Senate Bill S9038A

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9038A

SPONSOR: SEPULVEDA
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to enacting the
"take the wheel act" requiring a driver be present in all motor vehicles
operated for hire

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill requires that any for-hire vehicle operating on New York roads
have a human driver.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Short title - "Take the Wheel Act."

Section 2 amends subdivision 23 of section 375 of the vehicle and traf-
fic law to prohibit operation of a for-hire motor vehicle on public
highways without a human driver physically present, behind the steering
wheel, engaged in the act of driving.
              

Section 2 sets the act to take effect immediately after it is signed
into law.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

As the number of self-driving cars on the road increases, it is essen-
tial that these advancements are properly regulated to preserve liveli-
hoods, protect consumers, and ensure the safety of pedestrians, bicy-
clists, and other motorists who share the road. By requiring a driver to
be present and engaged in the act of driving a for-hire vehicle, this
bill provides critical protections for taxi and for-hire drivers while
maintaining the safety of passengers and those they share the road with.

Despite repeated assurances from manufacturers and technology companies
that new models or software upgrades eliminate safety risks and remove
the need for a human driver, nationwide incidents have demonstrated
otherwise. While self-driving vehicle companies have a strong incentive
to promote this vision to New Yorkers, it does not reflect reality and
would instead result in severe harm to an entire industry of hardworking
New Yorkers.

According to a 2020 report by the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission
(TLC), approximately 90% of TLC-Licensed Drivers are immigrants. These
workers have already been significantly impacted by the introduction of
app-based ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft, and allowing self-
driving cars to become the default method of for-hire transportation
could be a fatal blow for the entire taxi and for-hire driver industry.
This bill reaffirms New York's commitment to protecting these hardwork-
ing professionals by ensuring that we will not allow livelihoods to be
lost in the pursuit of maximizing profits.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.