Only 3,000 More Signatures to Win: Sign On to Make Sure Rideshare Drivers are Exempted from the NY Congestion Tax 

Last month, IDG members from across the five boroughs and greater New York area came together in front of the MTA to send a clear message: rideshare drivers can’t afford more taxes and fees! But we need to continue fighting to ensure rideshare drivers are completely exempt from the proposed second congestion tax. Make sure Governor Hochul and all our state leaders hear your voices. Sign and share our petition today.

A new tax on rideshare drivers will devastate the livelihoods of thousands of hardworking immigrants and take away affordable transportation options from New Yorkers. If you haven’t already, please sign IDG’s petition today.   

Already Signed the “Don’t Tax Us Twice” Petition? Help us Reach 10K Signatures by Sharing on Facebook Now!

Millions of people ride with app-based and black car drivers every day. Thousands of drivers work full-time and yet have seen their wages drop dramatically over the past 5 years. Neither riders nor drivers can afford a second congestion tax on rideshare. If you already signed our petition, please make sure we reach our goal of 10,000 signatures and share the petition now.

Stay Safe This Fall. Get Your Free Flu Shots at Walgreens and Duane Reade!

This fall and winter, our goal is to protect drivers and riders alike by reducing the spread of illness. A single driver can transport more than a dozen riders per day. A flu shot can help protect a driver from illness so that they can continue working and protect their family and their passengers. That’s why IDG is proud to offer free flu shots starting October 15.

All IDG members of New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Illinois and Drivers Benefits members in New York will automatically get a free flu shot voucher sent to their email, which can be redeemed at any participating Walgreens or Duane Reade. If you can’t find your voucher, make sure you check your spam folder. For more help, call us at 866-471-3603. Drivers who are not yet members of IDG (CT, IL, MA, NJ) or Drivers Benefits (NY) should visit driversguild.org for further details. At IDG, we’re always fighting to keep you safe!

Driver Spotlight: Meet Massachusetts IDG Member LaTonya Brown 

Massachusetts driver LaTonya Brown began working for Uber in the fall of 2021. But in March of the following year, she was deactivated. “It was the strangest thing. I got a call saying they did a background check and my app has been deactivated. I contacted Uber, then contacted Checker. But they had the wrong information. I was able to drive but none of the departments said they could do anything about the mix-up. It was shocking. I was thinking ‘I brought money to you guys and you’re treating me as if I had never even worked for you. I should be considered one of the stakeholders in the business.’”

LaTonya became incredibly frustrated with Uber and their inability to give her a straight answer. “No departments were communicating with each other. It was a script reading. It was the inability to problem-solve that really got to me. I sent over the documentation and proof that everything was long resolved. I called them every week from March to August 2022.”

To make matters worse, LaTonya was renting her vehicle at the time. “It was horrible. I had to move out of a place in Cambridge. I had to stay with friends, going house to house.” But in her despair, she decided to reach out to the Massachusetts Independent Drivers Guild for help.

“I reached out to Mazar and Lisa with IDG. And they reached out to Uber. They continued to follow up with me for weeks. And then IDG called me and said that my account was going to be active again. I got my job back. And through the whole process, I felt this comradery, like ‘hey, let us know how we can support you.'”

“It took me a while to get around to getting back on my feet. But I was able to get out of the hole I was in, and finally, in September, I got an apartment on campus. That would not have been possible without IDG’s support. I didn’t feel like anyone at Uber was advocating on my behalf. But IDG is there listening to drivers. I think the more we mobilize people, the better. They let me know, we are not alone in this.”

Happy Indigenous People’s Day! 

Indigenous Peoples Day was created to commemorate the contributions and resilience of Native peoples in the US. On this holiday, we recognize the current struggles faced by Native communities, as well as their importance to American history and culture.