New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission Chairman wanted to know what life on the road is like for cabbies, so he can make more informed decisions for the industry, so he went and became a licensed taxi driver

This is what a leader looks like. Feet in the muck, same as the people he is in charge of. I love it. 

he hopes to take 100 trips a year as a way of learning firsthand what drivers encounter daily, whether that’s dealing with traffic and customers, or struggling to find designated spots where they can park and take bathroom breaks

“With this experience, I’ll be able to go to [the Transportation Department] and say, ‘Hey, look, I was in the shoes of our drivers and they are 100% right that they cannot find that relief stand that is open without a car blocking it,” he said.

“I’m the lead of the agency that regulates,” he said. “But I want to regulate from a point of view where I use experience.”

A TLC spokesperson said Do was cleared by the city’s Conflict of Interests Board to obtain the license, but he is bound by several rules: He’s not immune from disciplinary measures if a passenger files a complaint against him; and he cannot collect fares or tips.

So, any passenger who happens to hail his cab — which initially will be a yellow taxi in the TLC fleet — will get a free ride.

He is hitting the pavement at a chaotic time for cabbies; the number of yellow taxis on city streets climbed back to 7,791 in December 2022 from a low of 2,191 in April 2020.

 In March 2020, just before the pandemic effectively shuttered the city, there were 11,313 yellow taxis on the streets.  

https://www.thecity.nyc/2023/3/9/23631339/undercover-taxi-commisioner-hack-license