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Council Members Grill Uber on Prices, But What About Safety?
The City Council transportation committee heard testimony today on a bill to prohibit for-hire vehicle companies from "charging excessive rates." Council members made no bones about the fact that they are taking aim at Uber, which raises and lowers fares in response to demand. Uber calls it "dynamic pricing." It's also known as "surge pricing" and, to some council members and Uber competitors, "price-gouging."
January 12, 2015
Trottenberg: DOT Will Make It Safer to Bike Across the Harlem River
This afternoon, officials from DOT and Citi Bike testified before the City Council transportation committee on the state of bicycling in New York. How will NYC DOT make it safer to bike in the city and design streets where more New Yorkers feel comfortable biking? Today's hearing featured a glimpse into the bike policy initiatives the de Blasio administration is developing.
November 20, 2014
Treyger’s Texting-and-Biking Bill — a Big Distraction From Vision Zero
City Council Member Mark Treyger insists his bill to penalize cyclists for texting is well-intentioned, but there is no evidence to suggest that the behavior targeted by his proposal is a source of significant danger. Instead of focusing on the real deadly threats on NYC streets, Treyger has triggered a news cycle devoted to a minor transgression that doesn't register in any serious accounting of traffic deaths and injuries.
November 12, 2014
Highlights From Today’s City Council Transportation Infrastructure Hearing
Today, the City Council transportation and economic development committees held a marathon joint hearing on New York's transportation investment needs. Top staff from the MTA and NYC DOT, including Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg, fielded questions from council members for the better part of the day.
November 3, 2014
City Council Overwhelmingly Passes Bill to Lower Default Speed Limit to 25
The City Council passed legislation today to lower the citywide default speed limit to 25 miles per hour.
October 7, 2014
City Will Need More Than Signs to Get Drivers to Follow 25 MPH Speed Limit
DOT will conduct a weeks-long publicity campaign and post thousands of signs to alert motorists to the city's new 25 mph speed limit, Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg told City Council members today.
October 1, 2014
Proposed Hit-and-Run Fines Doubled, But Law Could Hinge on Drivers’ Word
Ahead of a scheduled Tuesday vote by the full City Council, transportation committee members voted today to increase proposed civil penalties for hit-and-run drivers. However, the bill in question still contains language that could make it difficult to apply the new fines.
September 22, 2014
One City, By Bike: Getting It Done, or Why the Bikelash Is Behind Us
This is the final piece in a five-part series by former NYC DOT policy director Jon Orcutt about the de Blasio administration’s opportunities to expand and improve cycling in New York. Read part one, part two, part three, and part four.
September 5, 2014
Council Members Van Bramer, Levin Come Out on Top in TA Report Card
Which members of the City Council have made transportation a priority this term? A new report card from Transportation Alternatives [PDF] ranks each borough's delegation on whether its members sponsored 15 key transportation bills and resolutions signed by the mayor in the first six months of 2014. It found that, while a majority of council members are working for street safety, a smaller number have carried the banner for livable streets by sponsoring multiple pieces of legislation so far this year.
August 27, 2014
City Council: Drivers With Free On-Street Parking Have Suffered Enough
It may be the Vision Zero era, but some thingsneverchange. If you're looking for cost-free, consequence-free storage of your private automobile in public space, the City Council still has your back.
June 30, 2014