The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) launched its Driver Resource Center today to support all TLC-licensed drivers and medallion owner-drivers during covid-19 lockdown.
Indeed, for many small businesses, this lockdown time is a breakdown time. For the taxi drivers in the City, things can get pretty depressive very quickly.
There are a long list of payments they still must make on the vehicles they own or operate whether they make money or not. From the full gamut of commercial insurance premiums to loan payments on medallion, and other auto loans and riders, even the recent technology disruption that encouraged many to jump into the trade 9 years ago cannot save anyone in the face of this looming economic disaster of covid-19.
[bctt tweet=”Many TLC taxi drivers and owners can hardly take deep breath not because of covid-19 sickness, but because of fear and the burden of debts they now carry following this crises.”]
In its new press release, TLC states that it’s now offering a range of support including legal services, financial counseling, health and mental health referrals, and public benefits application support to drivers and owners.
TLC Licensees, Medallion Owners/Drivers, and For-Hire Vehicle Drivers are among the most vulnerable workers in our city amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They deserve all that we can give them to stay healthy and support their families. The Resource Center will connect drivers to all the services New York has to offer. The Center will be a transformative tool in the fight to get through this crisis and emerge from it a better, fairer city.
TLC Commissioner Aloysee Jarmoszuk
Below is a list of services that TLC is promising all licensed drivers who reach out for help:
- Medallion owner-drivers can work with a legal professional to review loan agreements, renegotiate relevant financing agreements, challenge debt collections or judgments and much more.
- Drivers can schedule a free, one-on-one appointment over the phone with a financial counselor to manage money and create a spending plan, develop a strategy to minimize debt, draft letters to creditors to lower payments or temporarily suspend payments due to hardship, keep personal and business finances separate, access local, state and federal emergency resources, and much more.
- Licensees can receive assistance signing up for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Cash Assistance, and Medicaid renewal applications.
- The Center will provide referrals to mental health programming and help licensees sign up for health insurance. Here is the link to the Driver Resource Center (https://portal.driverresourcecenter.tlc.nyc.gov)
[bctt tweet=”Drivers should follow the link right above to ask any questions they have and to seek any support they need.”]