The majority of drivers fall into one of the following categories:

1.Fleet (or garage) lease drivers pay a daily or weekly fee to rent the medallion and yellow cab. The majority of the garages do not have a policy to credit lease payments or compensate drivers for loss of income due to a breakdown of the vehicle, injury on the job, or robbery or fare beating (passenger runs out without paying). (25% of workforce)

2.Driver owned vehicle (DOV) lease drivers enter into contracts to purchase the vehicle from a taxi broker and lease the medallion. DOV drivers pay all vehicle-related costs, ranging from daily/weekly maintenance, inspection fees, repairs and owner summonses (this is in addition to TLC driver summonses they pay related to the vehicle). (40% of workforce)

3.Owner-operators own both the medallion and the vehicle. They pay for all vehicle costs similar to a DOV driver as well as medallion owner costs such as liability insurances on the medallion and taxi, NYC tax stamps, and some also pay for the NYS-mandated workers compensation insurance policy (if they lease to a second-shift driver). (18% of workforce)