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Cab Drivers, Riders Call Fare Increase Unfair
By
Jen Carlson
Published Nov 2, 2009
Modified Nov 2, 2009
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Nov 2, 2009
Modified Nov 2, 2009
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Yesterday a 50-cent surcharge was tacked on to taxi fares as part of the state's MTA bailout, starting a cab ride with a $3 base fee... and no one is happy about it.
Yesterday about a dozen drivers stood outside of Penn Station in protest, with signs that read "Ax the tax," and "Even Homer Simpson would call it a Duhception." Many of them believe the extra cost will come out of their tips, and 45-year-old cabbie Victor Salazar told the Daily News, "We're hustling every single [moment] of our shifts. We're in the nickel-and-dime business. Everything counts."
Meanwhile, the NY Post talks to cab riders, some of whom vow to cut down on their vehicular vice. One woman told the paper, "I think the surcharge is ridiculous. I was very irritated when I got into the taxi today." Will hailing a cab become more of a luxury now? Bhairavi Desai of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance told the NY Times: “On shorter fares, riders will opt to walk or take the subway."
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Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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