HE the conflict between taxi drivers and international VTC platforms such as Uber had a troubled history New York (USA). The open war of ten years ago has turned into a war. common front of drivers, with the pandemic as a turning point. A alliance change created a completely different game board. And it’s the opposite of what Barcelona went through.
VTCs dealt a brutal blow to taxi services when they began arriving in New York, today Uber’s largest market in the US, in 2011. Including the yellow ones, one of the symbols of the city. Over the next decade, many drivers started working for the growing fleet of platforms such as Uber and Lift, and users took advantage of the app’s initial advantageous prices.
During, Owners and drivers of yellow taxis saw traditional trade fall, although their vehicles have the advantage over VTCs that they can stop on the street at any time to buy a ticket. The value of their licenses was in free fall: the coins proving ownership had more than fivefolded their cost between 2002 and 2014, exceeding a million dollars, but in 2018 they were suddenly devalued by nearly $200,000. Taxi drivers’ debts skyrocketed.
HE 2018 eight suicides 100 percent of taxi owners and drivers publicly sounded the alarm bells and encouraged politicians to pass legislation to stop the crisis. For this reason, New York became the first city to set a border In the number of licenses for VTC. That year, the authorities set minimum wage For VTC drivers, Uploaded three times since 2020. However, Uber challenged the latest increase in court and has been stopped for now.
trend change
The pandemic has also hit an industry where, after years of tension, the rapprochement between the drivers of both transport services has become palpable. Shared interests with the authorities or the giants of Silicon Valley, Taxi Workers AllianceAn association of 25,000 members.
They won victories in their fight for taxi drivers’ rights: For example, in late September Mayor Eric Adams, Senator Chuck Schumer and Congressman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Biggest taxi licensing company forgives $225 million debt. In addition to a program to help 3,000 coin holders reduce their debt to less than $200,000.
The pressure is rising today campaigns, protests and strikes. For example, a VTC strike at La Guardia airport this weekend is the third time since the pay rise was blocked for app drivers. And now these workers Earn less fare and tips than taxi driversand see how tech companies are retaining an increasing percentage of the benefits.
numbers
It’s in New York today about seven VTC cars for each taxi. According to July data, an average of 5,700 taxis are circulating on city roads every day, this figure is 46,800 VTC. Yellow taxis, which have joined the digital world with two applications since last year, also appear in Ubers.
Despite prices are not unitary, they are getting closer every time. At the end of last year, the first hike in taxi fares in ten years was approved, increasing the average cost for the user by 23%. An increase of 7% per minute and 24% per mile (1.6 kilometers) was also confirmed for Uber and Lyft. And one afternoon this week, a search for a Manhattan ride on the Uber app cost the same as a yellow cab for one of its vehicles.