Glossary165· page 1 of 2
TLC & OATH glossary
The words on a summons or an OATH decision can be confusing. This glossary explains each term in plain English and links to the guides where it matters.
A
13Accessible MedallionA restricted NYC taxi medallion that is valid only with a wheelchair accessible taxi model approved under TLC rule 67-05.2.Accessible Vehicle DispatcherA TLC-approved base that receives wheelchair accessible vehicle requests from other bases it has agreements with and dispatches WAVs for them, serving at least 90% of requests in under 10 minutes (TLC Rule §59B-17(f)).ACE (Automated Camera Enforcement)Cameras on MTA buses that ticket vehicles in bus lanes, at bus stops and double-parked on bus routes.AdjournmentA Hearing Officer's decision, for good cause, to stop a hearing that has started and continue it on a later date.Airport access feeA Port Authority per-trip charge on taxi pickups and for-hire pickups and drop-offs at JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airports.Airport Taxi DispatcherPort Authority or contractor staff who run the airport taxi line; drivers must cooperate and may not tip them.Airport Virtual QueueThe app's first-in, first-out line for drivers waiting in a designated airport lot; company policy, not a TLC rule.Alternative-Fuel MedallionA restricted NYC taxi medallion valid only with an approved accessible taxi that is a hybrid electric or compressed-natural-gas vehicle.Announcement CardThe sign a driver shows to meet an arriving air passenger at a Port Authority airport: provider, passenger name, airline and flight.App lockoutWhen a ride-hail app stops a driver from logging in or accepting trips for a period of time; limited in NYC by TLC rule 35 RCNY §59D-22(c).AppealA request for OATH's Appeals Unit to review a Hearing Officer's decision on a TLC summons, based on the hearing record.Appearance RequiredA label in each TLC rule's penalty box saying whether the respondent must attend the hearing rather than resolve the summons another way.Average weekly wage (AWW)Your gross pay averaged over the 52 weeks before a work injury; workers' comp cash benefits are two-thirds of it, within state limits.
B
6BaseThe TLC-licensed business that dispatches a particular type of for-hire vehicle; FHVs must be affiliated with one.Base AffirmationThe online confirmation an FHV base submits to TLC for a vehicle before the owner can apply for a new FHV vehicle license.Black CarA for-hire vehicle affiliated with a black car base or a High-Volume For-Hire Service; trips are always pre-arranged.Black Car Fund (BCF)New York's not-for-profit workers' comp insurer for drivers of black car member bases, including Uber and Lyft; funded by a passenger surcharge.Bona fide economic reasonUnder NYC Local Law 52 of 2026 (blocked), a documented drop in business or exit from NYC that allows an app to lay off drivers with 120 days' notice, by reverse seniority.BuswayA street where only buses (and usually trucks and emergency vehicles) may drive through during posted hours; others get local access only.
C
13Cashless tollingToll collection with no booths: overhead equipment reads an E-ZPass tag or photographs the plate, and the toll is charged to the account or billed to the registered owner.Class E chauffeur licenseNew York's for-hire driver license class; TLC accepts it, or a CDL A, B or C, as the 'chauffeur's license' every TLC driver needs.Commercial Motor Vehicle Tax (CMVT)New York City's yearly tax on commercial vehicles, including taxis and for-hire vehicles that carry passengers; $400 a year for passenger vehicles (NYC Finance).Congestion Relief ZoneThe MTA's congestion toll area: Manhattan local streets at or below 60th Street, tolled since January 5, 2025.Congestion surchargeA New York State charge on taxi and for-hire trips in Manhattan below 96th Street: $2.50 taxi, $2.75 FHV, $0.75 shared.Congestion ZoneTLC's name for Manhattan south of 96th Street: the area for the NYS congestion surcharge and the Uber/Lyft cruising cap.Corporate (Minifleet) MedallionA NYC taxi medallion class that must be owned in groups of at least two, usually by a business, with no limit on how many one owner holds.CPI-W adjustmentThe March 1 inflation increase to TLC's Uber and Lyft minimum pay rates, based on the yearly change in the NY-NJ-PA CPI-W.Credit card surcharge (taxi lease)A fee a taxi owner may charge a lease driver for card processing: up to $7 per shift or $49 per week (TLC Rule 58-21(c)(5)(xi)).Critical Driver ProgramA former TLC program that added penalties for DMV points; merged into the Persistent Violator Program by a 2023 rule.Crossing creditA peak-hour, E-ZPass-only reduction in the congestion toll for vehicles entering through the Lincoln, Holland, Queens-Midtown or Hugh L. Carey tunnel.CruisingFor taxis, driving around looking for street hails; in TLC's definitions, an FHV's empty time available for dispatches.Cruising milesMiles a taxi or for-hire car drives with no passenger on board, while looking for or waiting for the next trip.
D
13DCWPNYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection: the city agency for consumer and worker rights, financial counseling and (if unblocked) app deactivation complaints.DeactivationWhen a ride-hail company removes a driver's account or access to take trips, usually with no end date.Default DecisionA decision against a respondent who did not appear, enter a plea, or request a reschedule on time.Defensive Driving CourseA NYS DMV-approved accident-prevention course TLC drivers must complete every three years; it can also reduce DMV points counted by TLC.DirectiveA written demand from TLC for information or documents; licensees must comply, and ignoring one can lead to a summons and suspension until compliance.Discretionary RevocationRevocation of a TLC license that the rule allows but does not require; sought by the Chairperson and decided after an OATH trial.DispatchA base's request directing a driver to carry a passenger who arranged the trip in advance; FHV trips must start this way.DMV Plate LetterThe letter TLC issues (on TLC UP and by email) that lets the NYS DMV give a vehicle 'TC' for-hire plates and registration.DMV PointsPoints the NY DMV (or your home state) puts on your chauffeur's license; TLC adds them to TLC Points under the Persistent Violator Program.Double-Shift InsuranceTaxi insurance coverage TLC rule 58-13(d)(2) requires for fleets, minifleets and independent owners whose cab runs more than one shift a day.DOV lease (driver-owned vehicle)A weekly lease of a taxi medallion combined with a conditional purchase of the car from the medallion owner or agent, capped by TLC rule 58-21(c)(4).Driver Protection Unit (DPU)The TLC unit that investigates licensee-against-licensee money complaints: unpaid earnings, deposits, lease overcharges, missing receipts, identity theft and retaliation.Drivers Benefits programThe Black Car Fund's free health and income-protection benefits for eligible black car and app drivers; you must enroll, and enroll before an injury for some coverage.
E
6E-HailA hail for a yellow taxi or street hail livery made through a TLC-licensed app, either metered or at an upfront Flex Fare.E-ZPassAn electronic toll system: a windshield tag linked to a prepaid account and your plates, read at cashless toll points. Required in every TLC vehicle.E-ZPass tag holderThe person or company whose E-ZPass account pays the tolls for the tag in a TLC vehicle; under TLC rules, passenger toll money goes to them.Egregious misconductUnder NYC Local Law 52 of 2026 (blocked), conduct posing an imminent danger to others, such as violence or sexual assault, or illegal discrimination.Essential PlanNew York's $0-premium, no-deductible marketplace health plan; since July 1, 2026 limited to household income up to 200% of the federal poverty level.Excluded roadwaysThe FDR Drive, West Side Highway/Route 9A and the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel connections to West Street: highways left out of the congestion zone by state law.
F
8FareboxTLC's total of all fares, surcharges, taxes and tolls collected by taxis, not counting credit card tips.Feed LineThe line of taxis that feeds into a terminal's pickup spot; taxi stand rules apply in it.FH-1The for-hire vehicle insurance certificate, in the owner's name, that TLC must have on file for every licensed vehicle.FHVFor-Hire Vehicle: a TLC-licensed car or van (20 or fewer seats) that may only carry pre-arranged passengers through a licensed base.FHV license capTLC's limit on new for-hire vehicle licenses since August 2018; today only WAV-restricted licenses are issued.Fitness HearingA TLC proceeding, tried at OATH, on whether a licensee is 'not Fit to Hold a License'; a finding of unfitness means revocation.Form 1099-KIRS form that reports the gross payments you received through payment apps, ride-hailing platforms or card processors in a year.Form 1099-NECIRS form a business sends to report what it paid you for services as a non-employee; $2,000 threshold for 2026 payments.
G
4Gas surcharge (taxi lease)An optional lease add-on a taxi owner may charge only when it supplies all the driver's fuel for the shift, in an amount set by TLC's gas-price table.Green Rides InitiativeTLC rule 59D-13(c) requiring Uber and Lyft to send a rising share of trips to zero-emission or wheelchair accessible vehicles: 25% in 2026, 100% in 2030.Gridlock Alert DayA day NYC DOT expects to be among the most congested of the year; it watches traffic and adjusts signals in real time.Group Ride (Taxi)A yellow taxi trip-record rate code (6) for a group ride; TLC's current rules give it no separate definition or fare, and it is almost never used.
H
7Hack LicenseCommon name for the TLC Driver License, the city license needed to drive a taxi, green cab or for-hire vehicle in NYC.Hack-UpOutfitting a vehicle as a yellow taxi and getting TLC approval for it to serve on a medallion for the first time; since Oct 18, 2024 only accessible vehicles may be hacked up.Hail Exclusionary ZoneThe area where green cabs may not accept street hails: Manhattan south of East 96th St. and West 110th St., plus the NYC airports.Hail ZoneThe part of NYC where green cabs (street hail liveries) may pick up street hails: everywhere except Manhattan south of East 96th and West 110th Streets and the NYC airports.Hearing OfficerThe OATH official who hears and decides TLC summonses at the OATH Hearings Division.High-Volume For-Hire ServiceTLC's license for app companies that dispatch 10,000 or more for-hire trips a day in NYC; currently Uber and Lyft.HVFHS License NumberThe TLC license number of a High-Volume For-Hire Service (an app company like Uber or Lyft), written HV plus four digits: HV0003 is Uber and HV0005 is Lyft in TLC trip data.
I
5ILDBF (Independent Livery Driver Benefit Fund)New York fund, created in 2008, that gives workers' comp for serious injuries and crimes against drivers of qualifying independent livery bases.Independent contractorA worker who runs their own business rather than being an employee; most TLC drivers are treated this way, but some New York laws treat them as employees for specific purposes.Independent MedallionA NYC taxi medallion class whose owner may hold only that one medallion and no interest in any other taxi.Interior Advertising Provider (IAP)A TLC-licensed business that supplies approved ad tablets for for-hire vehicles and must share at least 25% of each tablet's ad revenue with the driver.IVCS (In-Vehicle Camera System)The TLC-approved security camera inside a taxi or green cab that photographs everyone in the car and keeps images for at least 30 days.
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1L
7Language accessTLC's duty to serve people with limited English: free interpreters, translated licensing materials in NYC's 10 designated languages, and a complaint channel.Lease cap (taxi)The most a taxi medallion owner may charge a driver for a shift or week of leasing, set by TLC Rule 58-21(c).Lease-to-Own (Conditional Purchase)A vehicle lease in which part of each payment goes toward buying the car, with title passing to the driver once the purchase payments are complete.Licensee SnapshotThe status panel at the top of TLC UP showing your license status, expiration date and, for vehicles, insurance and last passed inspection.LiveryA for-hire vehicle affiliated with a livery base; pre-arranged trips only, priced by flat rate, time, mileage or zones.Low-Income Discount Plan (LIDP)An MTA E-ZPass NY plan: 50% off the peak congestion toll from the 11th trip each calendar month for eligible low-income vehicle owners.Luxury LimousineA for-hire vehicle affiliated with a TLC Luxury Limousine Base: pre-arranged trips only, 20 or fewer seats, mostly non-cash, charged garage to garage.
M
8MedallionThe numbered metal plate TLC issues for a yellow taxi; it is the physical proof that the vehicle is a licensed Medallion Taxicab.Medallion AgentA TLC-licensed person or business that operates, or helps operate, taxis for medallion owners, usually leasing the cabs out to drivers.Medallion Relief Program (MRP)NYC's 2021–2024 program that paid small taxi medallion owners a $20,000 or $30,000 grant, with free lawyers, to restructure medallion loans; closed April 30, 2024.Medallion-only leaseA weekly lease of just the taxi medallion, with the driver supplying the car; capped by TLC at $952 a week, or $994 for a qualifying hybrid.Member baseA dispatch base that belongs to the Black Car Fund; its drivers get BCF workers' comp on its jobs and can enroll in Drivers Benefits.Mid-Tier toll rateA toll rate between E-ZPass and Tolls by Mail, charged to an E-ZPass account when the toll is matched by plate instead of a properly mounted tag.Minimum pay standardTLC's per-trip floor on what Uber and Lyft must pay drivers, set per mile and per minute with a passenger; not a wage.Motion to VacateA written request to OATH for a new hearing after a default decision was entered because you did not appear.
N
5Named Driver MedallionA medallion type label in TLC's authorized taxi data (the other is 'Owner Must Drive'); TLC describes the field as showing single (independent) or multiple (fleet) medallions.Neighborhood Loading Zone (NLZ)A DOT curb on residential streets for deliveries, taxi and car service pickups and drop-offs, and active loading of personal vehicles.Night Surcharge (Taxi)A $1.00 charge added to yellow taxi and green cab trips that begin after 8 p.m. and before 6 a.m.NYC CareA city health care access program (not insurance) at NYC Health + Hospitals for residents who can't get or afford insurance; fees from $0.NYCSCThe E-ZPass New York Customer Service Center; at MTA bridges and tunnels only its customers get E-ZPass rates.
O
6OATHThe NYC Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings — the independent City court that decides TLC summonses.Off Duty (Taxi)The status a taxi or green cab driver enters when logging off the technology system; roof light off, and pickups only on the way home or to the garage under strict conditions.Office of Financial Stability (OFS)The TLC office, created by Local Law 111 of 2020, that monitors the finances of the taxi medallion industry and collects owners' yearly financial disclosures.On-duty unavailableLogged on to the Technology System but marked unavailable for street hails, usually after accepting a dispatch; roof light off, no hails.Online HearingContesting an OATH summons by written defense submitted online; a hearing officer decides on the papers or orders a live hearing.Owner/Driver Resource Center (O/DRC)TLC's free help office for licensees: legal help for small medallion owners, pay-dispute referrals, financial counseling and benefits help.
P
9Paid sick leave (rideshare)Paid time off for illness that Uber and Lyft drivers in New York earn under the Attorney General's 2023 settlements: 1 hour per 30 hours worked, up to 56 hours a year.Passenger Information Monitor (PIM)The passenger-facing screen in a yellow or green cab that shows the route, fare and TLC information and is part of in-cab payment; current rules call it a passenger-facing screen.Pay Per Trip (E-ZPass)An E-ZPass NY payment option linked to your bank account: no prepaid balance, and tolls are paid the same day you use them.Per-Trip Charge Plan (PTCP)MTA arrangement under which enrolled TLC taxis and FHVs pay a per-trip congestion charge, collected from passengers, instead of the daily toll.Persistent ViolatorA TLC driver who reaches 6+ combined TLC and DMV points within 15 months, triggering suspension (6–9) or revocation (10+) under Rule 80-27.Personal Injury Protection (PIP)The no-fault part of an auto policy that pays injury-related costs per person; TLC vehicles need $100,000 (commuter vans $50,000) since March 1, 2026.PetitionerThe agency or person that issued the summons and prosecutes it at OATH — usually TLC in a driver case.Pre-Arranged Exclusionary ZoneManhattan south of East 96th and West 110th Streets: the area where a green cab may not begin a pre-arranged (base or app) trip. Unlike the Hail Exclusionary Zone, it does not include the airports.Pre-Arranged TripA trip the passenger books in advance through a licensed base, by phone, app, website or another method, instead of hailing on the street. It is the only way black cars, liveries, limousines and app cars may carry passengers.
R
11Rate CardThe TLC-issued card for each medallion taxi that shows its medallion number, fares and other required data; displayed in the cab and surrendered with the medallion.Rate code (taxi meter)The number on a taxi meter and in TLC trip data that shows which fare rule applies to a trip, such as the standard city rate or the JFK flat fare.Rate of FareThe TLC-set meter price for a taxi or green-cab hail trip: an initial charge plus a set amount per unit of distance or time.Re-HackTransferring a vehicle already hacked up as an accessible yellow taxi to a different medallion, allowed by TLC rule 67-06(d) only in three situations.Recommended DecisionAn OATH judge's decision in certain TLC license cases that only becomes final after the TLC Chairperson accepts, modifies or rejects it.Registered RepresentativeA non-family member, often not a lawyer, who has registered with OATH to represent respondents at hearings.Relief standA DOT-signed curb space where taxi (and, where signed, FHV) drivers may park and leave the vehicle for up to one hour.Replenishment accountMoney a TLC vehicle owner who holds the E-ZPass tag may require a lease driver to keep for unpaid tolls: $10 per 12-hour shift, $100 max, returned within 30 days after the lease.RescheduleA request made to OATH before the hearing for a later hearing date; one per party per summons, no reason required.
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