REMARKS
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams addresses commuter van legislation and industry equity
0:10:44
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3 min
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams discusses proposed legislation related to the commuter van industry, focusing on equity issues and the importance of commuter vans in New York City's transportation infrastructure. He emphasizes the need to support licensed commuter van operators while ensuring safety and fair regulation.
- Williams introduced Intro 950 of 2024 to address inequities created by Local Law 41 of 2019
- He supports Intro 939 to allow commuter vans to accept street hails
- Williams highlights the critical role of commuter vans in transit deserts and for communities of color
Jumaane Williams
0:10:44
Oh, thank you, madam chair.
0:10:46
As I mentioned, my name is Giovanni Williams, public advocacy of the City of New York.
0:10:49
I thank Sherbrooke's powers and the members of the transportation committee for holding this hearing.
0:10:53
I introduced one of the bills being heard today until 9:50 of 2024.
0:10:57
My intent is to address an equity created by local law 41 in 2019 and to have the industry standard that applies for all high all for higher vehicles apply to the community van industry.
0:11:08
For these reasons, I am also a co sponsor of intro 913 that would allow community vans to accept street hails, and I thank the chair for introducing him.
0:11:17
Encho 950 has written increases the number of violations required to take away the authorization necessary to operate a commuter van service.
0:11:24
Here, the word service means the base operator and the entire fleet, not just the driver who was issued driving infractions.
0:11:31
Local law 41 makes Community Bank operators responsible for the violation of individual drivers.
0:11:36
It's not a burden of taxi cabs or other 4 higher vehicles have.
0:11:39
The Uber driver has excess violations.
0:11:41
It is the driver's individual license that gets taken away.
0:11:45
And this scenario, Uber is still is still able to operate and have other Uber vehicles on the road.
0:11:51
Intel 950 raises the amount of violations threshold from 3 violations in a 6 month period to 6 violations in a 12 month period.
0:11:59
Looking to the future, the ultimate goal is to stop the unfair target of the commuter van industry.
0:12:03
Commuter vans are an important part of public transportation infrastructure in New York City, and both the New York City Council And Administration must support commuter van networks by training them equally under the law.
0:12:12
Community vans are frequently the only form of transportation in public trans transit deserts, particularly in parts of Queens and Brooklyn.
0:12:19
Community vans provide a key public resource with over 100 actually, 120,000 daily riders utilizing the service.
0:12:26
But still are regulated in a way that puts tremendous burden on community vent operators.
0:12:30
Community vans fill a gap left by the city's inability to provide to consider out of borrowed communities and are now a necessary part of New York City's public transportation network.
0:12:40
We must work with licensed community band operators to make sure that they are safe drivers while not holding operators to unequal standards.
0:12:48
And just to remind us that the community bands have been existing with other modes of transportation for many decades.
0:12:54
Additionally, securing the future of community events is social justice issues.
0:12:58
Communities of more color and imminent communities located in transit's deserts rely on community events.
0:13:03
Public buses are often are unreliable and have long wait times.
0:13:07
Which force residents to look for alternative solutions, and some of these communities don't have any of those options.
0:13:12
Many cannot afford the costs that come with owning and operating car or using private transportation on a daily basis, and community bans or life line of transportation.
0:13:24
Community Brands Service should be supported as part of long term solutions in our 21st century infrastructure, plans that must address traffic congestion, high carbon emissions, and decaying transportation infrastructure.
0:13:35
I also want to point out that Uber and Lyft we're giving ease of interest into our transportation system even at the cost of people like the Yellow Cab industry.
0:13:45
And our van drivers are primarily immigrant and black and brown community owners of small businesses.
0:13:52
We wanna make sure that we have pathways for folks to do this service legally and licensed.
0:13:58
And so that's what we've been working on for such a long time.
0:14:00
I do believe they can exist.
0:14:02
I also think they can be unionized.
0:14:04
That's another another conversation.
0:14:05
But we wanna make sure that everybody has access to be able to feed their family and provide the services that all all communities need.
0:14:13
Thank you so much.
0:14:13
Appreciate it.