Cabbies: Green Cab System Is Bad News For Drivers
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The month-old green cab program is not so popular with some cab drivers.
As 1010 WINS' Al Jones reported, hundreds of cabbies protested against the Taxi and Limousine Commission headquarters on Beaver Street in Lower Manhattan Tuesday. The green cabs hit upper Manhattan and the outer boroughs for street-hails in June, following a court battle.
Cabbies: Green Cab System Is Bad News For Drivers
The cabs are barred from picking up fares south of East 96th Street and West 110th Street and at the airports, known as the so-called "yellow zone." The meters are equipped with GPS technology, blocking them from being used out of their territory.
Some current livery cab drivers said the fact that they cannot work in most of Manhattan is a major problem.
Jehan Rodriguez said he cannot afford to put thousands of dollars into his livery car if he is being restricted from working below 110th Street.
"So they want to apply the same system, and it doesn't work, because we don't make that much money," he said.
Industry spokesman Fernando Mateo said the green cab system is too expensive and too restrictive.
"The TLC wants to crack down on someone? Go crack down someone that is really breaking the law," he said.
The TLC's goal is to roll out 6,000 of these green cabs in the first year with the idea to provide an all borough cab service where yellow cabs rarely roam.
The cabs are barred from picking up fares south of East 96th Street and West 110th Street and at the airports, known as the so-called "yellow zone." The meters are equipped with GPS technology, blocking them from being used out of their territory.
Under the plan, the TLC will be able to issue 18,000 hail licenses over the next three years. Of those, 20 percent must be handicap-accessible.
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