A sea of yellow taxis arrived in Albany today, as drivers incensed by the proposed $1 taxi tax to bail out the MTA and build bridges and roads upstate are taking their message to state lawmakers.
The caravan of around 40 cabs circled the Capitol and held a press conference on the east lawn, and drivers met with individual Senators and Assembly members.
Drivers say they have been hit hard by the recession, seeing a dropoff in ridership. They say the $1 will reduce ridership even further, lead to lower tips and deny them their own fare increases.
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The RFI’s goal is to proactively seek and gauge input from the riding public, the taxicab industry and the technology community on the ways that we may bring the Taxicab Passenger Enhancement Program (or T-PEP) to the next level of functionality before the expiration of the City’s contracts with service providers in approximately two years. The systems, which feature credit/debit card acceptance, passenger monitor screens featuring entertainment and informational content and an electronic map, a driver screen to facilitate 2-way text messaging for drivers to receive business opportunities and various messages, and the automatic collection of trip sheet data, were conceived in 2004 as a means of enhancing customer service in return for a comprehensive 26% fare increase. These never-before-seen systems were designed, extensively tested and phased-in over a three-year period, with 100% implementation achieved in 2008.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot...
