INDUSTRY NOTICE #15-21 • JUNE 9, 2015

REDUCED APPLICATION BAN AFTER REVOCATION

The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) wishes to inform its licensees that TLC rules were recently amended to permit, in limited circumstances, early application after revocation.

Drivers whose prior TLC license was revoked under either the Critical Driver or Persistent Violator programs may request a reduced application ban if the driver’s state license lists no more than three (3) total DMV points for all violations within the last three (3) years AND it has been at least one (1) year since the issue date listed on the TLC Critical Driver or Persistent Violator summons.

More information on the recent rule change as well as how to request a reduced application ban can be found at:

www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/industry/reapply_after_revocation.shtml

INDUSTRY NOTICE #15-22 • JUNE 11, 2015

ACCESSIBILITY DRAWING UPDATE

The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) wishes to inform its licensees that the first yellow taxi accessibility drawing will be held on June 25, 2015.
The drawing will be conducted at the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission offices located at 33 Beaver Street, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10004 at 10:00 A.M.
We encourage all interested parties to attend.

For those unable to attend, real-time video of the event will be available at https://livestream.com/nyctaxi. The TLC will post results of the drawing on its website within twenty-four (24) hours. All medallion owners entered into the drawing will then receive a letter detailing the results of the drawing and next steps.

On April 30, 2014, the TLC approved rules to make it easier for mobility impaired customers who use wheelchairs to get a taxi by increasing the percentage of wheelchair-accessible taxis to 50 percent by 2020. These rules can be found in 35 RCNY Chapter 58, Section 58-50 Accessible Vehicle Conversion.

This accessibility drawing will be limited to those unrestricted independent medallions with vehicles that are scheduled to retire between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016. The medallions selected in the drawing will be required to place an accessible vehicle into service when their current vehicle is retired (first retirement cycle). The medallions not selected in the drawing are not required to place an accessible vehicle into service when their current vehicle is retired. However, each medallion’s accessibility requirement will alternate during each subsequent retirement cycle.

For example, those medallions not selected in this drawing will be required to hack up an accessible vehicle in the next (subsequent) retirement cycle.

Date and Time: June 25, 2015 at 10:00 A.M.

Location: 33 Beaver Street, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10004 at 10:00 A.M.

INDUSTRY NOTICE #15-23 • JUNE 16, 2015

TLC PUBLISHES LIST OF UNRESTRICTED INDEPENDENT MEDALLIONS
ENTERED INTO JUNE 25, 2015 ACCESSIBILITY DRAWING

The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) wishes to inform its licensees that it has published the list of medallions that will be entered into the accessibility drawing to occur on June 25, 2015.

This accessibility drawing will be limited to those unrestricted independent medallions with vehicles that are scheduled to retire between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016.

The drawing will occur in two parts:

• the first part for medallions with vehicle retirement dates between January 1, 2016 and June 30, 2016; and
  
  
• the second part for medallions with vehicle retirement dates between July 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016.
  

The medallions selected in the drawing will be required to place an approved accessible vehicle into service when their current vehicle is retired (first retirement cycle). The medallions not selected in the drawing are not required to place an accessible vehicle into service when their current vehicle is retired. However, each medallion’s accessibility requirement will alternate during each subsequent retirement cycle.

For example, those medallions not selected in this drawing will be required to hack up an accessible vehicle in the next (subsequent) retirement cycle.

The drawing will be conducted at the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission offices at 33 Beaver Street, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10004 at 10:00 A.M. We encourage all interested parties to attend. For those unable to attend, real time video of the event will be available at: http://www.livestream.com/nyctaxi.

The TLC will post results of the drawing on its website within twenty-four (24) hours. All medallion owners entered into the drawing will then receive a letter detailing the results of the drawing and next steps.

The TLC will soon be providing detailed information about funding programs available to eligible licensees to assist with vehicle conversion costs.

See below or the TLC website for the list of medallions. For questions, call 718-391-5501.

Drawing A – Independent unrestricted medallions with vehicle retirement dates between 1/1/16 – 6/30/16

Drawing B – Independent unrestricted medallions with vehicle retirement dates between 7/1/16 – 12/31/16

INDUSTRY NOTICE #15-24 • JUNE 18, 2015

TLC ANNOUNCES MEDALLION VEHICLE RETIREMENT EXTENSION

The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) would like to inform its licensees that in light of ongoing litigation, which has postponed the Official Taxicab Vehicle (OTV) Activation Date, we will extend the retirement dates of those vehicles scheduled to retire before August 31, 2015.

All Taxicab vehicles with retirement dates scheduled June 30, 2015 to August 30, 2015 will receive a new retirement date of August 31, 2015. Owners may continue operating their existing vehicles until the first scheduled inspection on or after August 31, 2015.

All Taxicab vehicles must continue to appear for and pass all scheduled inspections.

JUNE 2, 2015

TLC, COUNCILMEMBER VACCA LAUNCH TAXI/FHV VEHICLE SAFETY PILOT

New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) Commissioner and Chair Meera Joshi, City Council Member and Technology Committee Chair James Vacca, and City Council Member and Transportation Committee Chair Ydanis Rodriguez today announced the launch of the TLC’s Vehicle Safety Technology (VST) Pilot Program, an extension of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Vision Zero Action Plan. The TLC is one of three agencies taking lead on Vision Zero, alongside the NYC DOT and the NYPD. The VST pilot’s goal is to explore the ways that in-vehicle technology may be employed to improve driver safety.

The pilot’s initial participants, IonFleets, Inc. and Mobileye, Inc., have installed their systems in a total of ten TLC licensed vehicles thus far, including yellow medallion taxicabs, Boro (green) Taxis, and for-hire vehicles (liveries and black cars). Among the installed equipment for this group of pilot participants is a combination of data recorders, driver alerts, in-vehicle camera systems, and related analytic software.

The pilot remains open to additional participants and several technology providers have started the application process. The TLC will announce additional participants as they come on board.

• Data recorders, also known as black boxes, capture and record information on vehicle dynamics such as speed, acceleration, braking, and abrupt turns.
  
  
• Driver alert systems notify the driver when the system detects unsafe driving factors.
  

Testing these types of high tech systems in TLC licensed vehicles enables the TLC to evaluate the practical applications of the technology and its effectiveness in promoting safe driving practices. Another of the pilot’s benefits is that it will allow the TLC to evaluate the unique driving conditions found in urban settings such as New York City, and their effects on driving for-hire.

“The VST Pilot Program will give us a bird’s eye view of what is actually happening on the road and the mere presence of a black box will keep drivers mindful of the responsibility they have behind the wheel,” said Commissioner Joshi.

“The data collected by this piloted technology will help the TLC and our industries reinforce good driving practices that will ultimately keep drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists as safe as possible. Vision Zero’s mission of eliminating traffic fatalities challenges us to explore every option at our disposal to ensure the safety of our shared streets.”

TLC Commissioner Meera Joshi (at podium) and City Council Member and Technology Commission Chair James Vacca.

“The Taxi and Limousine Commission’s Vehicle Safety Technology Pilot Program is an integral component of Vision Zero. I recognized the potential of such a program last year when I introduced legislation to mandate a pilot of telemetric technology in TLC’s licensee fleet, and I am thrilled to see it come to fruition,” said Council Member James Vacca, Chair of the New York City Council Committee on Technology, and former Chair of the Committee on Transportation.

“This pilot program is so important because the City will be able to assess which technologies best fit New York City’s diverse fleet of licensed for-hire vehicles. Testing a wide range of technologies, including black boxes to record vehicles’ movements and alerts to help drivers stay aware of their driving habits, will go a long way in preventing collisions and in encouraging lawful driving behaviors. This technology has the potential to save lives, and I would like to thank Commissioner Joshi for her leadership on this proposal. I look forward to seeing the results of this important pilot program.”

“With the Vehicle Safety Technology Pilot Program, we are working to ensure that we use the most up-to-date and effective technology to improve road safety, reduce pedestrian deaths and achieve Vision Zero. I applaud Technology Committee Chairman James Vacca and the Taxi and Limousine Commission on working together to ensure that we use innovation to help drivers increase safety,” said New York City Council Transportation Committee Chairman Ydanis Rodriguez.

Those interested in joining this important public/private partnership may visit: http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/industry/veh_safety_tech_pilot_program.shtml.

You may also see the pilot’s resolution at:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/downloads/pdf/pilot_resolution_black_box_final.pdf

Watch the press conference:
http://livestream.com/nyctaxi/press062215

Said Michael Lyons, Chairman of IonFleets, Inc, “We’re passionate about employing cutting edge technology to increase the safety and security of New Yorkers and people
everywhere. Through our innovative products, we are committed to bringing about the goal of Vision Zero.”

Said Mark Medawar, President and CEO of Mobileye, Inc, “We are glad to partner with the TLC in support of their effort to improve the safety of their fleet and help save lives.”

TLC Commissioner Meera Joshi and cab driver MD Khan, whose taxi is equipped with the new safety technology.

JUNE 9, 2015

TLC & COUNCIL SPEAKER MARK-VIVERITO JOIN TO LAUNCH
VIDEO MESSAGE SERVICE REFUSALS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!

Letting passengers know how they can make a difference!

On June 9, 2015 the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC), with the invaluable assistance of NYC Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and NYC Media, launched a public service announcement (PSA) to highlight the issue of service refusal by drivers of both yellow medallion taxicabs and Street Hail Liveries (green “Boro Cabs”, or SHLs).

The PSA will be seen and heard throughout the city’s fleet of more than 20,000 yellow and green cabs, and will also be available through the TLC’s web site and on the agency’s YouTube channel. Speaker Mark Viverito provided voiceover narration for the PSA.

The goal of the PSA is to raise awareness of passengers’ rights with respect to service refusal, and it visually portrays examples of certain refusal types while encouraging
viewers to report any instances of service refusal they may experience.

New York City law provides that medallion taxicabs and Boro Cabs must transport ALL passengers to any mandatory destinations. For yellow cabs, that is within the five boroughs, Nassau and Westchester Counties, or the three regional airports. For Boro Cabs, the areas in Manhattan south of East 96th Street and West 110th Street, or JFK or LGA airports, are excluded for street hail service, but they, too, must transport passengers to all mandatory taxi destinations as described above.

“Taxi service is for all New Yorkers,” said TLC Commissioner and Chair Meera Joshi. “There are few violations more viscerally hurtful and offensive than service refusal. This PSA will highlight the issue by showing what a refusal looks like and encouraging people to report it so that we can take action. I would like to thank NYC Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito for giving voice to this important effort. Thanks also to Council Member Jumaane Williams for his strong advocacy on this issue.”

“Every borough, neighborhood, and community in our great city has something unique to offer,” said Council Speaker Mark Viverito, “and taxis should always be ready to help take you there. We want to remind all passengers that drivers cannot refuse fares based destination and if they do, to report the incident to 311.

Taxis are one of the best ways to experience the Big Apple, and I thank the Taxi and Limousine Commission for its efforts to ensure that New Yorkers can rely on taxis for transport to any zip code in New York City.”

“In order to ensure taxi and for-hire drivers provide the services required, we must first make sure that citizens know their rights,” said City Council Transportation Committee Chair Ydanis Rodriguez. “With this PSA, we will educate every New Yorker of the protections the City has given them and give them the mechanism to report violations. With more New Yorkers reporting violations, drivers will think twice before they refuse a passenger because of their race gender or ethnicity.”

After demonstrating several service refusal experiences, the PSA concludes with a description of the different methods for contacting 311 and the vital information necessary to file a complaint. Once a refusal complaint is filed with 311, the TLC investigates and, using data collected via the vehicle’s GPS enabled technology systems, determines if the driver’s actions were in fact a service refusal.

To view the Passenger Refusal PSA, visit www.nyc.gov/taxi, or more directly at http://youtu.be/NwNhZOEJRXY

About the NYC TLC:

The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) was created in 1971, and is the agency responsible for the regulation and licensing of over 200,000 yellow medallion taxicabs and for-hire vehicles, their drivers, and the businesses that operate and support their industries. It is recognized as the largest and most active taxi and limousine regulatory body in the United States.

To find out more about the TLC, or to review its rules and procedures, we encourage you to visit our official Web site at www.nyc.gov/taxi or contact 311/311 Online.