The TLC already requires the touch screens in cabs to give passengers the option to tip 20 percent or manually enter a different amount. So far, it has yet to extend the mandate to ride-sharing companies. However, services like Lyft and others do offer a tipping option in NYC even though they aren't required to do so. The commission has to respond to rule petitions within 60 days with with either proposed changes to existing rules or a denial of the request. There's no guarantee of a change in regulations, but the TLC has to at least consider the matter following the guild's petition.

Issues with Uber's tipping policies aren't anything new. The company has already been slapped with lawsuits for misleading passengers and missing tips from food deliveries. "On Uber, tips are not included, nor are they expected or required," the company explained when the guild began its tipping campaign in July. "Riders tell us that one of the things they like most about Uber is that it's hassle-free. Riders are free to offer tips and drivers are welcome to accept them, as has always been our policy." Of course, since there's currently no in-app tip option, those "welcome" tips have to be cash.