“Well I could always drive a taxi.” Not anymore.

Many of the thousands of New York City residents laid off in the financial crisis have turned to driving taxis, but now there are too many drivers and not enough cabs.

Garage owners said they’re turning away drivers. Harlem Yellow Cab manager Syed Zahoori said on every shift people get sent home without cabs.

City officials said the number of hack licenses is at an all-time high of nearly 46,000. The number of new licenses is up 19 percent over the last three months compared with the same period last year.

There are about 13,000 taxis.

Taxi and Limousine Commission Chairman Matthew Daus said there’s always an influx of drivers when the economy is bad but this period “appears to be setting some records.”

(Source: NBC)