NYC Taxi Commission Warns Lyft Drivers to Stay Off the Road
The big, pink mustaches might be a pretty big giveaway and subject some wannabe New York City taxi drivers to some big fines come 7 p.m. ET today.
Unfortunately, that's a big part of Lyft's business plan and/or ongoing marketing, so it's going to be a bit of a cat-and-mouse game this evening when Lyft officially puts around 500 drivers on the streets of Queens and Brooklyn.
New York City's Taxi and Limousine Commission has not given Lyft the green light to operate. Lyft, however, disagrees that its cars' operation even count as 'for-hire' vehicles, given that riders are asked to provide a 'suggested donation' when the trip is done instead of being charged a set fee.
'The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) reminds its licensees and the public that Lyft's 'ride share' service is unauthorized in New York City,' reads a statement from the TLC. 'Lyft has not complied with TLC's safety requirements and other licensing criteria to verify the integrity and qualifications of the drivers or vehicles used in their service, and Lyft does not hold a license to dispatch cars to pick up passengers. In keeping with the TLC's priority of protecting public safety and consumer rights, the agency will be conducting enforcement operations to ensure compliance with the City's rules and laws.'
And if you're a New York City driver who has already been licensed by the TLC, don't think that you can get away with joining up with Lyft. In its statement, the TLC also warns any TLC-licensed drivers who accept rides from Lyft could be subject to the same fines as the unlicensed Lyft drivers.
If you think that would all be enough to give Lyft pause before it launches services tonight, you'd be wrong. According to the New York Times, a Lyft spokeswoman has confirmed that the company still plans to go ahead with its debut in Brooklyn and Queens this evening.
'It's important to clarify that our differences of opinion are not about safety standards, and that's because we put safety first. Where we differ with the TLC is that we do not believe its licensing and base station rules apply to the Lyft ride-sharing model,' Lyft spokeswoman Erin Simpson told the paper.
Tech-savvy ride-sharers might find themselves being chauffeured by a familiar face: Reddit co-founder and Internet activist Alexis Ohanian.
Tomorrow I welcome @lyft to my hometown #Brooklyn as a driver — maybe I'll give you a ride. Starts 7pm!
- Alexis Ohanian (@alexisohanian) July 11, 2014
For more, check out PCMag Live in the video below, which discusses Lyft's move to the Big Apple.
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