Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.
On February 20, 2025, the City Council Commission on Transportation & Infrastructure held a public hearing on Int. No. 676, a bill that would require the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) to conduct a comprehensive study on increasing electric for-hire vehicles and developing new charging infrastructure throughout New York City. The bill was sponsored by Council Member Amanda Farías.
The legislation would direct the TLC to investigate costs, challenges, and opportunities related to the electrification of for-hire vehicles. Within one year of the bill’s enactment, the TLC would need to submit a detailed report to the mayor and City Council speaker. This report would include an estimate of the total number of charging stations required for a complete transition to electric for-hire vehicles and an analysis of how overnight charging availability affects driver income and ride capacity. The report would also need to assess whether additional charging stations in Manhattan would impact traffic congestion and recommend strategic locations for new infrastructure based on driver residences.
The bill also requires a study analyzing the economic aspects of transitioning to electric vehicles. This includes evaluating installation costs of charging stations at recommended locations, estimating utilization rates of proposed charging locations, and comparing fuel and maintenance costs between electric and internal combustion engine vehicles. This study would additionally examine the cost differences for drivers renting electric versus conventional for-hire vehicles and explore potential incentive programs to encourage electric vehicle adoption.
In addition to the study, the legislation would add a new section to the Administrative Code, section 19-557, that would require the TLC to establish specific targets for electric vehicle license issuance and charging infrastructure installation. The TLC would be required to submit biannual reports every January 1 and July 1 to document progress toward these targets. These reports would detail newly installed charging stations and would be categorized by charging level, borough, whether they were installed at gas stations, and the number of new electric vehicle licenses issued since the previous report.
During the hearing before the Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, Council Member Farías reiterated that the transportation sector is one of the largest contributors to New York City’s carbon emissions, and transitioning for-hire vehicles to electric vehicles is critical for meeting the city’s climate goals. Council Member Farías noted that many for-hire vehicle drivers, especially independent operators, face financial and logistical barriers when considering an electric vehicle. She described the bill as focusing on “smart planning, sustainability and equity,” stressing that the city cannot ask drivers to go electric without ensuring they have the necessary resources.
Commissioner David Do of the TLC testified at the hearing about the agency’s existing electrification initiatives. He emphasized the TLC’s “Green Rides” program, adopted in October 2023, which already requires high volume for-hire services like Lyft and Uber to dispatch 100 percent of trips to electric vehicles or wheelchair accessible vehicles by 2030, with increasing annual benchmarks. Commissioner Do noted that progress is ahead of schedule, with approximately 20 percent of dispatched trips using EVs or wheelchair accessible vehicles by the end of 2024, exceeding the 15 percent requirement set for 2025.
The Commissioner also pointed out that TLC previously published two electrification reports titled “Charged Up” in 2022 and “Electrification in Motion” in September 2024. The most recent report was developed after Int. 676 was introduced and addresses many of the questions the bill aims to examine. Commissioner Do highlighted several outcomes of the Green Rides initiative, including the deployment of more than 200 new fast charger stalls from Tesla and Revel, a DOT fast charging site in the Bronx, and a planned expansion of curbside charging networks in neighborhoods where TLC drivers live.
While not directly opposing the bill, Commissioner Do suggested at the hearing that many of the bill’s objectives are already being addressed through existing TLC initiatives. He emphasized that the agency has been working collaboratively with public and private sector partners, including other city agencies and companies, to ensure charging infrastructure keeps its pace with the growing number of TLC licensed electric vehicles. Commissioner Do indicated that TLC would be open to discussing how the agency could be even more transparent about the electric vehicle landscape without necessarily requiring new legislation.
During public testimony at the hearing, it was submitted that the bill needs to be amended to also require that the study and report include how the city can have electric wheelchair accessible for-hire vehicles, as well as charging infrastructure available for vehicles including motorized wheelchairs in New York City. This amendment reflects ongoing concerns about ensuring accessibility is integrated into new electrification efforts, especially as the city works to make transportation more accessible and sustainable.
Int. No. 676 represents a significant step in New York City’s efforts to build a more sustainable transportation system while ensuring the transition to electric vehicles is equitable and practical for drivers. A date for a committee vote on the bill has not yet been set.
By: Richa Chandra (Richa is a 2L student in New York Law School’s Legal Journalism course.)