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Starting April 5, 2021, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will charge all for-hire vehicles (FHVs) an access fee for pickups and drop-offs at Newark Liberty, LaGuardia, and John F. Kennedy airports. All FHVs—including app-based services like Uber and Lyft—will be charged $2.50 for each pickup and drop-off. For shared trips (pooled rides of multiple passengers), the charge will be $1.25 for each pickup and drop-off. Taxis will be charged $1.25 for pickups only, increasing to $1.75 beginning on October 1, 2022. This fee, originally approved in 2019, was put on hold until the new April 2021 start date.
The Port Authority is requiring that all FHV base operators sign an FHV Privilege Permit to be able to provide service at the airports. There is a rider to the FHV Privilege Permit for black cars that contains important and notable exceptions for FHVs that are licensed as a black car base, limousine operator, luxury limousine base, or livery base that are not considered high volume for-hire services (i.e., Uber, Lyft, and Via).
Initial Fee, Security Deposit, and Payment of Fees. Under the rider, there is no initial fee for black car bases. However, these bases must pay a security deposit based on the total number of projected airport trips for the next three months. The Port Authority will waive the security deposit requirements if the total number of projected airport trips is fewer than 400.
The access fees must be paid to the Port Authority monthly. However, black car bases that are able show that they rely on non-direct cash payments, such as corporate accounts, may request to make quarterly payments.
Other Obligations. The rider omits the requirements for geo-fencing, the digital driver profile, tracking mobile apps, providing ride request data, and additional insurance coverage—which still apply to high-volume FHVs. Black car drivers must be able to display, on request from airport or law enforcement personnel, a paper or electronic copy of a waybill containing the following information for each trip in progress:
Matt Daus of Windels Marx
- The black car base name and Port Authority-issued permit number;
- Driver name;
- The vehicle’s license plate number, make, and model;
- The on-airport pickup or drop-off location;
- Date and time of on-airport pickup or drop-off; and
- Transaction type (pickup or drop-off).
Thanks to Matt Daus of Windels Marx for providing this breaking information. Daus has made himself available to anyone who has questions (email Daus at mdaus@windelsmarx.com).
[03.30.21]
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Keep yourself informed and connected to other members of the industry by attending these important meetings.
Greater California Livery Association (past event)
We Move California Live (in person)
3/30 at Hyatt Regency Resort in Huntington Beach (pre-registration required)
Northwest Motorcoach Association
2021 Virtual Maintenance & Technology Conference
4/13 at 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. PST (registration required)
American Bus Association
Virtual Capitol Hill Fly-In (agenda TBD)
4/14 (registration required)
United Motorcoach Association
2021 Motorcoach Expo (in person) 
4/21-4/25 at the Orange County Convention Center (registration required)
Maryland Motorcoach Association/Virginia Motorcoach Association
Spring Operators Meeting & Mini Marketplace
5/10-5/12 at Virginia Crossings in Richmond, Va. (registration required)
Did we miss your association meeting? Let us know! Email susan@chauffeurdriven.com or rob@chauffeurdriven.com to be included in our calendar.
[03.29.21]
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- Category: Industry News
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) recently announced the Ready. Safe. Travel. Training Program to unite, educate, and engage all levels of the business travel industry. This virtual training program will span over four weeks in May, with sessions being held virtually each Wednesday (May 5, 12, 19, 26) for three hours. Each weekly session will focus on a different component of returning to business travel: being ready to hit the road again; safe ways to restart travel; and continuing to keep travelers informed and comfortable when travel begins again. There is a global as well as regionally specific component to the series.
By completing the training program, participants will receive designation as a Ready. Safe. Travel. Specialist, demonstrating their commitment and knowledge of post-pandemic advancements of business travel. Participants can also earn Global Travel Professional (GTP) credits for attending.
GBTA Executive Director Suzanne Neufang
“GBTA created this curriculum exclusively for our buyer and supplier members to help them transition business travel and its practices beyond the pandemic,” said GBTA CEO Suzanne Neufang. “With a focus on risk and duty of care principles, emerging travel tools, and supplier advancements, participants of the program will come away armed with all the essentials for a safe return to business travel.”
This training program is the latest phase of GBTA’s Ready. Safe. Travel. Campaign, launched last fall with the objective of bringing awareness to the importance of the business travel industry to the global economy, advocating for a timely and safe return to business travel, and to provide Association members with the education and tools to do so.
Early bird registration ends March 31. For more information or to register for the Ready. Safe. Travel. Training Program before the price increases, click here.
Visit gbta.org for more information about GBTA.
[03.26.21]