Home Industry Facts
Did you know that, on average, drivers pay between $105-$132 as lease money to garage owners for a singe twelve-hour shift?  Did you know that it takes a driver more than 6 hours (sometimes 8 or 9) to recover the money that he/she has paid a garage owner or broker?  Did you know that a single medallion (or permit to put a taxi on the street) costs approximately half a million dollars?  Did you know that the Taxi and Limousine Commission earns over $3 million a month in fines and fees it imposes on the industry?  Did you know that taxi drivers are rated as "independent" contractors and thus have no collective bargaining rights nor health care nor retirement pension?

The New York City taxi industry is a complex web of exploitative relations. This section of our website is dedicated to outlining some of the basic facts of the industry and drivers' working conditions.