New Yorkers looking to save a few bucks in this slumping economy are opting to walk or take the subway instead of hailing a cab.
“I’m late for everything, so I usually just hop in a cab. But it’s adding up,” said Mark Jensen, a 27-year-old law student from Manhattan as he waited for a crosstown bus yesterday.
“Now I’m trying to be on time to catch the bus. It’s slower, but it’s cheaper.”
As the price of food and fuel rises, cabbies said they’re feeling the pinch.
“There are fewer people taking cabs and their trips are shorter,” said Maibey Alando, 41, of the Bronx, who has been driving a taxi for 10 years. “Tips have gone down, too.”
Alando said he used to get 25 to 35 fares in a 12-hour shift. “Now it’s getting hard to get 25 people,” he said.
Drivers said they’re struggling to make money because skyrocketing gas prices are cutting into their profits.
“The gas prices are taking away what little money we’re making,” said Beresford Simmons, 60, of
Queens.
Simmons, who has been driving a cab for more than 30 years, said he used to take home about $125 to $150 a day. Now he’s lucky to clear $50 to $75 a shift. “We’re struggling,” he said.
Drivers said they lose money driving around looking for riders.
“When there are less fares, drivers end up cruising more – so you’re burning more fuel and that’s coming out of your pocket,” said Bhairavi Desai, spokeswoman for the New York Taxi Workers Alliance.
“The curse of this industry is whether you pick up fares or not, you have to pay costs upfront.”
The Taxi and Limousine Commission downplayed the increased costs, claiming drivers have benefited from several fare increases over the past few years. It also said ridership has been constant.
“TLC GPS data indicates that the average number of trips per shift has remained consistent from October 2007 through to the end of March 2008,” said TLC Commissioner Matthew Daus.
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