People who drive don't believe Mayor Eric Adams when he talks about the deal his office made with Uber and Lyft on Wednesday.

Uber In NYC.Photo byViktor AvdeevonUnsplash

Bhairavi Desai, who is the leader of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, has been backed by Adams' government in the past. For Desai, the deal on driver lockouts was just a gift to the big carpool companies. He said this to keep the drivers from planning a bigger strike.

According to the Taxi Workers Alliance, Uber started locking drivers out of their jobs in June in order to change the way the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) decides pay in January.

A 2006 TLC rule says that ride-sharing apps must pay drivers at least the minimum wage when they're not working to cover costs. This way is based on that rule.

TLC Will Determine The Compensation For Uber And Lyft Drivers

TLC determines the compensation for Uber and Lyft drivers based on their usage of the apps. The Workers Alliance claims that the lockouts are causing hackers to exploit this system.

The Taxi Workers Alliance says that the companies are planning to pay drivers less in 2025, which means that chauffeurs won't be able to make money during the lockouts, which can happen at any time and last for a long time.

In the past, Uber has claimed that Lyft locked drivers out because of Uber. Uber pays more than its competitor because it has the most rides in the five boroughs and TLC bases its method on industry averages.

Agreement Won't Restrict Existing Drivers

Josh Gold, an Uber spokesman, said that the agreement would let existing drivers use the platform without any restrictions and would soon get rid of those constraints.
Megan Sirjane-Samples, Lyft's head of public policy, said that the company wants drivers who use the Lyft app to be able to make money whenever and however they want.