NYC Ride-Share Cruising Crackdown Comes With $1M Fines

What to Know

• NYC announced temporary cap it imposed last year to regulate the number of ride-share licenses in the city has been extended indefinitely[hhmc]

• NYC, the largest American market for Uber, became the first city in the United States to regulate the growth of app-based rides last August[hhmc]

• City officials announced crackdown on Uber "cruising" after data apparently showed Uber flooding Manhattan with empty cars looking for fares[hhmc]

New York City announced Wednesday that the temporary cap it imposed last year to regulate the number on for-hire licenses in the city has been extended indefinitely and introduced a second cap aimed at reducing "cruising" time.

New York City, the largest American market for Uber, became the first city in the United States to regulate the growth of app-based rides last August when Mayor Bill de Blasio signed a bill placing a temporary cap on new licenses for a year, with the exception of wheelchair accessible vehicles.

The City Council approved the 2018 package of bills that included the moratorium of the temporary cap while the city studied the rapidly changing industry.

Also on Wednesday, de Blasio, speaking in front of drivers, announced a crackdown on big-corporation "cruising" after data apparently showed Uber and other corporations flooding Manhattan with empty cars, cruising around for fares. This practice is not only crushing yellow cabs, but it is exacerbating congestion.

Mayor de Blasio Celebrates Uber Regulations

Because of this, the newly introduced cap on the cruising time will mandate companies to reduce empty cruising to just 31 percent, by February 2020, of the time vehicles are on the road.

Strict penalties will be enforced, including the Taxi and Limousine Commission's right to suspend or revoke a company's license to operate in the city. For-hire ride companies, like Uber, could also face a heft fine of $1 million a month if they are found exceeding the percentage of empty cruising vehicle permitted.

The city is proposing capping the percent of time that for-hire vehicles can "cruise" without passengers south of 96th Street.

Burlington County Prosecutor's Office

These caps will take effect no later than Aug. 14, accRead More – Source

[contf] [contfnew]

NBC

[contfnewc] [contfnewc]