NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- New rules announced on Wednesday, would require all rideshare vehicles in New York City to be zero-emission or wheelchair accessible by 2030.
Mayor Eric Adams and David Do, chair of the Taxi and Limousine Commission, said the Green Rides initiative will make New York the first large city in the world to have an entirely carbon-free rideshare fleet.
These rules would begin to take effect as early as 2024, at which point rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft would need to dispatch a fleet of at least 5% zero-emission vehicles. This figure would climb to 15% in 2025, 25% in 2026, then go up by 20% every year until 2030, as the market for electric vehicles gets progressively friendlier.
“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,” Adams said in a statement.
The initiative aligns with a commitment made in Adams' "Working People's Agenda," outlined in January, which promised a fully electrified fleet of for-hire transportation like Uber and Lyft.
“The most exciting aspect of this initiative is that it not only transforms the existing fleet into one that is cleaner and more accessible but also provides a much-needed boost in development of city’s charging infrastructure,” Do said in a statement.
“Green Rides will have long-term benefits not just for TLC drivers but every driver in the city seeking to make the shift to an electric vehicle," he added
These shifts to infrastructure would also make it more feasible for all passenger cars in the city to run on electricity, keeping with New York state's regulations for all cars sold in the state to be zero-emission by 2035.
An online public hearing for the Green Rides proposal is scheduled for September 20.
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