Questions218· page 3 of 4
Questions TLC drivers ask
Quick answers to specific questions. Each answer starts with the short version, then explains the details and links to the full guide.
Uber, Lyft and other apps and bases: how they work with TLC rules, pay statements and deactivation.
Apps & basesWhat Receipts Must My Base Give Me?A TLC base or car owner owes you a written receipt for every payment and deduction. Required fields, extra items for Uber and Lyft, and the $200 fine.Read Apps & basesWhat Share of NYC Rides Are Uber and Lyft?In 2025, Uber and Lyft made 76.5% of all trips TLC recorded; yellow taxis 15%, livery 4.6%, black cars 3.5%. Uber alone was about 55%. The trend since 2015.Read Apps & basesWhy Does My Uber Pay Show a Black Car Fund Charge?The Black Car Fund surcharge is paid by riders, not drivers, even when it shows on your Uber or Lyft statement: what it funds and what to do.Read Apps & basesWill the Apps Cut Me Off If TLC Suspends My License?A TLC suspension or expired license can get you removed from Uber and Lyft with no notice. Why the lockout rule allows it, and how to get back on the apps.Read
Driving an electric vehicle for hire in NYC: TLC EV rules, charging, costs and the Green Rides program.
EVs & chargingCan I Get an EV TLC License (Plates) Right Now?No. TLC closed EV-only FHV applications on Nov 13, 2023 by court order, and its Feb 2026 review issued none. What's open instead, and how to hear news.Read EVs & chargingCan I Switch My Current TLC Car to an Electric Vehicle?Yes, if you already hold FHV plates: a TLC vehicle transfer moves your license to an EV for $25 plus inspection. The 15-day rule, steps, and WAV catch.Read
Taxi medallion ownership, transfers, leasing, medallion debt relief and what medallion holders must know.
MedallionsCan I Still Hack Up a Non-Accessible Yellow Taxi?No. Since Oct 18, 2024 every new yellow-taxi hack-up must be wheelchair accessible. What happens to the car you drive now, hybrids, and the grants that help.Read MedallionsHow Many Drivers Can Share a Medallion Lease?TLC rules allow up to 3 drivers on one medallion-only or DOV taxi lease, and the owner can't unreasonably refuse. Why the poster says '2 additional' instead.Read MedallionsHow Many Yellow Taxis Are on NYC Streets Today?13,587 medallions exist, 10,236 have a car authorized, about 10,000 make trips each month and about 8,500 are out on an average day. Each number explained.Read MedallionsHow Much Is a NYC Taxi Medallion Worth in 2026?About $105,000 in a regular 2026 sale, per TLC's monthly transfer sheets. Why foreclosure sales show $200,000, what the number leaves out and what to do next.Read MedallionsHow Much Money Do NYC Taxis Collect a Year?NYC yellow taxis collected $965.9 million in farebox over 41.2 million trips in 2024, says TLC. What the total includes, the 2025 trend, and why it isn't pay.Read MedallionsIs the Medallion Relief Program Still Open?No. TLC took no Medallion Relief Program (MRP or MRP+) grant applications after April 30, 2024. What free legal and money help medallion owners can still get.Read
Working the airports: holding lots, pickup rules, airport fees and access fees, and Port Authority enforcement.
AirportsCan Green Cabs Pick Up at JFK or LaGuardia?Green cabs can't take street hails at JFK or LaGuardia, but TLC rules allow a pre-arranged base trip starting there: the two zones, $500 penalty, drop-offs.Read AirportsCan I Leave My Car at the Airport Curb to Help a Rider?No. JFK, LaGuardia and Newark curbs are for active pickups only, and unattended cars are towed. You can load bags at the curb; to go inside, use paid parking.Read AirportsCan NYC Uber Drivers Pick Up at Newark Airport?Port Authority rules allow pre-arranged app pickups at Newark, and Uber says NYC drivers get NYC-bound trips there. Pickup spots, the hold lot, what to check.Read AirportsDo Green Cabs Charge the $70 JFK Flat Fare?A green cab charges the $70 JFK flat fare only on a street-hail trip to JFK from upper Manhattan. From other boroughs it's the meter. Rule 82-26 explained.Read AirportsHow Much Is a Taxi From LaGuardia to Manhattan?A metered LaGuardia–Manhattan taxi: Port Authority estimates of $24–$57, plus $8.50 to $14.25 in TLC add-ons, tolls and tip, explained line by line.Read AirportsIs the $70 JFK Flat Fare for Brooklyn or Queens Too?No. The $70 JFK taxi flat fare covers Manhattan only. Trips from JFK to Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx or Staten Island go on the meter, plus surcharges.Read AirportsWhat Is the Airport Fee on an Uber or Lyft Trip?The airport fee on NYC Uber and Lyft trips is the Port Authority access fee: $3.50 per pickup and per drop-off at JFK, LGA and Newark since March 15, 2026.Read AirportsWho Pays the Return Toll on a Taxi Trip to Newark?On a NYC taxi trip to Newark Airport the passenger pays the tolls both ways, including your toll back into New York, plus the meter and a $20 surcharge.Read AirportsWhy Did I Lose My Place in the Airport Queue?Uber says you lose your JFK or LGA queue spot if you go offline, leave the zone, skip requests in a row or cancel often. App rules vs TLC rules, explained.Read AirportsWhy Does the LGA Website Show Different Taxi Surcharges?The LGA taxi page shows a $1 rush and 50-cent night surcharge from before TLC's 2022 fare rule. TLC now sets $2.50 and $1, plus $5 for LGA. Trust the meter.Read
Bridges, tunnels, E-ZPass and Tolls by Mail rates, congestion pricing, and who pays the toll on a trip.
Tolls & E-ZPassAre WAVs Exempt From Congestion Pricing?No, not just for being wheelchair accessible. WAV taxi and FHV trips pay the same per-trip charge. Who the MTA disability exemptions (IDEP, ODEP) cover.Read Tolls & E-ZPassCan Drivers Get the Congestion Pricing Low-Income Discount?For your own car: 50% off the peak congestion toll after 10 trips a month if AGI is $50,000 or less or you get SNAP, WIC or TANF. How to apply and renew.Read Tolls & E-ZPassCan I Charge a Passenger the Full Toll Rate?No. TLC rules let you charge only the actual E-ZPass toll, not the Tolls by Mail price. Charging more is an overcharge with fines from $350, or revocation.Read Tolls & E-ZPassCan I Get the Staten Island Toll Discount on a TLC Car?Staten Island resident and PASI toll plans exclude commercial vehicles. What the MTA and Port Authority say about TLC cars, what they don't, and who to ask.Read Tolls & E-ZPassCan I Use My Own E-ZPass in a Leased Taxi or FHV?Yes. TLC rules let you use your own E-ZPass in a leased taxi, green cab or FHV, and the passenger's toll money is then yours. Which tag to use, the catches.Read Tolls & E-ZPassDid Congestion Pricing Reduce Uber and Taxi Trips?MTA: Uber/Lyft zone trips fell 4.5% and yellow taxi trips rose 17.3% in Jan–Sep 2025. TLC says Uber sending trips to taxis may matter more than the fee.Read Tolls & E-ZPassDo I Get Paid Back for Tolls on the Way to a Pickup?Usually not. Uber repays only tolls with a rider; TLC's rule says 'during a dispatched trip'. Empty-car tolls for app, taxi and green cab drivers explained.Read Tolls & E-ZPassDo I Need E-ZPass to Drive for Uber or Lyft in NYC?Yes. Three TLC rules require E-ZPass: one for you, one for the car's owner, one for Uber and Lyft. Fines, personal tags, and the NJ-tag catch.Read Tolls & E-ZPassDo I Pay Congestion Pricing Driving Empty Into Manhattan?No, if your base or taxi meter company is in the MTA per-trip plan: an empty TLC car is not charged. If it isn't, the owner may pay the toll once a day.Read Tolls & E-ZPassDo I Pay the Congestion Toll Twice in One Day?No: a car pays the congestion toll once per day (12:00–11:59 p.m.), at the rate of its first entry. TLC per-trip charges have no cap: each zone trip pays.Read Tolls & E-ZPassDo Tolls Count Toward Uber's NYC Minimum Pay?No. TLC minimum pay is per mile and per minute; tolls are owed on top under rule 59D-17(c). A worked example and how to check your pay statement.Read Tolls & E-ZPassDo You Pay Tolls Driving From NYC to New Jersey?No Port Authority toll going into New Jersey; you pay coming back. Which tolls still apply on the way out, and why a TLC passenger owes your return toll.Read Tolls & E-ZPassGarage Won't Return My E-ZPass Deposit: What Now?A taxi or FHV owner must return unused E-ZPass replenishment money within 30 days after your lease ends. Records to gather, what to send, where to complain.Read Tolls & E-ZPassIs Congestion Pricing Charged on the FDR Drive?No toll if you only drive through on the FDR Drive or West Side Highway. Parking on or just off them is charged. How it works for TLC per-trip charges.Read Tolls & E-ZPassIs Congestion Pricing Still in Effect in 2026?Yes. As of October 12, 2026 the MTA still charges the congestion toll and per-trip fees. What the March 2026 court ruling said and where the appeal stands.Read Tolls & E-ZPassIs the 'NY Toll Services' Text a Scam?The Port Authority says 'NY Toll Services' texts about unpaid tolls are likely a scam. How to check your real toll balance safely, and what to do if you paid.Read Tolls & E-ZPassIs the Congestion Toll Higher on Gridlock Alert Days?The MTA keeps the right to charge 25% more on Gridlock Alert Days, but it is not automatic. The 2026 dates still ahead, and what to check before you drive in.Read Tolls & E-ZPassToll Bridge or Free Route: Which Must I Take With a Rider?With a rider in the car, take the shortest reasonable route unless they ask for another. Who picks a tolled crossing, who pays the toll, and the app catch.Read Tolls & E-ZPassUber or Lyft Didn't Pay My Toll: What to DoA toll you paid on an Uber or Lyft trip is missing from your pay? Check the statement, match your E-ZPass record, ask for a review, then complain to TLC.Read Tolls & E-ZPassWhat Are Congestion Pricing Peak Hours?Peak is 5am–9pm weekdays and 9am–9pm weekends; overnight is the rest. Peak vs overnight car tolls, and why a taxi or Uber trip pays the same at any hour.Read Tolls & E-ZPassWhat Happens if My E-ZPass Balance Goes Negative?Below $0, MTA says your E-ZPass account is out of compliance and you may get a Toll Bill. How to clear it, the late fees to beat, and the TLC balance rules.Read Tolls & E-ZPassWhich Agency Issued My E-ZPass Tag?The first three digits of your E-ZPass tag ID name the agency that issued it: 005, 004, 008 or 086 is New York, 022 is New Jersey. Why that changes your toll.Read Tolls & E-ZPassWhy Did I Get a Toll Bill When I Have E-ZPass?Five reasons an E-ZPass driver still gets a Tolls by Mail bill: unlinked plate, balance below $0, new plates, wrong car, wrong issuer. Each with its fix.Read
NYC taxi zones, taxi stands, relief stops, neighborhoods and events: where trips start and end, with data.
Zones & placesCan a Taxi or Uber Wait at a Fire Hydrant in NYC?Yes, narrowly: TLC rule 80-13(a)(1)(i) lets a TLC driver wait in front of a hydrant if seated and ready, unless forbidden. Otherwise DOT's 15-foot rule.Read Zones & placesCan Green Cabs Use Taxi Stands?Yes, but only in the Hail Zone: never in Manhattan below E 96th / W 110th St or at the airports. Place-by-place examples, terminal stands and the 100-ft rule.Read Zones & placesCan I Double Park to Pick Up a Passenger in NYC?No. NYC DOT says double parking is illegal at all times, even for seconds with you in the car. Bus cameras ticket it too. Here are the legal alternatives.Read Zones & placesCan I Drop Off or Pick Up Passengers in a Bus Lane?Yes, briefly: NYC lets any car stop in a curbside bus lane while a passenger gets in or out. Never stop in a bus stop or wait. Busway hours and camera fines.Read Zones & placesCan I Leave My Cab at a Taxi Stand for a Break?Only briefly. Front two cabs: driver stays seated. Others: within 15 ft unless off duty, and 1 hour max on a break. Where to take a real break instead.Read Zones & placesCan I Park My TLC Car on a Residential Street Overnight?NYC's 9 PM–5 AM ban covers commercial vehicles. What the City says a commercial vehicle is, why a TLC car is a gray area, and the street rules that do apply.Read Zones & placesCan I Pick Up a Street Hail on My Way Home?Yes for yellow and green cabs, if you are off duty, heading home, made the trip record entry and the rider's stop is on your route. Fine $75/$100.Read Zones & placesCan I Pick Up Passengers in a No Standing Zone?Yes: NYC DOT allows passenger pickups and drop-offs at No Standing signs, but no waiting and never at No Stopping signs. What it means, and the TLC fines.Read Zones & placesCan Livery Drivers Wait on the Street Outside the Base?At your livery base, TLC says use the base's off-street parking, obey street signs and don't create a nuisance: $50 each. What the base must provide, too.Read Zones & placesCan Someone Find Passengers for My Taxi?Only a terminal dispatcher, a licensed e-hail app or the accessible dispatcher (or a green cab's base). No touts, and airport tips cost $10,000.Read Zones & placesCan Taxis and Ubers Wait in a Hotel Loading Zone?No waiting: NYC hotel loading zones are No Standing zones. You may stop to pick up a guest and load bags. The $115 ticket, the TLC add-on, and doorman rules.Read Zones & placesCan Uber and Lyft Drivers Use NYC Relief Stands?Yes, at 69 of NYC's 110 relief stands: the ones signed TAXI/FHV. How to read the sign, which boroughs have FHV stands, and the 1-hour limit and $50 fine.Read Zones & placesCan Uber Drivers Park at Commercial Meters in NYC?Normally no: commercial meters are for commercial vehicles, a $115 ticket. Local Law 24 of 2026 orders an FHV pilot (pay, 3 hours max). What we know so far.Read Zones & placesCan Uber Drivers Pick Up at a Taxi Stand in NYC?No. TLC rule 80-19(d)(2) bans FHV pickups at any taxi stand, even for app trips: $350, then $500, then revocation. Where to meet your rider instead.Read Zones & placesCan Yellow Taxis Pick Up in Brooklyn, Queens & the Bronx?Yes. Yellow cabs may take street hails anywhere in NYC, not just Manhattan. Green cabs added hail service; they did not limit yellow. Rules plus pickup data.Read
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