PEOPLE FIRST TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE (PFTA)

Protecting Jobs, Public Safety, and Accountability on Philadelphia’s Streets

Who We Are

The People First Transportation Alliance (PFTA) is a coalition of community organizations, safe-streets advocates, and faith leaders united to ensure that Philadelphia’s transportation policies prioritize people over untested technology.

Founding Members Include:

  • Mamadu Bah, Uber Muslim Driver Association

  • Rev. Dr. Melvin R. Baber, President, Pennsylvania Baptist State Convention Inc.

  • Bishop J Lewis Felton, President of Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity

  • Brendan Sexton, President, Independent Drivers Guild (IDG)

  • The International Association of Machinists (IAM)

  • Ross V. Nicotero, President, Amalgamated Transport Workers (ATU) Local 85

  • 215 Peoples Alliance

Together, we represent working families, immigrant communities, public safety advocates, and neighborhoods across Philadelphia.

We Support

We strongly urge PennDOT to refrain from issuing any licenses until the state has done a thorough study of the impact of driverless vehicles on public safety and jobs.

We support the issuance of a multi year moratorium on all driverless vehicles in Philadelphia until this study has been completed.

We would strongly support any legislation that would require a trained human driver to be present in all motor vehicles operated for hire, seated behind the steering wheel and actively engaged in the task of driving.

Furthermore, we would support any initiatives that protects:

  • Jobs

  • Public safety

  • Clear accountability standards

  • The integrity of Philadelphia’s for-hire transportation sector

Our Commitment

The People First Transportation Alliance will engage in grassroots advocacy, public education, and legislative outreach to ensure that Philadelphia prioritizes safety, fairness, and working families.

Why We Oppose Proliferation of Driverless Vehicles

1. It Puts 100,000 Philadelphia Jobs at Risk

  • More than 100,000 professional driver jobs could be eliminated city-wide.

  • These are good-paying jobs largely held by immigrants and people of color.

  • At a time of economic uncertainty and affordability challenges, Philadelphia should not displace hundreds of thousands of working families.

2. Public Safety Must Come First

  • Fully driverless vehicles remain untested at scale in complex urban environments.

  • Philadelphia’s streets are uniquely dense, pedestrian-heavy, and transit-rich.

  • Removing a trained human driver reduces accountability and increases uncertainty in crash scenarios.

3. Accountability Cannot Be Automated

  • When something goes wrong, a human driver can intervene.

  • Corporate operators and remote systems cannot replace real-time human judgment behind the wheel.

  • Public policy should ensure clear lines of responsibility for vehicles operating for hire.