Assembly Member Kevin A.

Cahill
LOB 716
Albany, NY 12248

March 1, 2017

RE: Transportation Network Company legislation, data transparency, and safety impacts

Dear Assembly Member Cahill,

A report published this week by acclaimed transportation analyst Bruce Schaller found that
the services of transportation network companies (TNCs) like Uber and Lyft amounted to 600
million extra miles driven on New York City streets in 2016. These car-based services, rather
than mass transit, are contributing to paralyzing congestion and bus speeds that are among
the slowest in the nation both inside and outside the Manhattan Central Business District.
We understand that both the recently-passed Senate bill S4159 (Seward) and the Governors
S2008/A3008 would potentially worsen this traffic trend, both in New York City and in
districts like yours.

Furthermore, the conclusions in Mr. Schallers report were obtained through the analysis of
TNC data that, by law, must be provided in New York City --- but that will not be reported to
state and local officials Upstate under the Senate or Governors bills. As a result , jurisdictions
outside of NYC will not be able to complete similar studies, because their data sharing
requirements are so weak as to be near-meaningless. We urge you to not pass any bill that
does not address these issues.

First, we would like to draw attention to the potential for this legislation to have a serious
impact on traffic and congestion. What we have seen happen in New York City could easily
happen, albeit on a smaller level proportionate to population, in places like Kingston and New
Paltz in your district. Furthermore, there are no provisions in the legislation that would
prevent vehicles registered to bases outside New York City from operating within the city
limits. Unlike how New York City for-hire vehicles must have Taxi and Limousine
Commission plates, cars for TNCs based outside New York City would merely have window
decals, which would make enforcement and regulation a challenge in your district.

The legislation, as it stands, does not make adequate provisions for the type of data collection
and analysis necessary to insure a properly regulated system. TNC legislation proposed by the
Governor and the Senate requires TNCs to collect important trip and driver data, but does not
compel the provision of that data to any state or local regulators. Instead, regulators are
supposed to audit TNC records by visually inspecting a small sample of what will be millions
of rows of data at twice-yearly meetings. This short, basic inspection is inadequate and will
not result in any meaningful conclusions being reached. In order for this data to be properly
analyzed, it must be thoroughly audited and mapped with geospatial software a process that
takes time, but more importantly has the potential to illuminate the traffic, environmental,
and road safety outcomes of this substantial change in policy.

We believe it would be irresponsible to allow such a drastic change in TNC legislation without
putting in adequate safeguards. It would jeopardize weaken the base of data on TNC trips that
is so crucial to proper analysis, and endanger the public through worsening traffic and its
associated detriments.

Sincerely,

Paul Steely White

Executive Director
Transportation Alternatives

Veronica Vanterpool
Executive Director
Tri-State Transportation Campaign