Q&A
Update on the e-hail program for yellow and green taxis
0:39:10
ยท
4 min
Council Member Brooks-Powers asks for an update on the e-hail program for yellow and green taxis. Commissioner Do provides information on the program's progress and impact on driver revenue.
- The e-hail FlexiPair program has been made permanent
- E-hail trips now account for 5-10% of all taxi trips
- Driver revenue has increased up to 40% since the meter rate increase in 2022
- The program provides flexibility for drivers to choose between street hails and e-hails
- TLC continues to monitor the market to ensure fair pay for drivers
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
0:39:10
Thank you.
0:39:11
Shifting to the e hail program, the TLC is operating an e hail program for passengers to use TLC license apps to hail yellow and green taxis.
0:39:23
TLC has previously testified positively about this program, and we'd like to have an update about its progress and the TLC's views views towards its future.
David Do
0:39:35
So the the eHealth FlexiPair, program has recently, been made permanent.
0:39:41
This provides a lot of flexibility, for drivers, to get more trips in addition to street hails.
0:39:48
This has been an overwhelming, supported program where individuals, can not only get, again, street hails, but also, more e hail trips.
0:39:59
As a total, depending on the month, now e hail trips incorporate about five to 10% of all, of all taxi trips.
0:40:08
And so this is a good thing for the industry, for the industry to have more opportunity to make more income, and to provide, more flexibility for many of our individual drivers.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
0:40:23
Have you done any further analysis on Ehail's effect on driver revenue?
David Do
0:40:29
Yeah.
0:40:31
So overall, right, with the meter rate increase, and with overall, more options for drivers since, the meter rate increase in 2022, revenue farebox revenue for drivers have increased up to 40%.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
0:40:49
So from your vantage point, do you feel it's improving the situation for drivers?
David Do
0:40:53
I think it is.
Sherryl Eluto
0:40:56
Okay.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
0:40:56
And you don't feel it's putting pressure putting downward pressure on the fares?
David Do
0:41:02
Again, this is more flexibility.
0:41:04
It is a driver's choice.
0:41:06
If they want to take eHail trips, that's up to them.
0:41:08
They're not forced to take these trips.
0:41:11
And at the end of the day, you know, this provides more flexibility and more trips overall.
0:41:18
If there is a lot of, let's say, street hails, then many of the drivers, would go that route and not take e hail.
0:41:27
And so that's up to them.
0:41:28
But we continually monitor, the, overall market to ensure that drivers are receiving, a fair, a fair base, minimum pay for both sectors.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
0:41:42
And since it's optional, do you feel that those who do not participate are negatively affected at all, the drivers?
David Do
0:41:53
Again, it's a market based decision for the drivers.
0:41:56
If they see that there is, a lot of street hails, right, then that might be a decision that they want to make, for, themselves.
0:42:06
Some drivers, for example, only do airport trips because that makes the most economic sense for them.
0:42:13
Some drivers only do, CBD trips because it makes most economic sense.
0:42:19
And some drivers, right, in other sectors only do, dispatches from an app.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
0:42:27
When I ask questions on congestion price, and I do wanna touch on what you just said in terms of the CBD piece, does the TLC have an intention to expand the program in the future, both in terms of its scope or in terms of bringing more drivers into this ecosystem?
David Do
0:42:47
I think right now, we have an overall program, that works, and we continue to monitor it.
0:42:56
And, I I have not heard a lot of, I I guess, complaints about the program in the last few months since, the EHEL program was passed.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
0:43:10
So do you envision expanding the program?
David Do
0:43:13
It's it's at is TBD?
0:43:17
Well, it is available for all, yellow drivers at this point.
0:43:22
Oh, okay.
0:43:22
Yeah.
0:43:22
So it's so yeah.
0:43:24
But in terms of the scope
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
0:43:26
of the program, do you intend to expand that at all?
David Do
0:43:30
We can look at other things including, minimum trip pay, driver pay on the EHEL platforms, and things like that.
0:43:39
But this is an official program, of the TLC, and it continues to operate, in its full capacity.