Driver Relief Penalty Reduction and Medallion Relief Program

Online comments: 6

• C. James Robert von Scholz SC

  Please find the attached as the Official Submitted Comment. Thank you.

  Comment attachment
  TLC-Driver-Relief-Penalty-Reduction-and-MRP-COMMENT-07202026.pdf

  Comment added July 20, 2026 4:17pm

• Anonymous

  Good afternoon Commissioners,

  My name is XYZ, and I am a TLC driver and vehicle owner. I appreciate the opportunity to speak today.

  TLC drivers are small business operators. We carry heavy financial burdens insurance, vehicle financing, repairs, inspections, licensing fees, and daily operating costs. When a violation occurs, the impact goes far beyond the fine. It can mean lost work, suspension, and thousands of dollars in expenses.

  Many TLC penalties start at $400 or more, even for technical or administrative issues. A first-time mistake should not carry the same penalty as a dangerous or intentional violation. I strongly support a more proportionate penalty structure, expanded cure opportunities, and meaningful reductions in fines and fees.

  The $252 driver renewal fee, the $550 vehicle renewal fee, and inspection-related charges should be reviewed and reduced. These recurring costs are overwhelming for working drivers.

  I also want to highlight concerns about undercover enforcement. Drivers can face penalties of $1,000 or more for first-time violations that were initiated by undercover officers. Enforcement is important, but penalties must be fair, transparent, and focused on preventing actual harm.

  Finally, I ask TLC to address the treatment of drivers at inspection sites and main offices. Many drivers experience disrespectful communication, yelling, and hostile interactions. Professional conduct standards and customer-service training would greatly improve the inspection process and strengthen trust between drivers and the agency.

  In closing, I respectfully urge the Commission to adopt deeper reductions in fines and fees, expand cure opportunities, review undercover enforcement practices, and ensure respectful treatment of drivers at all TLC facilities.

  Thank you for your time and consideration.

  Comment attachment
  Driver-Relief-penality-reduction.pdf

  Comment added August 7, 2026 8:47pm

• yellow driver

  NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission. Dear TLC Commissioners, I would like to ask for stronger enforcement of TLC rules across the city. Many professional yellow taxi drivers are following the regulations, but some are not, and it’s hurting the reputation of the entire industry.

  Comment added August 7, 2026 10:03pm

• Fuad

  NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission
  We need to get rid of that 60-day rule for vehicle use. A lot of us work our butts off seven days a week, and when we finally take a vacation for more than 60 days after a year or two of hard work, you guys ticket us for not using our vehicles (fhv) for over 60 days. That’s just not fair.
  Also,
  I made a major personal investment of over $78,000 to purchase a compliant Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) to serve the city. However, platform lock-outs and dispatch restrictions leave WAV drivers trapped with only short, low-paying local trips, while blocking access to long-distance fares and airport queues. Dedicated accessible drivers cannot survive financially under these restricted dispatch conditions.
  We need, A
  Financial relief through reduced TLC fines is welcome, but drivers will still struggle unless the TLC mandate fair, transparent trip distribution across high-volume platforms (Uber/Lyft). fair trip distribution, ends predatory app lock-outs,

  Comment added August 9, 2026 5:23am

• Ira Goldstein

  Chair Valdivia and Members of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission:

  My name is Ira Goldstein and I am the Executive Director of The Black Car Fund. For those of you who may be unfamiliar, The Black Car Fund (The Fund) was created by New York State statute in 1999 for the purpose of providing workers’ compensation coverage to independent contractor black car drivers throughout New York who drive for The Fund’s Member Bases. Over the years, The Fund has grown to over 500 Member Bases and we cover well over 100,000 drivers throughout New York. The large majority of the drivers we cover earn their livelihoods in New York City’s for-hire vehicle industry and are directly affected by TLC licensing and enforcement policies.

  I submit this testimony in strong support of the driver and vehicle penalty relief provisions in the TLC’s proposed rules. I believe the proposed changes are thoughtful and well targeted, as they remove financial penalties while preserving the requirements and suspensions that protect passengers and the public.

  As some of you may know, I spent almost 10 years as Chief of Staff at the TLC, so I understand that enforcement is essential to the agency’s mission. Rules involving drug testing, vehicle inspections, and license integrity serve important purposes. At the same time, enforcement is most effective when the consequence is connected to the conduct, proportionate to the violation, and focused on achieving compliance. A penalty should protect the public or correct the problem. It should not impose a second hardship when another enforcement measure has already accomplished that goal.

  Measures such as eliminating the $25 driver license replacement fee and the $50 fines tied to circumstances such as a lost, stolen, or unreadable license, eliminating the $200 fine imposed when a driver completes an annual drug test more than 30 days late, and eliminating the fines for missed vehicle inspections, while retaining suspension until compliance, are practical reforms that preserve accountability without unnecessary financial punishment.

  These changes matter because TLC-licensed drivers and vehicle owners often operate as independent contractors or small businesses. They are responsible for insurance, fuel, maintenance, tolls, vehicle payments or rental costs, licensing expenses, and the everyday costs

  of supporting their families. A $25, $50, $100, or $200 charge may look modest when viewed in isolation. For a driver who has already been suspended and is unable to work, it can be one more obstacle to regaining financial stability. The larger inspection fines can be even more damaging.

  I also believe that licensees are more likely to view enforcement as legitimate when penalties are reserved for conduct that threatens safety, harms passengers, involves fraud, or reflects a serious disregard of regulatory obligations. When suspension already prevents a driver or vehicle from operating until compliance, an additional monetary penalty should have a clear and necessary purpose. In the provisions addressed in the proposed rules, the TLC has reasonably concluded that it does not.

  The Fund urges the Commission to adopt these penalty and fee reductions. By removing fines and fees that do not meaningfully add to compliance, the TLC is not retreating from safety or accountability. It is improving the way those goals are enforced. Drivers will remain responsible for meeting drug-testing, inspection, and licensing requirements, but they will not be unnecessarily pushed deeper into financial hardship.

  Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony. I am available at your convenience to answer any questions you may have.

  Comment attachment
  BCF-Testimony-TLC-Public-Hearing-8.13.2026.pdf

  Comment added August 11, 2026 8:20pm

• David Obeissant

  As drivers will still struggle with transparent trip distribution across high-volume platforms (Uber/Lyft). fair trip distribution.

  Comment added August 12, 2026 2:05pm