The time has come for gabby cabbies to hang up or pay up, as super-strict rules cracking down on Bluetooth-happy hacks go into effect tomorrow.
Taxi and Limousine Commission agents and NYPD officers will be on the lookout for drivers using any electronic devices while not legally parked, including iPods, GPS devices and satellite radios.
Officials are also hoping that riders will report any hack in violation by calling 311 or logging on to the TLC’s Web site and filing a report.
“I’d report them,” said Emily McCollun, 23, from the Upper East Side. “They’re reckless drivers when they’re having a conversation on the phone, whether or not it’s hands-free.”
Other passengers said they would take matters into their own hands.
“Now I will ask the driver, ‘Why are you doing this, anyway? Why are you on the phone if you know the rules?’ ” said Mark Martin, who was catching a cab in the East Village yesterday.
A series of new penalties will fine a driver $200 for each conviction and send him to a rules “refresher course.”
After a second infraction, the hack’s license will be suspended, and after the third strike, revoked.
The changes “will help us put an end to distracted driving in taxicabs and for-hire vehicles once and for all,” said TLC chief Matt Daus.
Cabbies are furious over the rules, saying it prevents them from talking to family members during long shifts in case of emergencies.
“It’s crap. They don’t consult the drivers,” said Mark Goldshteyn, who has been driving for 20 years.
“They just make the laws up and it’s ridiculous. I can’t talk to loved ones.”
The new rules also apply to livery drivers, although they are allowed to briefly use a radio to talk to their dispatchers, the TLC said.
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
GPS 01.29.10 at 6:03 am
whats wrong with using GPS????
Shipon 01.29.10 at 12:27 pm
It’s ridiculous. It’s so desresfectful to all drivers who are helping people to survive. What if customer talking in the backseat? Isn’t it disturb for driver?Actually some drivers talk too much and they don’t respect passengers as they supposed to be, may be because they don’t know English very well. Also TLC made the exam very easy. There fore a lot of drivers right now also, some medallion owners get chance too. They deployed a lot of medallion in the street where there is not enough passenger. In addition city charging .50 from drivers, this way drivers are loosing money.They should think cabbies as a human being.guys if you have a sense of humanity, just close your eyes and think, Is this really a good idea? or just because they don’t like cabbie.
Aamir 01.29.10 at 2:22 pm
Just keep your partition close and don’t talk with your passanger.don’t answer their question. If they want to talk to you, imagine that you talking on the phone. Tell them you can talk while taxi is moving as bus driver when bus is moving
Mark 01.29.10 at 2:27 pm
“Tell them you can talk while taxi is moving as bus driver when bus is moving”
That is an excellent point.
Singh 02.02.10 at 2:45 pm
This is bullsit the tlc is doing is doing with the drivers . they are using the driver very badly and making money out of them 50 cent of every ride we gotta pay and the new law they interduce is sucks. They just sit and make laws every day they never ask the cabbies and problem always fever the passenger i wanna ask tlc that we are not human ? we keep the city move and provide the traspotaion to the peoples. when people sit in the cab and start talking on the phone make me very angry cuz they are disturbing too when they talk on the phone and the second thing i think that talking with the customers are more dangours than talk on the phone so this is all bulsit they are doning the reason is cabbies are not united we dont have any union that can fight for us so i think all cabbies have to come together and take any decision against tlc .
ladokha Khateharu 02.05.10 at 4:24 pm
i agree with you Mr Singh . Singh is king singh is king
The Asphalt Blogger 02.06.10 at 4:10 pm
man this reg blows. Hate it for you guys and gals out there in NYC. Be safe.
BRIAN SOLMERS 02.07.10 at 12:51 am
LIVERY DRIVERS will have stands at major shopping areas,,medallions will be worthless,,, why should you buy a medallion when you can pickup in shopping areas legally?
KING 02.09.10 at 9:08 pm
@ SINGH YOU ARE 100 % RIGHT WE DONT HAVE ANY UNION BCZ WE R NOT UNITED . IF WE BECOME UNITED AGAIN THESE BANGALI AND NEPALI PEOPLES NOT GONNA BE UNITED WITH US THEY NOT GONNA STAND WITH US THESE BANGALI AND NEEPALI PEOPLES ARE SO FREAKING CHEAP AND ASS WHOLES THEY DONT EVEN HOW TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF THESE PEOPLES WE HAVE TO PAY MORE LEASE WE HAVE TO PAY TIPS TO THE DISPATCHERS DOOR MANS ALL BECAUSE OF THESE BANGALI AND NEEPALI PPLZ THEY R THE ONE WHO MADE DOOR MANS DISPATCHERS ASK FOR TIPS. THERE IS NO BENEFIT FOR STANDING BECUASE IF 500 PPLZ R ON STRIKE 2000 WILL BE WORKING IN CITY AND ALL OF THEM WILL BE BANAGALI’S AND NEEPALI’S.
Muhammad 02.19.10 at 12:52 pm
Brother King, you use this kind of offensive words against entire nations of people who are on the street everyday just like you are and complain about why we are not united? I think it is you and people like you who are the main cause of our problems on the streets today. Bloomburg and Daus-bag are dictators precisely for this reason. Can’t unite with vulgar words.
Anonymous 02.20.10 at 10:08 am
Aamir ,Singh Shipon if you don’t like the rules & TLC get another job stop driving your cab and stop complaining this is Corporate America you get either get down or get out simple and leave the customers for me and a few others & spare us this bullshit …
Charles T 02.21.10 at 11:17 am
Dear Anonymous: Are you Mayor Bloomberg with disguised keyboard fingers? This must keep you up at night, defending yourself, defending the indefensible.
Mayor Bloomberg are you going to sing and dance with a cane for the riders who have to get in the taxi and listen to you full blast, welcoming them to the taxi. If you were a taxi driver, would you be demanding extra tips from your customers? We know you like money and especially to get it from the taxi drivers.
Do you or your immediate family own any medallions, Mayor Bloomberg? What about Matt Daus?
Ali 02.22.10 at 4:22 am
Why TLC officers use cell phone in there office? Many times it happend, I go TLC for some work but officer said to me, hold on let me answer the cell phone first. Plus why TLC is making new rules, when we already have NYS, and American laws for drivers. Why only special rules for TLC drivers? Its against constitution. We are not getting equal rights as a driver, Doesnt matter you are driving Taxi or private car, You will be called driver. ANd all drivers should get the equal rights. I request to the authorities to help drivers getting there equal rights please…
Aamir 02.22.10 at 4:51 am
I notice that most of taxi drivers live outside of Manhattan. Do you know why ? because they dont get good tips, when dont get good tips they cannot offored to live in bettery Pak city or Upper east or west side. Dus live in Bettery Pak City, Mayor Bloomy live in Upper east side. WE the taxi driver back sweat in this cold weather and smell bad but thanks God laddies like my sweat smell. Girls even kiss me on my chics.
I just want to tell all Cabies to Close your partition all times. I hate passanger because they are the first one who compliant about you.
brian solmers 02.22.10 at 11:09 am
no union u must suffer,, u 3rd world people work on the strike! suffer and don’t complain! and u americans that worked u suck too! tlc and nyc rules us because of all u dopes! they know we cant have a strong union. Keep complaining,, 90 percent of u guys SUCK for the other 10 percent I am behind u!
Charles T 02.22.10 at 8:29 pm
I remember one commissioner said “talk to your riders,” “be friendly to your riders.” Well, in the old days you could. Now you must be a whiz at the cash register and your mind must be on the computers, advertising screens, credit card processing, watching the share a cab fares, trying to keep an impeccable cab, while riders’ kids are fingering the partitions and dropping their wet cookies all over. Oh, rider, where was it you wanted to go?
Charles T 02.22.10 at 8:34 pm
You know, it is almost hysterical, Bloomberg is more interested in taxis than anything else, and more interested in catching a cabbie in a transgression, fining the cabbie, and demanding in a loud voice via a special tv screen in the cab, BEGGING the rider to REPORT THAT BAD CABBIE. Hey, why doesn’t the TV screen simply shut the AUDIO off, and show real wanted criminals to the riders and give the phone numbers of where to call the police with tips. I mean, why doesn’t Bloomberg go after the chain saw killers instead of trying to kill the cabbies by taking away their pay and making them work harder and harder. No matter how hard a cabbie works, work harder and harder, clean up the filthy finger marks on the partitions, the inside windows, take the scam loss, and keep those partitions up lest you happen to use the wrong word, and the Vampire Rider has to call Bloomy directly to make a BEEEEG COMPLAINT.