Cab rides in New York City are about to get a little less expensive. If you’re willing to scoot over a bit, that is.
Group ride rates will become available in certain New York City taxis starting Friday. Like a bus route, those cabs will have designated start and drop-off locations for passengers willing to share a cab with a stranger. The special cabs will operate during the morning rush hours, from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Here’s the list of stops:
- W. 57th St. and Eighth Ave. with dropoffs allowed on Park Ave. between 57th St. until 42nd St.
- W.72nd St. and Columbus Ave. with dropoffs on Park Ave. from 72nd St. to 42nd St.
- E. 72nd St. and Third Ave. with dropoffs on Park Avenue from 72nd St. to 42nd St.
Fares will run between $3 and $4 per person, which works out to be about half price for each individual. A combination of cash or a credit card will be accepted.
“(Drivers) will go to the stands because they’re gonna make more money than if they took one person on the meter,” Taxi and Limousine commissioner Matthew Duas said. “Passengers are going to pay much less than if they just took the cabs by themselves.”
TLC employees will be available at the stands in the early going to assist riders. Public service announcements will also be posted in cabs to promote and explain the program.
Later this year, riders who aren’t at the designated stops will also be able to hail specially marked “ride sharing cabs” that may already be carrying passengers.
{ 39 comments… read them below or add one }
dhillon 02.22.10 at 7:33 pm
this is not going to work. nobody wants to share a cab with a stranger in new york city.
Charles T 02.22.10 at 8:21 pm
To: dhillon. You got that right. (Of course we know the gropers will go for it.)
CreditCardCabbie 02.22.10 at 8:40 pm
Brilliant ideas from the ruling people who never drove a yellow cab for a living! L-shaped and Straight partitioned Nissan Altima, Toyota Prius, Chevy Malibu, and all the smaller Hybrid cabs are Perfect and Safe for Share-a-Cab with the strangers? Think about it!
Anonymous 02.22.10 at 11:43 pm
well I guess I will be staying away from group rides its not worth it..think about it
nyc cabbie 02.23.10 at 12:12 am
yeah me too, I think TLC just doesnt kno anythin at all so I better of those stands and rather go home or try my luck elsewhere
NYCabbie 02.23.10 at 5:28 am
Mathews Duas is leaving but he will make sure to make Cab drivers life hell, before parting.
Day drivers already struggle for passengers, now this will ads up, with rising leases, day drivers must be happy with Mr. Duas.
Fed Up 02.23.10 at 6:28 am
The thing they didn’t plan for is the CC payments for these rides. The only way to do it is to enter the $3 or $4 as a flat rate each time as the CC customers are exiting. This is going to be confusing and time consuming…..
This has been very poorly planned.
Charles T 02.23.10 at 8:07 am
Name-calling sources. Look very carefully at the sources of name-calling. Hotel doormen calling cab drivers SMELLY with DIRTY CABS are screaming the standard “DEFENSIVE ATTACK” when caught cheating (putting the airports in their SMELLY brother-in-laws’ dirty black lincolns). Remember, the majority of black car drivers are former cab drivers who lost their hack licenses. Those chauffer uniforms or those monkey suits they wear, how many do you think they have? They can’t use washing machines like clean cabbies can, they must use expensive dry cleanering, and they can’t wear clean clothes everyday like cabbies. How many monkey suits do they have? Talk about SMELL, notice they never get too close? Those hotel doormen, with their great coats and hats in the winter, do they have anything on under them? Look carefully at their winter great coats, they have humongous pockets (not kidding) where they put their tips. If you ask them to change a $20 they say they can’t – not wanting to pull out and show you their wad of cash to make change.
A lot of standardized name calling exists. One, you know what the arabs say about Americans? They don’t smell each other enough. Did you know that cops who have sold out to crime, are called “dirty cops.” And did you know that people who report cops who have sold out, are called “smelly” by the cops.
Calling cab drivers “SMELLY” is old material of commedians who have used cab drivers as the butt of jokes over the years. Once Dave Letterman said that April 1st is here, what does it mean? Topping the list: “cab drivers are changing their T-shirts.” It was hysterically funny, but not true. How many outer uniforms do cops or the TLC bunch have? Are their suits and uniforms dry-cleaned and worn many times between cleaning? Can they be machine washed like the clothes of our clean cabbies?
Greedy, deranged minds who have in the last several years hit upon and implemented schemes to take more and more money out of cab drivers hands DEFEND themselves with continual, offensive denigration of cab drivers by calling them SMELLY, DIRTY, or describing immigrants as ILLITERATE, which they are not i- many have been schooled in English in their coutries of origin.
LOOK AT THE SOURCES OF THE NAME-CALLING, and look at what they are doing where they need to defend themselves with name-calling. “I had to cheat because I couldn’t let those smelly cab drivers with dirty cabs take those airport jobs, or those special $500 jobs that come into fleet garages, somehow.”
Not name-calling, but “We had to steal money out of the cab drivers hands because we needed to help those poor riders use their credit cards” – baloney, it is the percentage cuts they used to buy out the cab drivers paychecks, and take over their cabs and medallions. We (the dishonest) had to takeover what we term as “cheating cabies.” We know who is dishonest because they forced their systems in taxis to steal probably a $trillion from the NYC cab business, and why are not all the buy-out cuts revealed?
There is no one as SMELLY as those cheating, devious name-callers.
Charles T 02.23.10 at 8:22 am
TLC 10-year plans for NYC taxis must be made public. It seems Group Rides and Share-a-Cab are two different animals. Can’t you see that they are going to use taxis for the time being, for group rides to Park Avenue in the morning commute? These are really going to operate like buses. And soon, they are going to introduce New York City’s little shuttles (or their third-party kick back choice) to run these little shuttles, just like Bermuda did, and this will be TAKING OF THE NYC taxis work. Do you understand? The GPS which are NOT NECESSARY for credit card purposes are going to be used to keep NYC cabs from trying to get back their work which is going to be slowly taken from them. Like the chicken boiled to death, degree by degree, so slowly they don’t jump out of the pot.
With these GPS, only certain taxis will be designated for JFK airport, same for LaGuardia. Same for designated work sectors in NYC. Little by little, the taxi work will be taken away. Those poor individuals who own one or two medallions will be forced to sell out to the large $billionaire fleet rental garages who do not drive a cab. What a surprise!!! Do you think they have been left out of the taxi planning for NYC.
As I said at the start, CABBIES MUST DEMAND 10-year plans for NYC taxis, and not have one thing after the other sprung upon them. To get a union? Unfortunately unions are self-serving, and once a union has binded everyone to death and destruction, there is nothing to be done. A union could be a help, but a union is very DANGEROUS. If only 250 join a union, it can BIND THE REST OF THE 13,000 cabs. Watch out.
Each cabbie must use his own ingenuity and creativity to defeat “kill industry” Bloomberg TLC edicts popping out almost weekly. There are 50,000 cabbies who need to take their own measures!!! Go to it.
I can’t believe it. Bloomberg more interested in taxis and cabbies than in crime-control!!
Charles T 02.23.10 at 8:28 am
I notice Bloomberg came on TV and talked about the girl from Medford, Massachusetts, who was killed by a green Accura near Flatbush Ave at 4:30 a.m. The woman driving the Accura (left crashed at the scene) ran off. A NYC cabbie saw the whole thing. I guess, Mayor Bloomberg, the supposed SMELLY CABBIE with the DIRTY CAB was useful for something after all.
Funny, no one talked about tracing the registration of the Accura to find out who was driving it. It is a given, with the license plate, given it is authentic, the driver will be located and arrested.
It was very sad. When a NYC cabbie is somehow hurt or harmed, does Mayor Bloomberg get on TV about it?
Again, cabbies must demand to know 10-year plans for the taxis that are being formulated and implemented by the TLC weekly.
G. H. 02.24.10 at 2:02 am
The group ride idea, like the Hybrid idea, SUCKS!!!.
One taxi will have 4 passengers and three other cabs will be running empty. In a situation like this, the other 3 cab drivers running empty without passengers, can put their hands in their pants and masterbate happily! HURRA TLC!!!. Your ideas always suck. Like the Hybrids idea with $8000 inverter and $6000 battery when cabbies making $10 an hour net !!!???.
I hope that cab drivers would wake up and refuse to get near those taxi stands. Wake up cab drivers. Group ride is a loss to you.
Anonymous 02.24.10 at 5:21 am
The commission said on Wednesday that it would send out 60 to 100 undercover agents each day as part of an ongoing sting operation, which it is calling Operation: Secret Rider. Matthew W. Daus, the commission’s chairman, said that agents will board cabs posing as normal riders and instruct the cabby to take a trip of about 10 blocks. Afterward the agents will insist on paying with a credit card.
Anonymous 02.24.10 at 5:22 am
He said that agents will fine drivers who break the rules. That includes being discourteous (a $150 fine) or talking on a cellphone while driving (a $200 fine). Refusing credit card payment can carry a fine as high as $350.
Anonymous 02.24.10 at 5:26 am
well if you cab smells and its dirty take a shower stop being nasty & bath some of you look like you hate soap & water clean the inside of our cab as well not just the outside…..
Fed Up 02.24.10 at 6:25 am
You may have wrong about the group ride idea. If it creates more business by taking people off MTA busses and subways then it’s a win for all. If it dosen’t then just avoid the locations where the group rides are being created and before long the idea will fizzle. I say try it and see what happens.
Charles T 02.24.10 at 6:50 am
To anonymous: Every day clean inside cab with vinegar and water mix; odor evaporates not like ammonia. Good for partitions. Worst anyone can say is your cab smells like a salad!!!
Charles T 02.24.10 at 6:52 am
What other worker is spied upon by 160 undercover agents daily. Who is paying these UC agents and who is paying for the 10-block rides? Are they paid for by cabbie fines? A good way for their relatives and friends to make a little money.
Charles T 02.24.10 at 7:08 am
FedUp. TLC can’t say Group Ride cash only. TLC sold its OWN souls to DEVIL C-card parasites. Not just cabbie souls. Likely TLC would be in violation if it declared Group Rides of $3 or $4 each rider ONLY CASH during the commute rush. Likely covert or overt percentage cuts these devils spread around the taxi business, TLC is forbidden to make any exception to credit card requirements..
Charles T 02.24.10 at 7:17 am
To anonymous: Clean cabbie tips. You woke up late, keep hotel sized shampoo bottle in pocket. When you use the hotel lavatory, quickly wash your hair in the sink. Clean hair is a clean cabbie. You could be clean, but dirty hair makes people look dirty. Why do you think hotel doorman are made to wear those funny hats?
Charles T 02.24.10 at 7:20 am
To anonymous. Haitian cabbies go overboard with clean. They have their work clothes, laundered weekly, fresh clothes every day.
Charles T 02.24.10 at 7:26 am
To anonymous. Cabbie renters are drivers at will, in the final analysis. What the cab comes with they must take and do, if they don’t like loss of C-card percents, drive in some other city. But what about medallion owners who drive their own cabs, why should they be forced to accept C-card percent loss at all and some of that go to taxi rental garages? Or to any other outside interest? The TLC has sold them to the DEVIL. Why should any cabbies be forced to accept C-card scam loss?
a cabbie more 02.24.10 at 12:13 pm
jajaja doormen with funny hats hiden their dirty hair… that sonds funny.
one thing is true… please cabies be clean that could help to our image and for TLC and all those fucking boricuas who work for let us work in peace we have enough with high lease rates, 5% credit card commision, .50 c MTA tax, trafic regulation everywhere, high fines for sometimes inevitable trafic violations… please give us a brake…. pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Charles T 02.24.10 at 9:30 pm
To Anonymous. I thought most but NOT ALL NYC cabs had been installed with credit card systems. Is that wrong? Have all be installed?
Wzieer 02.25.10 at 4:53 am
Mr. Mattew is out with no respect coz of his all garbage plans. He should drive cab for one month, so then he can think for drivers with humen nature, but right now he got animal thinking for drivers, but thank God he will be out very soon. Every day we are paying illegal lease, paying 5-15 $ tip every day on demand to the dispatchers, have no rights in garage. but mattew ur out now after 14 years of stupid/hell job, u should apoint to hell now.:)
NYCabbie 02.25.10 at 4:54 am
@Charles T, every yellow cab in NYC is installed with credit card system, except for those NYPD undercover cabs.
Charles T 02.27.10 at 11:55 pm
Anyone know who’s applying for Mr. Matthew’s TLC job? Will it be voted on or is Bloomberg going to appoint someone?
Charles T 02.28.10 at 12:00 am
To Wzieer. Which dispatchers you are talking about? Where you rent the cab? What about other garages who rent? Paying $5 to $15 a day tip to who rents you a cab besides the capped lease prices?
G. H. 02.28.10 at 1:58 am
To: YellowCabNYC staff,
It is frustrating that there is no spelling and grammar botton on your web site.
After drivers finishing writing their comments, they should be able to correct their spelling before clicking on submit botton. Please take this point into consideration.
brian solmers 02.28.10 at 2:35 am
the garage dispatchers charge $5-$10 to get a car,,,,tlc does shit about this
Charles T 02.28.10 at 8:16 am
To Wzieer and Solmers. There must be 100s of rental garages if you include the small garage locations only renting 5, 10, 15 or 20 cabs, and if you include the satellite rental garages of owners who own blocks of medallions in the 100s. Is the charge open and in writing or is it hidden and spread by drivers.
Or do garage dispatchers themselves demand cash tips before or after the rental shift? What do they say when they “charge” $5-$10 or $15 as Wzieer wrote. Obviously cabbies leasing a medallion only and driving their own cabs are not “charged” to get a car.
brian solmers 02.28.10 at 3:12 pm
garage dispatchers in big fleets,,,,,,If you dont pay an extra
$5 or more,,,you need to pay
to play,or you
get the worst car or get sent home
RadioFreeTaxi 02.28.10 at 7:51 pm
Brian Solmers, can you charge more for your passengers on rainy, snowy days? When are more demands for cabs? Well, there is an a lot more driver than available taxi cabs and this is a great time to rip them off. Actually, drivers give the money in advance with the TIPS (minimum 5 dollar or more!), because they are desperate to work! Bills to pay and family to support! The greedy dispatchers know it well! There are TLC rules for them, but hey the TLC’s Commissioner was so busy with his new job, so he forgot to do something about it! It is difficult to STOP the TIPS or BRIBERY for greedy dispatchers? If the TLC Commissioner really cares about hard working cab drivers, he will do his best before leaves his office!
Charles T 02.28.10 at 8:33 pm
To radio free taxi: You said but hey the TOC’s commissioner was so busy with his new job he forgot to do something about bribery or tips for greedy dispatchers. Are you talking about the TLC Commissioner Daus? He had about 8 years to do it, right? But not only that, dispatchers charging tips for drivers to get a cab has been going on for decades, has it not? I recall in the past being told no cabs were available, so I said I would wait until one was. And I did wait. And I saw drivers come in and ask, any cabs available, and they would have a cab. And I would watch and wait, and it would make them nervous. I would eventually get a cab because I would wait 4 hours or more for it and they knew I wasn’t going away. I’d stay there until the next day. However, once I was assigmed a cab I had to spend an hour or more checking out one after the other, bring the key back and be given another key. Some had vomit in them, others the trunk wouldn’t pop remote (a safety feature when dropping off in secluded areas), I wouldn’t take a cab without blinkers working, brake lights, all those things that could shut you down in a shift. I never paid any tips, and I’d get a cab whose throttle would slip, and then the cab would only run on the idle, ending the shift. No one ever asked me for a tip, and no one suggested, not even other drivers, that I should tip to get a cab quicker. All this was going on under my nose. But a couple of times when putting up I was told I was $10 short, after I had counted my money several times. I gave the $10, and then after that when I got near the window where they could hear me, I would say to the driver behind me, watch me count this and see if it is correct. And the $10 trick never happened again.
Charles T 02.28.10 at 8:43 pm
To RadioFree Taxi. Maybe the TLC commissioner was so busy getting those contracts signed with the credit card advertisers that spread around percentage cuts of the percent taken from the drivers’ hands. As I said before, I bet the TLC would like to make the Group Rides cash only, but their contract or agreements with the advertising vendors forbid them to do that.
It is much more important for the TLC, we hear, to have 60 to 100 undercover riders going around trying to catch a cabbie doing some nitpicky thinkg, like the telephone, being rude, or refusing a credit card, than it is important for them to see who is forcing cabbies to pay bribes and tips to get a cab.
We get rude riders every single day, some of them treat you like you are under arrest. Because of the advertiser vendor agreements with the TLC, they can take you around the block, tie up your time processing their credit card, take 5% from you and get credit card points which add up to a ball point pen and pencil set, which 5 years later when you go to use it has no ink, and the lead keeps breaking!!! Or some $2 earphone radio that the buttons are so stuck it takes iron fingers to tune it in and then it has so much squelch noise you couldn’t hear it. For that, they don’t mind if your net income is reduced b y 15%. If you were taking home a check for $500 weekly, that would be reduced to $425 weekly. How would these rude Park Avenue Rich like it to happen to them?
brian solmers 03.01.10 at 1:26 am
are taxi drivers forced to do these group rides????? if not, no one should do them! 1 taxi 4 riders 3 taxis no riders!
refuse to drive these group taxis!!!
of course no one will stick together as usual!
no union, tlc does what they want to
will there ever be a union? no of course
taxi drivers at airports talk like friends, then when they are in manhattan they fight tooth and nail to steal rides from each other!!!!!!
mohammed salim 03.01.10 at 10:58 pm
I REFUSE TO DRIVE A GROUP RIDE CAB ,TO ALL MY BROTHERS PLEASE REFUSE YOU ARE ALLOWED TO NOT GO BY THESE TAXI STANDS YOU CAN REFUSE STAY AWAY FROM THOSE TXI STANDS
IF 1 CAB DRIVER GETS 4 PEOPLE 3 OTHER CAB DRIVER GET NONE
Charles T 03.02.10 at 9:45 pm
To Zen. Another rider credit card scam to watch out for. I think I meant to make this comment but forgot. If this is the second time, I am sorry. A cab driver said, a rider wanted to go on a long trip that the rider wanted to prepay with a credit card. It was far and almost $300. The rider then prepaid with a card like Visa that does not give you cash, or a card that gives you cash and purchase but cash limit is reached. In other words the rider cannot get cash out of his card, but needs cash desperately. The cab driver was new and did not want to get in trouble. The credit went through and then after trip of about $20 said he was not going to go to his first destination, and I don’t know the excuse he gave, the cab driver talking about it is not that good in English. However, he said the rider DEMANDED the cabbie give him back IN CASH the amount he did not use. And the cabbie didn’t want to give it to him, but did give it because he was afraid of getting in trouble. This scam is one to watch for, and I think on these type of huge trips the rider should be warned they cannot get prepayment back. This is a scam for the desperate rider who cannot get money from his own card, only a purchase, to try to scam for cash.
richardson 03.07.10 at 12:12 am
do not! pickup at the new taxi stands
if you pickup there youn will have 10 years of bad luck!!!!!!!!!!!!
Driver 7 06.23.10 at 7:48 pm
http://www.amny.com/urbanite-1.812039/as-bus-cuts-loom-city-pushes-taxis-and-vans-1.2045473
___________________________
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