Uber Inc., Lyft Inc. and other rideshare operators would be required to include only zero-emission or wheelchair-accessible vehicles in their New York City fleets by 2030, under a proposal by Mayor Eric Adams and the Taxi and Limousine Commission.
(Bloomberg) — Uber Inc., Lyft Inc. and other rideshare operators would be required to include only zero-emission or wheelchair-accessible vehicles in their New York City fleets by 2030, under a proposal by Mayor Eric Adams and the Taxi and Limousine Commission.
The “Green Rides” plan would be phased in starting next year, when 5% of all high-volume for-hire rides would have to be handled by such vehicles. The benchmark would rise to 15% in 2025 and 25% in 2026, according to a statement.
The city is betting on electric vehicles becoming more affordable and will then increase the yearly benchmark requirement after 2026 by 20 percentage points annually.
The TLC said that the proposed rule would be an important part of the city’s fight to improve air quality. The agency said it estimates TLC vehicles are responsible for 4% of New York City’s annual transportation emissions.
“It not only transforms the existing fleet into one that is cleaner and more accessible but also provides a much-needed boost in development of city’s charging infrastructure,” TLC Chair David Do said. “Green Rides will have long-term benefits not just for TLC drivers but every driver in the city seeking to make the shift to an electric vehicle.”
Adams said the plan would make New York the world’s first large city to have a zero-emissions or wheelchair-accessible rideshare fleet by 2030. He said it would guarantee “equitable transportation opportunities for every New Yorker.”
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