Zero Safety Honor Roll ceremony to celebrate the achievements of more than 400 of the city's safest TLC-licensed drivers. While drivers were at the center of this celebration of safety, the TLC also recognized the contribution of taxi fleets and for-hire vehicle bases to the City's goal of Vision Zero.
Once again, the TLC also honored drivers and businesses that have made significant contributions to the TLC's Accessible Dispatch Program. The program greatly expanded its service area to encompass citywide pickups this year. The agency also recognized drivers that have placed customer service at the forefront of their work.
"Today we honor the men and women who are the model of road safety every day transporting thousands of passengers while navigating New York City's infamous traffic and congestion," said Commissioner Meera Joshi. "They are heroes to all of us who use our streets whether walking, driving, riding a bike or as a passenger. We are here to celebrate their admirable work and ask that everyone join us in thanking these drivers for making our city safer every day."
Who they are: TLC Safety Honor Roll drivers are full time drivers who have had no crashes whatsoever involving fatality or injury, no traffic violations, and no violations of TLC safety related rules for four or more years.
Drivers from all five boroughs are represented:
This segment of honorees acknowledges exemplary participation in the TLC's Accessible Dispatch Program which dispatches wheelchair-accessible yellow or green taxis to passengers throughout New York City by app, web or
by phone.
The highest number of Accessible Dispatch trips provided by an honoree was 356 trips between September 2017 and August 2018.
Accessibility Leaders have averaged more than 200 accessible trips each since the Accessible Dispatch program's citywide expansion in 2017.
Four drivers – Luis H. Alvarez, Kwabena Oppong, Bassirou Fall, and Kyaw Thu Ya - have been honored for two consecutive years for their consistently high number of Accessible Dispatch trips.
This year's honorees include:
Each type of For-Hire Vehicle base is represented:
All of our Base and Commuter Van honorees had ZERO crashes involving their affiliated vehicles in the past year.
Like leadership, safety flows from the top, and we are pleased to honor two businesses this year—Ann Service Corp. and Eight Star, Inc. – both of which have been on the TLC's Vision Zero Safety Honor Roll for two consecutive years.
Honorees take a photo with Commissioner Joshi.
Today's ceremony includes four honorees include two that exemplified outstanding service to their passengers, and two that will be receiving mayoral citations for their aid in criminal investigations.
Thierno Diakhate helped the NYPD nab a passenger in his taxi who had just robbed a Chase Bank branch on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan in July 2018.
Michael Morgan assisted the NYPD in catching a "mailbox fisher" who had been undelivering the mail from a mailbox on the Upper East Side in March 2018.
Mayor Bill de Blasio launched the Vision Zero Action Plan in 2014, a comprehensive strategy designed to move the city closer to ending traffic fatalities. As one of three lead agencies, along with the NYPD and Department of Transportation, charged with the achievement of this paramount goal, the TLC has implemented many different safety focused initiatives. The annual recognition of the safest TLC-licensed drivers on the road, as well as the businesses at the forefront of sharing Vision Zero's message, is one.
Visitors may learn more about the Vision Zero Driver Safety Honor Roll at:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/industry/tlc_safety_honor_roll.shtml.
The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) was created in 1971, and is the agency responsible for the regulation and licensing of almost 300,000 yellow medallion taxicabs and for-hire vehicles, their drivers, and the businesses that operate and support them. It is recognized as the largest and most active taxi and For-Hire Vehicle regulatory body in the United States.
To find out more about the TLC, or to review its rules, regulations and procedures, we encourage you to visit our official Web site at www.nyc.gov/taxi or contact 311/311 Online.
