Tech

Uber, Lyft Driver Protest Brings Manhattan Traffic to Nearly Dead Stop at Rush Hour

Uber and Lyft drivers, protesting over pay and working conditions, brought traffic on the FDR Drive to a nearly dead stop at rush hour Tuesday morning.

Video from Chopper 4 showed a caravan of black cars slowly rolling up the northbound FDR just after 8 a.m., with a massive line of stalled traffic behind them. By 8:45 a.m., traffic was still crawling.

Some cars attempted -- at time unsuccessfully -- to squeeze past the caravan, which appeared to be dozens strong.

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The Independent Drivers Guild, which represents drivers with the two rideshare companies, said it was protesting app changes that it claims will result in drivers being paid less.

"The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission has failed to take action, so the Drivers Guild is calling for the Mayor and City Council to stop the apps from violating the pay rules in an attempt to scam drivers out of fair pay," the Guild said in a statement.

Last week, Uber said it would begin to restrict how many drivers can go online at any one time in areas of low demand. The company said it was a response to regulations implemented by the TLC in 2018.

"And as always, we encourage you to reach out to your local elected officials to let them know how you feel about these TLC regulations and explain how they've impacted you," Uber said in an online Q&A for drivers posted last Thursday.