A system is provided for damping vertical oscillations of an elevator car stopped at an elevator landing. The system includes an elevator traction sheave that receives a torque, a sensor that provides a sensor signal indicative of the torque, a controller that provides a control signal based on the sensor signal, and a motor that applies the torque to the sheave. Oscillations in the torque correspond to the vertical oscillations of the car stopped at the landing during a first (e.g., position control) mode of operation. The motor drives the sensor signal towards a baseline value in response to receiving the control signal during a second (e.g., constant torque control) mode of operation in order to reduce the vertical oscillations of the car.