The Taxi Fare is How Much? Check Your Figures Carefully

Taxi Passengers in New York City who couldn’t believe how much their fare was may have been on to something—the Taxi and Limousine Commission revealed this past week that close to 36,000 yellow taxicabs in the city overcharged passengers by about $8.3 million over the past two years. That's roughly three quarters of all yellow cab drivers, if you were wondering. Approximately 3,000 of those drivers overcharged passengers more than 100 times. All in all, about 1.8 million passengers were overcharged. How? The drivers switched their meters to higher out-of-town rates that should only apply outside the five boroughs. That means that rates for 1/5 mile doubled from 40 cents to 80 cents. Passengers were overcharged about five dollars per ride.
Criminal charges will in all likelihood be brought against some of the drivers, according to Mayor Bloomberg.
The New York Taxi Workers Alliance blamed the GPS meters, saying it was technological failure and that there were no witnesses. (The “no witnesses” part seems to make their case a little shaky, no? And by the way, the dog ate my homework.)
The TLC actually made the discovery using the GPS technology.
A number of cab drivers came forward to say they were outraged by the scam.
Incidentally, former city councilman David Yassky will replace Matthew Daus as head of the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission. He ran (unsuccessfully) for city comptroller lat fall.
All we can say is—take public transportation when possible—and when you do take a cab, keep your eye on the meter--and on your wallet.

Get Your Fair Share: New Taxi Options Mean More Ways to Get Around

Do you work and play well with others? Do you like to share?
If so, you're a perfect candidate for the taxi fare-sharing program that will be rolled out this Friday, February 26 in New York. (You’re also ready for preschool, but that’s another story.)
“Group ride” rates are being started this week: Share a cab with strangers, and save big.
The Taxi and Limousine Commission is planning a series of initiatives that will be rolled out over the next year. First up: the yellow cabs will have drop-off and pick-up areas during the morning rush hour, 6 am to 10 am.
Also planned: Later in the year we’ll see “ride sharing,” where riders can hail cabs that already have passengers and split the fares. How will people know where the cabs are going? Some kind of signage will display the neighborhood towards which the cab is heading.
Starting Friday, cabs will depart from areas including West 57th Street and Eighth Avenue, with drop-offs on Park Avenue between 57th and 42nd Streets; West 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue, with drop-offs on Park Avenue from 72nd Street to 42nd Street, and East 72nd Street and Third Avenue, with drop-offs on Park Avenue from 72nd Street to 42nd Street.
More than one person has to be in the cab for the discount to be applied, and fares per person will be $3 or $4, depending on location. Once a ride has started, no more passengers can be picked up.
Fewer vehicles on the street; more transportation options; less money for passengers to shell out: Sounds like this ride is going the right way.

No, You're Not Imagining It: That Taxi Ride Costs More

If your taxi ride seems pricier than it did last week, you’re not hallucinating: A fare increase went into effect in New York City yesterday (Sunday, Nov.1). Merely getting into a cab will now cost you 50 cents more than it did on Saturday: The fare has been raised from $2.50 to $3.00.
But the extra money isn’t going into the drivers’ pockets: the surcharge was ordered by state officials to help the MTA with a massive (1.8 billion dollar) shortfall.
Although it may seem like fares get higher and higher every day in New York, this is actually the first fare increase since the $2 fare was raised in 2004.
Each additional fifth of a mile will stay at 40 cents.
The city has 13,237 licensed yellow cabs; the surcharge on fares will bring in about $85 million.
Other parts of the plan include a payroll tax of 34 cents per $100 on employers in 12 counties served by the authority. An increase on bus and subway fares went into effect last June.
No one said New York was cheap, but this kind of increase will most definitely be felt by riders. It’s being done without a huge amount of fanfare, either, so many who glance at the fare maybe surprised.
While you’re saving your quarters, may we suggest walking?