Due to the long hours that taxi drivers work, the high-stress conditions, and the fact that they are often stationary for up to 12 hours at a time, drivers are particularly vulnerable to the following ailments:
Bladder Cancer
Kidney Failure
Cardiovascular Disease (high blood pressure and cholesterol)
Diabetes
Back, Shoulder, Knee, & Ankle pain
They are also completely uninsured by their jobs.
While we campaign for an industry sponsored Health & Benefits Fund, NYTWA provides comprehensive check-ups and individual counseling for drivers through our annual health fairs. Since 2001, over 10,000 drivers have received basic screenings and help enrolling in a health insurance plan.
In 2010, several NYTWA health fairs were held, mainly at JFK and LaGuardia airports (mid-morning to early evening):
We provide testing and counseling for the following:
Blood Pressure
Glucose
Cholesterol
HIV Testing (results in 20 min) and other STDs
Hepatitis A & B Vaccinations
Education on Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Kidney Disease
Orthopedics
Back Health
Yoga
Smoking/Addiction Help
They are absolutely free, so we encourage all taxi drivers to come out to the next one (date to be announced)!
Sign Up for the Healthy Living Series for Drivers
Project RICE is a free research program in conjunction with NYTWA and NYU School of Medicine where you will receive support from a Community Health Worker (CHW) to help you live a healthier life and prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart attack. Our Community Health Workers are members of the taxi worker community with extensive knowledge of health and the needs of drivers.
If you are eligible to participate, you will receive a series of 6 free educational sessions:
Healthy Living and Preventing Chronic Diseases
Healthy Eating
Staying Active
Heart Disease and Diabetes Complications
Managing Stress
Accessing Health Services in NYC
Each of them are held at the NYTWA office for 1 hour in small group settings.
Day Drivers: Mondays @ 6:00 p.m.
Night Drivers: Monday night shift at 12:00 a.m. midnight.
Our 2010 surveys with 137 South Asian NYC taxi workers showed that 82% of taxi workers do not engage in the level of physical activity recommended by the American Heart Association and 26% of those who were ever screened for diabetes were told by a health professional that they have diabetes. Let's change these statistics. Get screened! Call 212-627-5248 or come by the office.
Health Programs 
