TLC vows to hit ‘few bad apples’ hard, but singles out only 67 out of more than 50,000 hacks as major repeat offenders
NEW YORK CITY cabbies are even purer than Ivory Soap.
The Taxi & Limousine Commission has identified just 67 yellow cab drivers who may have charged passengers bogus bridge and tunnel tolls 10 or more times, the agency said Tuesday — a stunningly low rate in a city with 50,000 licensed hacks licensed by the agency.
The agency’s review of 90 million trips over a six-month period found that only 1,350 were suspicious, said spokesman Allan Fromberg — an infinitesimal dishonesty rate far better than the famous 99 44/100% pure soap.
But the city isn’t satisfied.
“There are a few bad apples in every profession, and the taxi system is no exception,” TLC Chairman David Yassky said. “Fortunately, we (can) zero in on small problems before they potentially become bigger, and to make sure that drivers who do engage in misconduct receive swift and appropriate punishment.”
The TLC launched the probe earlier this year after a rider’s complaint led to a startling discovery. In his first year on the road, a new cabbie from Queens overcharged more than 270 riders with phantom tolls, padding the metered fares by $620.
Councilman James Vacca (D-Bronx) said he remains concerned about overcharging and is introducing a bill Wednesday that would require the city to restore fare rate decals, which were removed earlier this summer.
“If there are drivers willing to skirt the system with the fare already on the door, how easy will it be for drivers to dupe unsuspecting passengers now that the fare decal is gone?” said Councilman James Vacca, chairman of the Transportation Committee. “Transparency trumps aesthetics, and the passenger must come first.”
pdonohue@nydailynews.com
Jeeze Louise ….Has anyone Ever seen these Great Meters with these TINY LITTLE BUTTONS in THE DARK …..????…….A FINGER PUSHING a tiny little BUTTON MAY hit the WRONG BUTTON Sometimes …..I even HIT wrong BUTTON a Few times in DAYLIGHT …My Fleet has different Meters too…Maybe thats a issue citywide ?…HOW MANY TIMES Does a CUSTOMER / FARE hold us up in Traffic and NOT Tip w / CC machines cause THEY WERE FLUSTERED / CONFUSED by the SCREEN …WE SWALLOW IT …CANT PROCECUTE THEM CAN WE ..??????
Now watch, Yassy will excuse these few overcharges and going sommon hundred thousands $. I dont expect else.
How tragic, CEO and his 20 million package will pay an extra $5. Poverty stricken cabbies go to any means, including theft of $5 dollars, all just to pay another bill or buy food to eat. Searching data bases …, how much that costs? Drivers used to be one of the well to do people, and now stealing tolls? Shame, shame, shame!
All cab drivers are crooks, that’s how the notion goes. How about doctors, insurance companies, telephone and cable companies, repair shops, investment companies, banks, police, $15 toll charges, politicians, restuarants, corporations-which left a whole world without the jobs, casinos, lawers -these are all angels …
Can anything save America? Probably, but it won’t be easy. All gambling activities should be stopped. Big private homes outlawed -it should save a lot of energy; automotive transport should be replaced by railroads. Computer use should be extremely limited, no, I-phone either -people should do mathematical calculations and remembering things using their brains. Moreover, we should not be eating animals. Only 8 hours of work, the rest at the time should spend reading books. You can achieve success by using your own talents, which you do work on for many years. You should not be allowed to live off other’s backs. America risks slipping into an oblivion -primitive people who never held a book in their hands, idiotic staring at, I-phone, total inability to make meaningful conversation…
Americans are leaving , taliban, simply, takes back its territory . TLC commisioner should examine Pentagon data bases to find out why 10 trillion dollars has been waisted on wars which gave no results .
Well I wasn’t overcharged. Instead I was robbed of the most precious moments and events in my life. The cabbie that pick my husband and I up(10-14-12 at the Pier on 12th Ave.at approx. 10:10am going to 1410 York Ave. at 75th dropped at approx 10:30am the fare was $13 plus I gave a $7 tip) unbuckled my camera case from my luggage before putting everything into the trunk. Was this intentional? I would hope not. Inside the camera case…a Sony handycam purchased 1yr. ago $350…do I care about the camera? No, just what’s on the hard drive…my youngest son’s high school graduation and my oldest son’s wedding. Also a Panasonic Digital Camera w/12X Lumex Lens ($400 when new). Do I care about that camera? No, just the memory card in it and the 6 or 7 other memory cards in the case with all the events and milestones of three children. Grade school, high school and college graduations. My son’s wedding. My Mom (who I have taken care of for the past 15 years after a stroke and has recently passed away).Birthdays etc. everyone who has any kind of closeness to loved ones knows what I am talking about. Our loved ones are our most prized possessions. These events cannot be captured again. These memory cards hold the last 7 years of my life. Please if anyone knows anything about these there is a reward. I filed a report # C1-1-791386881 w/NYC Taxi Limo Comm. If you think you may be the cab driver that picked us up please check your trunk maybe it rolled to the front of the trunk or fell into the spare tire or in the wheel well. My husband said there was not a mat on the floor of the trunk.Both cameras were silver and chargers were included. Please don’t let this be another bad rap for cabbies. He did seem like a nice guy. Shame on me for not getting a name or medallion #.
Anonymous, if pictures are so presious to you, why you carry them with you all over New York and places you go for what 2 years ? And if you care about them so much why put them in a trunk ,are not you suppose to carry a pirse where you keep all your valuables?and when you left taxi you did not check your most valuable items. That’s the most weird case I ever heard.
Anonymous, if driver was so good at stealing he’ll be working for the goverment and not driving taxi.
Any of you people who forget anything in a taxi you should stop blaming drivers ,and try to get traveler’s insurance which will reimburse you for all your losses.
Anonymous . I dont think they are precious to you ,otherwise you would have kept them in your heart. Thats why i never give gifts to any one and try my best not to be in any pics . People yet keep them in their heart and remember me. How lucky i am?
correction . People yet keep me in their heart (last sentence).