Uber and MarbleGate join taxi union in push for driver health fund

Uber, the private equity firm MarbleGate and the New York Taxi Workers Alliance asked New York officials on October 9 to create a health fund for the city's professional drivers, Gothamist reported.

The three signed a joint letter to Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul seeking to divert a 50-cent fee charged on every yellow cab trip into the proposed fund. That money has gone to the MTA since 2009 and raises roughly $24 million annually, according to Gothamist. Redirecting it would need approval from state legislators. The letter also sought larger existing funds covering app-based and livery drivers.

The appeal followed the deaths of four yellow cab drivers while working over the summer of 2026. Gothamist previously reported that some were ill and weighing medical care against the hours needed to cover their bills.

The alliance has spent years blaming Uber for the decline of the yellow cab trade. MarbleGate holds more than 2,000 medallions, which city records show now change hands for about $100,000 after once topping $1 million.

Bhairavi Desai, the alliance's executive director, called the backing of the two companies "incredible progress for us."

A spokesperson for Hochul, Sean Butler, said her office was examining the proposal. The mayor's office did not respond to the outlet's inquiries.

This story was first reported by Gothamist.