As Other Cities Strike for Better Pay, NYC App Drivers Receive Raise

NYC’s Minimum Pay Standard Continues to Ensure that the City’s Rideshare Drivers Receive Fair Compensation that Keeps Up with Inflation

NEW YORK, NY – As drivers in other major American cities strike by banning airport trips on Valentine’s Day, The New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) is pleased to announce that beginning March 1, 2024, NYC’s rideshare drivers will receive a minimum per trip pay increase of 3.49% to compensate for inflation. The increase, tied to the Consumer Price Index, comes as part of the city’s requirement to adjust minimum pay for rideshare drivers annually.

For the city’s 84,000 active rideshare drivers, the new pay rates will amount to almost a dollar extra for a typical 30-minute, 7.5-mile trip. New York City was the first U.S. municipality to mandate minimum driver pay, a policy that other cities have since adopted. The increase carries no requirement that Uber and Lyft, which determine their own prices, pass on additional costs to passengers.

“New York City drivers are some of the hardest working people on the globe, working day in and day out to keep our city moving,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “Just a few years ago, many of these incredible drivers were unfairly making less than minimum wage because there were no protections in place. Not on our watch. We are proud that these rules now exist, keeping our city a place where working-class people can live and raise a family.”

“The minimum driver pay standard has been a lifeline for the tens of thousands of for-hire drivers who meet us when and where we want them and safely get us to our destinations,” said Deputy Mayor of Operations Meera Joshi. “They support us, and we must support them-- that means maintaining fair pay that tracks with living costs, both for the wellbeing of drivers and the health of the overall industry."

“Our minimum pay standard ensures that our hardworking drivers aren’t just spinning their wheels and going nowhere because of inflation,” said TLC Commissioner David Do. “The adjustment can mean the difference between falling behind on rent or food due to rising costs and keeping up with the economic times. I’m proud to be part of the agency that first required this and it’s a pleasure to be able to let drivers know that they’ll be getting an increase.”

"An annual CPI adjustment is something every working person should have, and especially meaningful for Uber and Lyft drivers who bear the costs of operations while the companies take the lion's share of the revenue. We organized to win TLC's ground-breaking regulations that were the first-of-its kind to ensure Uber and Lyft drivers were not left in poverty,” said Bhairavi Desai, Executive Director of the 28,000-member NYTWA which represents app-dispatched and taxicab drivers. “Last year, we had to organize three strikes against Uber to get the company to not pursue litigation when the TLC redid the CPI rules in light of historic inflation.  Drivers had to choose between food and fuel as their income didn't keep up with cost of living. It's taken a fight, but in the end, we've prevailed. We are proud today to celebrate as Uber and Lyft drivers get their 2024 CPI adjustment. New York City's minimum pay standard is a model for the rest of the country. Next up for us, is to get the same income protection for other taxi and FHV drivers.”   

“New York’s Uber and Lyft drivers continue to struggle to make ends meet amid soaring costs, so these cost of living increases are desperately needed Our Guild led a years-long campaign for New York to enact the nation’s first minimum pay rates for rideshare drivers and we appreciate Commissioner Do acting promptly to enforce these wage standards,” said Brendan Sexton, president of the Independent Drivers Guild, a Machinists Union affiliate which represents and advocates for more than 300,000 rideshare drivers. 

About the NYC TLC

Created in 1971, NYC TLC is the agency responsible for licensing and regulating New York City's Medallion (Yellow) taxi cabs, for-hire vehicles (community-based liveries, black cars, and luxury limousines), commuter vans, and paratransit vehicles, along with the businesses that operate them. It is recognized as the largest and most active taxi and For-Hire Vehicle regulatory body in the United States.

Over 200,000 TLC licensees complete approximately 1,000,000 trips each day. To operate for hire, drivers must first undergo a background check, have a safe driving record, and complete 24 hours of driver training. TLC-licensed vehicles are inspected for safety and emissions at TLC's Woodside Inspection Facility.

To find out more about the TLC, or to review its rules, regulations, and procedures, we encourage you to visit our official Web site at www.nyc.gov/taxi or contact 311/311 Online.

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