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New Resource Center Offering Legal and Other Services to Hard Hit TLC Drivers, Owners

For Immediate Release  
Contact: bpacheco@nylag.org 

(NEW YORK, NY) May 12, 2020: The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) launched its Driver Resource Center May 12, offering a wide range of services to all TLC-licensed drivers and medallion owner-drivers. Among the services available to licensees are legal services, financial counseling, health and mental health referrals, and public benefits application support. Financial counseling and legal assistance services at the Driver Resource Center are operated by DCWP’s Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE) and are offered in partnership with Neighborhood Trust Financial Partners and New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG).

  • Medallion owner-drivers can work with a legal professional to review loan agreements, renegotiate relevant financing agreements, challenge debt collections or judgments and much more.
  • Drivers can schedule a free, one-on-one appointment over the phone with a financial counselor to manage money and create a spending plan, develop a strategy to minimize debt, draft letters to creditors to lower payments or temporarily suspend payments due to hardship, keep personal and business finances separate, access local, state and federal emergency resources, and much more.
  • Licensees can receive assistance signing up for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Cash Assistance, and Medicaid renewal applications.
  • The Center will provide referrals to mental health programming and help licensees sign up for health insurance.

“TLC Licensees, Medallion Owners/Drivers and For-Hire Vehicle Drivers, are among the most vulnerable workers in our city amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They deserve all that we can give them to stay healthy and support their families.” said TLC Commissioner and Chair Aloysee Heredia Jarmoszuk. “The Resource Center will connect drivers to all the services New York has to offer. The Center will be a transformative tool in the fight to get through this crisis and emerge from it a better, fairer city.”

“We commend the TLC for launching remotely and helping drivers navigate through this difficult time. Drivers are struggling now more than ever, and the City is here to support them,” said DCWP Commissioner Lorelei Salas. “We’re proud to be able to be a part of the TLC Driver Resource Center and provide free, confidential, one-on-one financial counseling through our Office of Financial Empowerment. A phone appointment with a financial counselor can help drivers manage funds, reduce debt, draft letters to creditors and much more.”

“NYLAG is proud to be a part of the Taxi and Limousine Commission’s new Driver Resource Center.” said Beth Goldman, President & Attorney-in-Charge of the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG). “We look forward to providing much-needed legal services to medallion owner-drivers who are facing debt and other civil legal issues stemming from ownership of these medallions. We applaud the Mayor and the City Council for recognizing the critical need for legal services in addressing this crisis.”

TLC-licensed drivers, and taxi medallion owner-drivers will be able to access these services by visiting directly here

Read the full press release here

About NYLAG

Founded in 1990, the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) is a leading not-for-profit civil legal services organization advocating for adults, children, and families that are experiencing poverty or have low income. We tackle the legal challenges and systematic barriers that threaten our clients’ economic stability, well-being, and safety. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and constantly improving how we respond to systemic issues of racism that affect our clients in their pursuit of justice. We address emerging and urgent needs with comprehensive, free civil legal services, direct representation, impact litigation, policy advocacy, financial counseling, medical-legal partnerships, and community education and partnerships. Last year, we affected the lives of 90,800 people. Learn more at nylag.org. 

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