NEW YORK – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman issued the following statement regarding the decision by the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) to revise a proposed rule that would have required dispatchers to agree in writing before for-hire drivers could accept rides from rival bases. In response to that proposal, on November 7, 2014, Attorney General Schneiderman wrote to the TLC expressing his concern about the rule and its potentially anticompetitive consequences. The Commission has since revised its proposed rules and eliminated the inter-base agreement requirement:
“I applaud Commissioner Joshi and the Taxi and Limousine Commission for revising its proposed rules to promote competition and innovation in the for-hire vehicle industry. By allowing for-hire drivers to accept dispatches from multiple bases, the TLC will increase driver efficiency, lower the costs of entry for new services, and encourage more competition in the taxi industry. I want to thank Commissioner Joshi for incorporating feedback on this proposal, and pushing to implement smart, forward-looking regulations.”
