Payactiv Helps NYC Cab Drivers Get Paid

Case Studies | December 16, 2020 | 3 minutes read

Industry: Government/Transportation

Key Takeaways

7,500+ NYC cab drivers received pay

Processed over $27 million of earned wages

More than half a million routes taken

Keeping life moving for the city’s residents during COVID-19

The Challenge

When shelter in place orders were issued in New York City due to the rapid rise in coronavirus cases, the government officials suddenly found themselves scrambling how to keep life going for its 8.6 million residents. People still needed access to essential products and services, but many faced challenges when public transportation was unavailable and unsafe to use, and their limited savings started to dry up.

NYC officials reached out to a software company that quickly set up a COVID-19 Engagement Portal. In addition to providing the latest information about the virus, the portal enabled a food distribution system by contracting the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) cab drivers. TLC cab drivers would log into the portal to sign up for routes in specific NYC boroughs and pick up and deliver essential items to people who signed up. There was just one more problem— the contracted cab drivers needed to be paid for their services as efficiently and safely as possible. This is where Payactiv came in.

Our partnership with Payactiv helped us treat our emergency food delivery drivers like the heroes they are, working closely with us to ensure that drivers were paid for their valuable work, putting food on the tables of our most vulnerable neighbors.

- Vincent Chin, TLC Assistant Commissioner for Finance and Administration

The Solution

Payactiv provided weekly wage access to more than 7,500 contracted cab drivers by seamlessly integrating with the NYC Engagement Portal. TLC cab drivers could download the Payactiv App on their mobile phone and create an account using their employee ID. Once the account was set up, they received their weekly pay on any card or bank account of their choice. Their money was available right away, unlike the hassle they experienced when the program initially rolled out. Prior to Payactiv, many cabbies who signed up waited weeks to get paid for their work.

Drivers who didn’t have access to a card or a bank account were also able to apply for the Payactiv Visa® Prepaid Card. With the Payactiv Prepaid Card, their pay was actually made available a couple of days sooner than on another card, as it requires no clearing time like typical bank deposits.

The Results

Over the course of the last six months, TLC cab drivers have taken over a half a million routes to deliver essential items to NYC residents. During that time period, Payactiv provided drivers access to over $27 million in earned wages. The program provided a lifeline to thousands of NYC residents and to the TLC cab drivers who experienced a drop in demand for their services by nearly 90% due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a situation where a tiny virus put a giant like NYC to a screeching halt, it was the creativity of software technologies provided by companies like Payactiv that helped to keep life moving. The flexibility, customizability, and the ease of integration made Payactiv be the perfect solution that the NYC government officials were looking for during a time of unprecedented crisis.