When the bubble burst, many owed much more than the medallions were worth. Families faced financial ruin; several drivers died by suicide. Then the pandemic decimated demand and posed grave health risks to drivers.

Members of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance have been protesting at City Hall for a month, calling for help for drivers. The city has proposed a plan to help medallion owners restructure their loans to reduce their debt. But at a rally on Monday, a litany of drivers said it wasn’t enough.