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NYC Rideshare Drivers Rally as Council Weighs Bill Curbing App Deactivations

The proposal would require two weeks’ notice plus an appeal process, a protection Lyft says could delay removals after safety complaints.

Overview

  • Uber and Lyft drivers rallied outside City Hall on Thursday, urging passage of Intro. 276 to curb what they call unfair firings.
  • The bill, sponsored by Council Member Shekar Krishnan, sets a 14-day notice in most cases and creates an appeal path; he says egregious misconduct would still permit immediate action.
  • Lyft’s policy chief warned in a Sept. 22 letter that the measure could undermine rider safety by slowing removal of drivers accused of harassment or reckless behavior.
  • Drivers and the New York Taxi Workers Alliance cite sudden bans that erase income and trigger debt, as a first-person account detailed, while Lyft says it investigates complaints and allows appeals.
  • The legislation is laid over in the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, with the Council emphasizing a deliberative process and editorials urging TLC-facilitated negotiations among companies and drivers.