The singular experience of riding in a yellow cab in New York may soon change.
The Taxi and Limousine Commission plans to introduce two pilot programs that will transform many taxi rides into something like car-pooling with strangers, with two or more passengers riding together to nearby destinations.
The proposals were inspired by methods used during the transit strike in 2005, when yellow cabs were allowed to pick up more than one fare during a single trip.
The proposals are intended to make it easier to find a cab at peak times and to make cab rides cheaper by creating discounts and flat fares.
“If it works, it really could change the dynamics of what happens in terms of moving people around efficiently during rush hour,” said Matthew W. Daus, the chairman of the Taxi and Limousine Commission, which will discuss and possibly vote on the proposals at a meeting on Thursday. “It’s like a car pool.”
But the proposals also present the possibility for an unusual social experiment for New Yorkers used to treating their cab as their castle, with the potential arising for negotiations with strangers over routes and drop-off points.
Under one proposal, up to 1,000 yellow cabs would be equipped with meters that could calculate two fares at once, allowing cabbies to stop en route and pick up additional passengers.
The cabs would be marked as “sharecabs” and have electronic signs showing the neighborhood they were headed to, making it possible for people going in the same direction to hail them.
For riders who share a cab, part of the fare — the mileage and the waiting time, but not the initial charge — would be discounted by 50 percent.
Under a second proposal, several taxi stands would be designated as group-ride pickup locations during the morning rush period, from 6 to 10 a.m. The cabs would travel in a designated corridor and charge passengers a flat fare to be dropped off anywhere along that route.
In one example, up to four passengers could board a cab at Pennsylvania Station and pay $4 each to be dropped off along Avenue of the Americas as far north as 59th Street.
Under both proposals, riders would potentially pay less and drivers could potentially earn more, despite the discounts, by carrying several paying passengers at once.
Mr. Daus said the flat-fare plan could begin as early as this fall.
The designated sharecabs will take longer to put into effect, because the technology for multifare meters and rooftop destination signs needs to be worked out. Mr. Daus said it could be in place late this year or next year.
Mr. Daus said the proposals fit with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s agenda to make city policies more environmentally sound.
“It’s better to have four people in one car than in four separate cars,” Mr. Daus said.
Officials will also vote on a separate experiment involving livery cars. Under that proposal, dispatch centers for livery cars would be set up at locations other than the cars’ main bases, like shopping malls. Mr. Daus said that would make it easier and quicker for people to get cars in places where demand is high.
Many of the details of the proposals remained to be worked out.
Under the sharecab plan, officials said, riders would pay half the standard mileage or waiting-time charges during the portion of the trip when more than one fare is on the meter. When a single fare is on the meter, the full rate would be charged. An electronic display in the cab would show passengers the individual fares.
In all cases, riders would pay the full initial fare, currently $2.50 during the day and $3 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Trips between Manhattan and Kennedy International Airport, which currently carry a $45 flat fare, would be discounted to about $30 under the sharecab plan.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
nyctaxiphoto 05.28.09 at 3:34 pm
this seems complicated. the shared rides from train stations or airports could be done now, with the current technology. but of course the drivers would have to have a map that shows what the flat fees are to where, which would lead to a lot of negotiating problems.
I wouldn’t want the hassle of dealing with separate people at once, it would be too much to handle, and nobody would be happy. What are the odds that everyone would be going in the same direction? The only way this would be feasible is if a dispatcher were in charge at taxi lines.
To say that this is a benefit to the environment while it may be true in theory, is also very deplorable since there are always more taxis and drivers being added, not to mention the road closures for real estate development, street fairs, and parades, all of which clog the streets and cause huge environmental problems.
If they are going to treat us like buses, than we should be able to use bus lanes, and all hov lanes, all the time! (a heads up, there is a proposal to start giving cabbies tickets for driving in the bus lanes through video cameras on 34th.)
Also if the average ride is 1.4 people, why don’t we have 60% of our cabs a lot smaller, for one person and their bag?
nyctaxiphoto 05.28.09 at 4:47 pm
A friend of mine has added some more crucial or simplified points-
Part of what people buy when they get in a taxi is privacy / alone time , plus a direct ride… why would they want to share?
If you want to share, take a bus or subway. Also, its not as if the cab stops running when they have no one in them, so how does this help the environment, as # of taxis will not be reduced.
Seems like dopey thinking by someone who is sometimes not able to get a taxi…. and thinks, if others would share, there would be a taxi for me…
I agree that i doubt any of this will catch on w/ the taxi using public…..
lwill 05.28.09 at 7:00 pm
Another bad thing about this whole concept is that drivers will have to cruise around for fares even more than usual because people will be doubling up. In order to have 2 fares in 1 car, another car has to go empty, which will lead to more cut throat driving and stealing of fares. I think this plan will fail. I really wish they would put somebody in the TLC who has actually driven, and who wants to do what’s best for the drivers AND the passengers.
Happy drivers= more pleasant rides= more tips= everybody’s happy….
IT’S A CYCLE
blunt truth 05.29.09 at 7:43 pm
this person “DAUS” is clearly moonlighting for the big fleet owners, they are looking for an excuse to say cabbies are making more money so that the fleets can raise the lease fees on the drivers, and “DAUS” will get his cut.
blunt truth 05.29.09 at 7:55 pm
Drivers always keep in mind that we are private contractors or self employed, not employees which means that we do as we want and not as they(tlc,fleet ownres) want! Drivers join a union or built one, we have no rigths, we are worst than slaves lets wake up ! without drivers there is no taxi industry, without us there will be no millioners made from the leases that we pay to fleets!
not just 06.05.09 at 9:32 am
This is not right and does not make sense. people who make this proposal didnt think first properly before thy made this proposal.
It going to only cause much problems than good for the industry.
they only want to make more money at the expence of the drivers.
not just 06.05.09 at 9:36 am
I call this, and it really is, dumb and greedy
Charles T 02.06.10 at 2:39 am
So how did the livery cars get new places to congregate to get fares? Are they taking the $432,000 medallion’s jobs? They are going to turn them into cabs, and who is paying who to do it?