Mayor Bloomberg wants to legalize the widespread — but officially illegal — practice of livery cabbies picking up passengers on the street.
In his State of the City speech tomorrow, the mayor will urge the City Council to toss out the rules that say livery drivers can only pick up fares by pre-arrangement.
According to Taxi and Limousine Commission figures, 97.5 percent of yellow taxi trips originate in Manhattan or at the airports, leaving the 80 percent of the city’s population who live in the outer boroughs to rely on illegal livery pickups.
“And why shouldn’t someone in Queens, Brooklyn, The Bronx or Staten Island be able to hail a legal cab on the street?” Bloomberg will say, according to an advance text of his address.
“Whether you’re standing on 42nd Street in Manhattan, or 452nd Street in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, or 42nd Street in Sunnyside, Queens, you ought to be able to hail a cab.”
The TLC acknowledges that yellow taxis almost never cruise outside Manhattan.
Under legislation Bloomberg will propose, livery taxis will be able to accept “street-hails” provided they have meters, credit card readers, GPS locators and have recognizable markings, such as a single uniform color. The city would determine the fare structure, as it does with yellow cabs.
(Source: NY Post)
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3 Responses
Sunds like a great idea, but there will need to be enforcement where there presently is none. In certain neighborhoods passenger cars and van without livery plates or proper insurance cruise for fares and violate every traffic law in persuit of fares. I’ve even see vehicles with out of state plates picking up passengers.
For some reason there is only sporadic enforcement against the many illegal “dollar vans”, while the cars are ignored. The legitimate van drivers are incensed over this since they pay insurance and fees to operate legally.
what the mayor wants to do would not only be chaotic for passengers, but as a licensed yellow cab driver for over 28 years, i know it would hurt them as well. it would decrease the value of the medallion which some drivers invested alot to protect.with the medallion decreasing in value you will have a situation similiar to the mortgage crisis. service would not improve either. many of the livery are not licensed nor do they have proper insurance. also most new yorkers wont enter anything but a yellow
ozo:
the yellow cabs don’t service many areas of the City. While some people won’t enter “anything but a yellow,” I highly doubt that it is “most” New Yorkers.
TLC already has regulatory authority over the liveries so insurance and other requirements can be enforced.
If the real argument is that the value of medallions would decrease, then the owners and operators of yellow cabs should provide better service. Why should the City create a regulatory-induced shortage of service? Is protecting the value of a medallion investment worth the inconvenience and lack of service to the outer boroughs and a good percentage of Manhattan?