Last year, the New York City saw a record-low 229 traffic related fatalities, and Mayor DeBlasio said investments in street reconstruction projects, extra crossing guards and an increase in speed guns for cops would help to bring that number down. So if this is the case, then why is the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission seeking to destroy the livelihood of thousands of for-hire vehicle drivers. The Mayor touts Vision Zero in the media all while the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission is in the process of severely limiting the ability of thousands of taxi and car service drivers to make a living. Some drivers simply can not make enough money working 10 hours per day. When the average human goes to work and has the ability to make more money by working some extra hours, they usually do so not because they want to but because they have to. The have to pay their bills, put food on the table for their families and pay the rent. What person has not experienced the need to make a few extra dollars here and there. While taxi and car service drivers are hard working, desirous of working more than enough hours to pay their bills and be productive members of society, the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission’s proposed rules regarding driver fatigue is going to kill the ability of for hire vehicle drivers from making a living. Not everyone can survive on the monies they make within 10 hour period. We all know that the more a driver works, the more money they make. But the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission believes that by limiting a driver to working 10 hours per day is going to make the streets of New York City safer. Nothing could be further from the truth. Limiting an experienced and professional FHV driver to working 10 hours per day will cause the driver to find another career. This will leave the for-hire vehicles to be driven by less experienced drivers who do not know how to manage their time or their fatigue. This will surely lead to the roads being more dangerous. So the questions remains: would you rather be driven to your intended destination by a driver who is experienced and knows how to manager their time and fatigue or a driver who is a novice and knows how to manger neither. I think the answer is self evident. In the end, if these rules are implemented, the ripple effects will be long and far. I only wish the Mayor and the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission would consider a rational approach to this issue rather than engage in a knee jerk reaction that may look good on paper, but will not cause its intended effect. In other words, put aside the desire for “window dressing” and come up with a real solution based upon facts, figures and studies and not based upon supposition and speculation. The vitality of the FHV industry in the future may very well be at risk.