Bill > S05552

This bill establishes the Green Accessible Transition Authority (GreATA), a new public benefit corporation aimed at addressing three interconnected challenges in New York's for-hire vehicle (FHV) industry: driver poverty, climate change, and lack of wheelchair accessibility. The authority will be funded by a $1 surcharge on each for-hire transportation trip and will have nine board members representing environmental justice, disability justice, labor, and public interests. Its primary goals include transitioning the FHV industry to zero-emission and wheelchair-accessible vehicles, supporting driver training and job transitions, improving paratransit services, and developing necessary infrastructure like electric vehicle charging stations. The bill requires that at least 40% of spending benefit disadvantaged communities and mandates careful tracking of vehicle emissions, accessibility, and workforce development metrics. The authority will have broad powers to issue grants, collect data, convene task forces, and administer a co-investment program to help drivers purchase qualifying vehicles. Notably, the bill prohibits funding projects that depend on fossil fuels or fail to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and it prioritizes creating green jobs and supporting workers from marginalized communities.

Budget and Finance

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S5552