Gratuity for for-hire vehicles.

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to gratuity for for-hire vehicles

This bill would require for-hire vehicle bases to provide a means to allow passengers to provide drivers with a tip (gratuity) using the same method of payment passengers use to pay for the fare. This bill would also require that if a for-hire vehicle base allows passengers to book and pay for a trip through a website, smartphone application, or any other passenger-facing booking tool, such website, smartphone application, or passenger-facing booking tool must provide passengers with preset tip options that include at least one option that is at least 20% of the fare, and would permit passengers to manually enter another tip amount or percentage at their discretion. A for-hire vehicle base would be required to remit to the driver the entirety of anything designated as a tip. Finally, the bill would impose a civil penalty of not less than $250 and up to $500 for each violation.