Sophia Lebowitz

Before joining Streetsblog, Sophia Lebowitz was a filmmaker and journalist covering transportation and culture in New York City.
The Ire This Time: City Seeks the Power To Confiscate Unsafe E-Bike Batteries From Poor Delivery Workers
Uncertified batteries can no longer legally be sold in the city, but many workers are still using them because they are less expensive.
Council Bill Will Force Delivery Apps to Make Roadways Safer — Though, Of Course, The Apps Object
The bill would require safety equipment, plus a safety course.
Instacart Now Claims it ‘Supports’ Worker Minimum Wage That It Fought To Defeat; Experts See ‘Corporate Spin’
After an all-out campaign against a minimum wage for its workers, Instacart now claims it "supports" the bill. But that's just "a flat-out lie," said one worker advocate.
MONEY TALKS: Business Interests Call the Shots in Eric Adams’s New York
Forget the bribery charges — you don't have to break the law to buy influence in the Big Apple.
GHOSTING: Drivers with ‘Ghost Plates’ Are Speeding Through New York City Streets
Cars with fake, obscured, or mismatched license plates continue to wreak havoc on city streets, a City Council report revealed.
Thursday’s Headlines: ‘Blessed’ By Duffy and Byford Edition
Sean Duffy became the latest in a long line of politicians to make big promises about New York Penn Station. Plus more news.
INVASION OF THE BODY-SNATCHERS: Self-Driving Taxis Have Come for Your Roads, Jobs
What could possibly go wrong? Perhaps we get safer streets. Perhaps every taxi driver loses his or her job.
City Council Vows To Override Mayor’s ‘Senseless’ Vetoes
Speaker Adrienne Adams vows to override the mayor's recent vetoes of two bills that would expand labor protections and minimum wage to grocery delivery workers using Instacart.
As Mayor Adams Preps Veto of Minimum Wage Bill, Instacart Boasts ‘Squeezing’ Its Workers
Instacart's months-long campaign against pay parity for grocery delivery workers appears to have borne fruit with a mayor who claims he supports workers.
Vital ‘Lifeline’ or Blatant Ripoff? Instacart Makes Groceries 75% More Expensive
Instacart is arguing that its services are a lifeline to low income New Yorkers, but the app makes groceries 75 percent more expensive.