Q&A
Council Member Brooks-Powers questions TLC on vehicle retirement extensions and Intro 373
1:31:26
ยท
3 min
Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers inquires about Intro 373, focusing on vehicle retirement extensions for taxi drivers and the potential impact of the proposed legislation. TLC Commissioner David Do and General Counsel Sherryl Eluto provide detailed responses about the current practices, statistics, and potential effects of the bill.
- TLC approved over 90% of vehicle retirement extensions during a three-year period, but has since limited extensions due to COVID recovery and court orders.
- Currently, owners with one medallion or less can get a one-time six-month extension, while wheelchair accessible vehicles have no retirement age limit.
- The proposed legislation could potentially affect around 9,374 non-wheelchair accessible taxi vehicles.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
1:31:26
Two questions on intro number three seventy three.
1:31:29
One, are drivers experiencing hardships that prevent them from retiring their vehicles?
1:31:35
And I'm curious to know what that trend has been like.
David Do
1:31:38
Yeah.
1:31:40
For over three year period of time, we looked at, vehicle retirement extensions and, approved over 90%, of those extensions.
1:31:52
And so, you know, it it has come a time when, you know, we have to say, hey, you know, like, COVID is behind us.
1:32:04
There are new rules and regulations in place and a court order that is in place.
1:32:09
But for some drivers, I have still, provided VREs exceptions to.
1:32:16
But that's just one.
1:32:18
Those who own one medallion or excuse me.
1:32:20
Owners with one medallion or less, can have a one time six month extension.
1:32:26
But I cannot do any more extensions.
1:32:28
And why I can't do that, is because if I provide an extension for a non wheelchair accessible vehicle, that means, right, that it's going to delay a wheelchair accessible vehicle into the future.
1:32:44
And so I can't do that.
1:32:46
And on the other side that wheelchair accessible vehicles no longer have a a vehicle retirement, age.
1:32:54
And so, as long as a wheelchair accessible vehicle passes inspection, it can continue to operate, in New York City.
1:33:03
But, let me provide a little bit more data, on that, and I'll turn it over
KJ Singh
1:33:10
to Cheryl.
Sherryl Eluto
1:33:12
Sure.
1:33:12
Do you want me to break it down the last few years?
1:33:16
During 2020, '6 '80 '9 applications were processed, five seventy four were granted.
1:33:23
2021, dollars '8 zero '9 were granted.
1:33:26
2022, dollars '10 '90 '1 were granted.
1:33:29
2023, dollars '13 oh '1 were granted.
1:33:33
2024, dollars '7 '80 '8 were granted.
1:33:36
And, you know, since October we changed the rule that it's only for an owner of one medallion for six months.
1:33:43
So the numbers obviously have decreased.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
1:33:47
Thank you for that.
1:33:50
And how many vehicles would be impacted by this proposed legislation?
David Do
1:33:56
So there are 13,585 medallions, 4,000, 500 of them are wheelchair accessible vehicles.
1:34:04
Those can be kept on, for, as long as, they can pass TLC inspection.
1:34:12
And so, if I did the math, it would be about 9,374.
1:34:18
I hope I did the math correctly.
1:34:20
That might, be, that might can get a vehicle retirement extension.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
1:34:28
Thank you.
1:34:28
Thank you for your participation in today's hearing.
1:34:31
We're gonna move now to public testimony.