The de Blasio Administration and the for-hire app-based car service Uber, today, reached a deal in which the city will move forward with a traffic study on how the new for-hire companies impact traffic congestion, but without the proposed cap that de Blasio wanted for the new for-hire industry.
The deal came less than 24 hours before a vote to put a cap on the new number of drivings that Uber hires as independent contractors. It also comes after a protracted and expensive public relations war between de Blasio, who has taken thousands of dollars from the taxi lobby week, and Uber, which is valued at $50 billion.
“Today the administration, City Council and Uber have agreed to a framework that will advance the city’s vital policy goals for passengers, drivers and the public. It sets in motion a plan to guide a comprehensive and fair public response, driven by data, to the increase in for-hire vehicles. And it ensures that the future growth of this industry matches the values and the interests of New Yorkers,” said Deputy Mayor Anthony Shorris, speaking for de Blasio, who is out of town.
“Specifically, the City will move forward with a traffic study, to conclude at the end of November, to examine the impact of Uber and the for-hire vehicle industry on traffic congestion on New York City streets. Uber will share information for the study above and beyond what has previously been provided, with safeguards to protect privacy. Uber has also agreed to maintain its approximate current rate of growth and not flood the streets with new licenses and vehicles.”
Uber NYC General Manager Josh Mohrer said the company is pleased to have reached an agreement with Mayor de Blasio’s administration and the City Council to collaborate on a joint transportation study and to work together on ways to continue expanding economic opportunity, mobility and transportation access in the city.
“We are pleased new drivers will continue to be free to join the for-hire industry and partner with Uber. Together, we can build an even better, more reliable transportation system. This is great news for all New Yorkers, including Uber riders and drivers,” said Mohrer.
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, who sided with Uber, thanked City Hall for heeding his call and that of a growing number of elected officials and community leaders, to hold off on a City Council vote to cap the growth of the for-hire vehicle industry.
Compromise is better than conflict for everyday New Yorkers, whose voices had been drowned out by a back-and-forth of overheated public comments. This agreement allows for a study on the impact of this industry, greater data-sharing, and a commitment to advancing accessibility for people with disabilities; all of these are positive developments on which we can build in the future,” said Adams.
“Companies like Uber and Lyft are an important part of our transportation landscape, and we must have a thoughtful, transparent conversation about how to smartly regulate them in a way that protects consumers and the environment in which they operate while not creating unnecessary burdens. Brooklyn Borough Hall will always be open as a space for meaningful discussion, and I am committed to meeting there or anywhere else with industry and political leadership on how to best create local jobs and improve transportation across the five boroughs.”
