Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Council hearing examines commuter-van recovery and enforcement as licensed fleet slowly rebounds
Summary
City officials and advocates debated enforcement against unlicensed commuter vans, a state stabilization grant that helped licensed operators return, and two council bills to study the industry and standardize enforcement checklists.
The City Council Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on Thursday examined the Taxi and Limousine Commission's oversight of commuter vans, enforcement against unlicensed operators and two bills that would study the industry and require a standardized enforcement checklist.
The discussion centered on an industry that shrank from hundreds of licensed commuter vans a decade ago to fewer than 40 after the pandemic, and that has since grown modestly: "we have been able to get the commuter van industry towards a path to recovery," David Do, commissioner and chair of the Taxi and Limousine Commission, told the committee. Do said the administration now counts 51 licensed commuter vans and 16 licensed commuter-van authorities.
Why it matters: commuter vans serve transit "deserts," carry up to 20 passengers and provide connections where fixed-route transit is limited. Committee members and advocates said enforcement against unlicensed vans is essential both to safety and to a fair market for licensed operators.
TLC testimony…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
