City Councilmembers on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure met at City Hall on Wednesday morning and voted to amend legislation regarding commuter vans in New York. This amendment will allow commuter vans, commonly known as dollar vans, to accept hails from passengers.
Commuter vans have provided transportation services to people in the city for decades leading back to the 1980 transit strike. These vans pick up and drop people off along some Metropolitan Transportation Authority routes and in areas where city buses and trains are scarce.
The current law allows commuter vans to operate if the passengers requested the service before being picked up. Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers co-sponsored the amendment to bring change to this.
The councilwoman’s effort to make this change is not just because of her public servant responsibilities, but also because she understands the necessity of these vans as she used them when she was younger.
“When I went to high school,...I went to school in Manhattan. And really to shave some time and get to my location quicker or to get to the train in some instances, the dollar van was that option,” said Brooks-Powers.
The councilwoman believes this legislation was long overdue.
Leroy Morrison, the president of the NYC Commuter Van Association, an organization that advocates for commuter van rights, attended the City Hall hearing to hear the outcome of the councilmembers’ vote. He was ecstatic about the vote and counted today as a victory.
Morrison hopes that the city will recognize the value and affordability factors the commuter vans provide.
“So many in the community rely on commuter vans throughout the city. Legalizing street hails would help ensure [that] commuter van travel remains a flexible and effective option for community members,” said Morrison.
Morrison was accompanied by Raul Rivera, an Uber driver, Taxi and Limousine Commission advocate and founder of NYC Drivers Unite. Rivera said he attended the hearing because he too understands only having a few dollars to allocate to transportation needs.
Rivera said, “Not everybody can afford Uber, including myself. I’m a driver and I can’t afford $40 or $50 on trips.”
Councilmember Althea Stevens, who is on the transportation and infrastructure committee, said that the amendment to the bill is significant because commuter vans provide a small solution to two-fare zones in the city. Additionally, she believes these vans make up for the city buses’ frequent lack of efficiency.
Stevens also thinks that commuter van operators need to be viewed in a better light and have their business legitimized.
“Most of the people that operate these dollar vans are people of color…and I think it’s important that we are making them feel like they’re a part of this [because] they’ve found a niche and they’re fulfilling that need that is really needed,” said Stevens.
Jordan Magid, the head of operations at Dollar Ride, an organization that helps commuter vans grow their business and transition to clean energy, also finds great importance in having the city recognize the vans as a legitimate business.
He said, “Commuter vans are a solution that thousands of New Yorkers rely on. Any policy change that views commuter vans as a complementary part of New York's transit ecosystem, and welcomes the industry as such, is excellent.”
Councilmember Brooks-Powers hopes that the city’s transit system will be in favor of sharing the streets with commuter vans.
“Right now, the MTA, I think, is aware that there are ways to go to be able to make more options for communities that are lacking transit,” said Brooks Powers. “And [these vans] help people get to the MTA train system quicker.”
Now that the council members have voted for the bill’s amendment, the bill will be sent to Governor Kathy Hochul’s office to be signed.
Councilmember Stevens hopes for more positive outcomes when the bill goes to the governor.
“Resolutions are always a sign that the city really wants to see this happening. And knowing that we have a good partnership, I think [the governor] will see it and hopefully push it forward,” said Stevens.
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