New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) Commissioner David Do have announced newly proposed rules that will require all ride hailing vehicles in the city to be zero-emisson or wheelchair accessible by 2030.
This new ‘Green Rides’ programme aims to pave the way for the city to become cleaner and more accessible.
The newly proposed rules would also make New York City the first large city in the world to have a ride-hailing fleet that is entirely either zero-emissions at tailpipe or wheelchair accessible.
This initiative was first announced during the Mayor’s second State of the City address on 26 January 2023. The new rules now aim to deliver on this initial commitment.
Mayor Adams said:When it comes to driving towards sustainable and inclusive transportation alternatives, New York City isn’t just along for the ride — in fact, we are leading the way. By championing the integration of zero-emission vehicles and wheelchair accessible transportation, we are cutting dirty emissions and guaranteeing equitable transportation opportunities for every New Yorker.
Green Rides marks significant progress towards establishing an environmentally conscious for-hire transportation system spanning all five boroughs. This transformative shift will serve as a turning point, propelling New York City towards a greener, cleaner, healthier future.
The newly proposed rules provide a comprehensive roadmap with yearly benchmarks for delivering the ‘Green Rides’ initiative over the next six years.
In 2024, the city will require 5 percent of all high-volume for-hire trips, such as those with Uber and Lyft, to be made by zero-emission or wheelchair-accessible vehicles. This benchmark will rise to 15 percent in 2025 and 25 percent in 2026.
As the market evolves and electric vehicles become more affordable, the requirements will increase yearly by 20 percentage points before reaching 100 percent in 2030.
Alongside delivering ‘Green Rides,’ the city is working to ensure that all New Yorkers live within 2.5 miles of an electric vehicle charging station by 2035. It is also pursuing legislative changes to require private parking garages and lots to make electric vehicle charging available.
New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said:Electric vehicle adoption is a crucial piece of reducing New York City’s emissions. We are working closely with the private sector to equitably increase public charging access and inspire greater adoption and sustainable mode shifts across industries. We applaud Mayor Adams and Commissioner Do for their work to eliminate vehicle emissions from the rideshare fleet.
