Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Cantankerous Cabbies Invade Albany, Get Ticketed
By
Garth Johnston
Published Jun 21, 2011
Modified Jun 21, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Garth Johnston
Published Jun 21, 2011
Modified Jun 21, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Over the weekend, rather than push it through the City Council, Bloomberg slipped his controversial-to-cabbies plan to let livery cabs accept street hails outside of Manhattan up to Albany. And while the bill, which just passed in the Assembly, likely won't be voted on in the Senate before this session is over—it increasingly looks like marriage equality might not even see a vote!—that doesn't mean that hacks aren't furious about the plan to flood the streets with 30,000 additional fare-accepting vehicles. Yesterday cabs and cabbies lined up to protest by City Hall and today they've taken their chants of "Hail, No!" to Albany.
A mass of yellow metal has reportedly rolled up to the capital of the Empire State, a curious sight which has locals scratching their heads. So naturally, the Albany PD have started ticketing them!
The big problem for the drivers, however, is that just as they are collecting to speak out against competition the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, a frequent critic of this plan and one of the biggest voices in the industry, has changed its tune and endorsed the proposal. A major factor in the switch is the assurance that the TLC will create a new enforcement unit "targeting livery drivers who try to poach airport or Manhattan fares."
"These provisions will keep owner operators whole," said Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the alliance, told the News. "We are a significant workforce, and our interests need to be represented at the table."
Still, expect this fight to go on for some time. Even if the bill in Albany were to get passed before the session is over the new permits, which allow meter-equipped livery cabs to pick up fares in the outer boroughs and above Central Park, would not become available until next summer.
Tagged
Albany
cabs
livery cabs
mayor bloomberg
street hails
taxi
taxi cabs
tlc
Garth Johnston
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Early Addition: There's finally stuff inside the Times Square tower where the ball drops
Because it used to sit vacant for most of the year, here are your early links: Rangers goalie scored, "It's a Wonderful Life" coming to Broadway, there's dignity in scaffolding and more.
By
James Ramsay
Published Oct 2, 2026 at 9:20 a.m. ET
NYC subway dragging death highlights an old school MTA failsafe
The man dragged to death by a subway train in Brooklyn earlier this week put riders across the city on edge.
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
News
NYC subway dragging death highlights an old school MTA failsafe
The man dragged to death by a subway train in Brooklyn earlier this week put riders across the city on edge.
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
We were the victim': Brooklyn shelter's new CEO speaks after corruption scandal
By
Ryan Kost
Badly burned body found in a trashed and abandoned Jamaica Queens lot, NYPD says
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Brooklyn DA brings back warrant-clearing event as quality-of-life tickets surge
By
Ben Feuerherd
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .