New York City has signed up 11,000 licensed for-hire vehicle drivers to deliver meals to homebound New Yokers, Mayor de Blasio said Tuesday.
The drivers, many of whom have been forced out of work during the coronavirus pandemic, earn $15 an hour to “deliver food directly to people in the greatest need who can’t get out of their house, who need that delivery right to their door,” Hizzoner told reporters at his daily press conference.
“This is something that’s going to have a huge positive effect on the people doing the work, but even more they’re doing something absolutely crucial to help the vulnerable, most vulnerable amongst us,” de Blasio said.
The program, which launched three weeks ago, has grown to deliver 100,000 meals per day, the TLC said.
Shifts typically last six hours — much shorter that a typical for-hire vehicle stint pre-pandemic.
The TLC-mandated minimum wage for drivers carrying for-hire passengers is also higher — $17.22 an hour.
New York Taxi Workers Alliance Executive Director Bhairavi Desai suggested the city could increase wages by limiting the program to a smaller pool of drivers.
“Many drivers do it both because it’s some money coming in… and because it’s a way to help the city through the crisis,” she said. “Right now, it’s a few hours here and there for a larger pool of drivers than the work needs.”
But De Blasio said the city is gearing up to expand the program further.
“If the [TLC] needs more drivers, she can get them anytime she needs,” he said. “We can just add shifts, add drivers. So if demand increases, we’re going to be ready.”