Taxi prices will rise significantly in New York: when and how much

On November 15, the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission voted unanimously to increase metered fares by 23%. This was the first such increase in a decade. New York Post.

The price increase is expected to take effect before the end of the year. Base fares for yellow and green taxis will increase from $2,50 to $3.

Live broadcast of the TLC meeting shows that one-time rates will increase from 50 cents to 70 cents. And the charge per kilometer during rush hour and night time will increase to $2,50 and $1, respectively.

Just in time for the holidays, airport fares will skyrocket. According to the results of the vote, a taxi to Kennedy Airport will cost $18 more ($70 instead of $52). And for a taxi to LaGuardia, they will charge an additional fee of $ 5.

At a meeting on Tuesday, a TLC spokesperson explained the reasons for the increase in prices at airports: Drivers are not being paid for long periods of time they spend waiting in terminal parking lots.

“By raising rates, we hope to compensate them for this downtime,” the spokesman explained.

The increase in prices will affect not only traditional taxis. The per-minute wages of Uber and Lyft drivers will also increase by 7%. And compensation per mile will increase by 24%.

TLC first announced the proposed rate hike in September

“Raising taxi fares and the minimum wage for high-volume drivers is the right move for our city,” said TLC Commissioner David Doe. “This is the first increase in taxi fares in ten years. And this increase will help offset the increased costs and cost of living for TLC licensed drivers. We are confident that today's unanimous commission vote will keep our taxi and FHV fleets sustainable and ready to serve New Yorkers."

On the subject: New York's iconic yellow taxi can now be booked via the Uber app

Speaking to amNewYork after the vote, taxi driver Richard Chow welcomed the commission's decision.

“I have been driving a car for 17 years. This is my second promotion in years,” he told the publication. – I believe that the increase will be manageable for the population. This will help drivers manage our lives and our health. We need to pay for food and gasoline, as well as for the future of our children and for our own pension.”

Union seeks additional raises so drivers can charge $25 an hour

“After a year in which all drivers had to choose between food and fuel, and decades of not only stagnation but loss for yellow taxi drivers in particular, we are relieved to see the vote for an increase,” said NYTWA CEO Bhairavi Desai. “We fought hard for this. But there is still work to be done to get the driver's income up to $25 an hour after expenses.”

The Guild of Independent Drivers also commented on the price increase and cited skyrocketing fuel prices as the main problem drivers face.

“Gasoline prices and costs have risen sharply over the past two years. And ridershare drivers struggle to make ends meet,” said IDG President Brendan Sexton. “This increase in the minimum wage is an important step to protect 80 drivers. We want to thank the staff of the Taxi and Limousine Commission and the Adams administration for listening to drivers and taking action.”