TLC Rule 80-19(a)(1): Using Someone to Find Passengers

In short: Rule 80-19(a)(1) says a yellow taxi driver must not use another person to find passengers, unless that person is one of three approved channels: a dispatcher at a public transportation terminal, a TLC-licensed e-hail app, or an accessible vehicle dispatcher. A friend, a paid "hustler" or a doorman working for tips is not on the list. The fine is $50, with no TLC points and no required appearance. It is rarely written: 48 summonses in OATH data from 2016 to October 2026.

This page is general information, not legal advice.

What the rule says

Section 80-19(a)(1) of TLC Chapter 80:

A Driver of a Taxicab must not use a person, other than a dispatcher at a public transportation terminal, licensed E-Hail Application, or an Accessible Vehicle dispatcher, to solicit Passengers. Use of any licensed E-Hail Application by the Driver is optional.

§80-19(a)(1) Fine: $50 — Appearance NOT REQUIRED

In plain English:

• "Use a person … to solicit" means having someone else look for riders for you: calling out to people, waving them toward your cab, or making deals with them on your behalf.
• The three allowed channels are the official ones. A terminal dispatcher works the taxi line at an airport, train or bus station. An e-hail app (Curb, Arro or Myle, for example) sends a request through the meter system. The accessible vehicle dispatcher sent wheelchair trips to accessible taxis.
• E-hail is optional. You never have to sign up for or use an e-hail app. But if you accept a metered e-hail, rule 80-20(a)(5) says you must not then refuse that passenger. That is a refusal with mandatory penalties.

One update: TLC's Industry Notice 26-02 says that from March 1, 2026, wheelchair taxi trips that used to come from the Accessible Dispatch program go through the licensed e-hail apps instead. So in practice the "accessible dispatcher" path now runs through the apps too. See Accessible Dispatch for taxi drivers.

Who it applies to

Yellow taxi drivers. Green cab drivers have their own version, 80-19(b)(2)(iii), also $50, which adds one more allowed channel: the green cab's own Street Hail Livery base. For-hire vehicle (FHV) drivers can't take hails at all; any pickup that isn't pre-arranged through their base is charged under 80-19(c)(1).

Who writes it and how often

The numbers are small: no year has more than 14. OATH's location fields are not usable for taxi rows, so the data cannot show where these were written. Compare that with soliciting yourself at an airport, 80-19(a)(4)(i), which has hundreds of summonses.

Common situations

• A person at a hotel, club or event entrance waves riders to your cab and you pay them per fare.
• A friend stands at a busy corner and sends people to your cab while you wait nearby.
• Someone approaches travelers inside or outside a terminal, outside the official taxi line, and walks them to your cab.
• You accept a rider sent by the official taxi-line dispatcher. This is allowed. It is the first exception in the rule.

If the helper is at an airport or other terminal, also be careful with money. Rule 80-12(a)(2) forbids giving any gift, gratuity or "thing of value" to Port Authority, LIRR, Metro-North or similar terminal staff who dispatch, give ground-transportation information, provide security, control traffic or parking, or handle baggage. That rule carries a $10,000 fine and revocation, with appearance required.

Does the summons fit?

Penalty and points

What to do

Where to find the rule code, hearing date and appearance box on your summons:

1. Read the summons. Check that the code is 80-19(a)(1) and that it describes another person soliciting for you, not you soliciting yourself.
2. Get your trip records for that shift. A trip from a terminal dispatcher or an e-hail app is an allowed channel.
3. Write down who the other person was, what they did and what the inspector saw, while you still remember.
4. Decide before the hearing date. Never ignore the date: missing it can mean a default decision.

Points to discuss with a lawyer or registered representative: whether the other person was actually acting for you, and whether the summons describes a specific act. If you think someone else is using your name or license to get riders, read someone is using my TLC license. Letting another person use your TLC license or login is rule 80-11(e), a $10,000 fine and revocation.

See also: can a taxi driver use a hustler, taxi stand rules, E-ZPass records as evidence, e-hail apps for taxis, the FHV street-hail rule 59A-25(a)(1), adding passengers mid-trip, forcing a shared FHV ride and the enforcement topic.