What is Digg?105 Comments
- Error601, on 10/23/2007, -5/+108In other words they don't want to get caught taking tourist for the scenic tour.
- AriaStar, on 10/23/2007, -4/+58I like the idea of knowing a taxi driver isn't taking a longer route to charge me more. That's what these drivers are really protesting.
- buildmorerobots, on 10/23/2007, -2/+25@ WiseWeasel, the city won't fold. Pedestrians will have more pleasant walks around town without risk of being gunned down by crazy cabbies. Trust me the city is right to regulate those guys.
- AxeSwinger, on 10/27/2007, -0/+17I don't think so. I think its the 5% surcharge for credit cards and the cost to implement. Truly the gps is a waste of time as described by the article.
FTA
"The GPS tracking system will allow passengers to see a live map with their location. The mapping system will help taxi passengers find close restaurants, movies, shopping and concert venues. The GPS system also provides the potential for giving 24/7 tracking on all taxis. City officials claim the GPS services are strictly for passenger use and will not be used for taxi surveillance."
So it won't show routes but it will allow passengers to see what restaurants and services are near by. Besides, every time I've ever gotten into a cab I've already known my destination I think most people are the same. Additionally, I'm sure there are rogue cabbies out there but a gps route is inferior to someone who knows traffic patterns and local construction. And truly should cab drivers be punished because there are some that take advantage of tourists? Thats already been addressed with zone fares from airports and hotels. - hmunkey, on 10/23/2007, -2/+19So, let's get this straight. Taxi drivers are protesting a money saving effort, for customers and the cab companies alike. This effort will not include lay offs. Simply put, the employer wants to monitor their workers who drive expensive cars for them. What's wrong with this picture? Sorry, but the cabbies don't have my sympathy.
- vvovv, on 10/23/2007, -1/+18You do that. I will be busy buying shares of Garmin.
- Klinky, on 10/23/2007, -1/+15Well I'll be buying shares of Charmin... So soft...
- jvontayes, on 10/23/2007, -3/+15Better grab your bike and pedal. Insurance in New York is high so a car doesn't work the best, even then parking is a bitch because of everyone else driving.
- Ashra, on 10/23/2007, -2/+13This strike is only 8800 of the 44000 taxis. The surcharge is high, maybe it can be lowered by having the passenger type their zip code or CVV code into the touch pad with every purchase. Security = discounted surcharges.
- HOOKSTER1231, on 10/23/2007, -0/+10RTFA - Its not a complete suspension of all taxis.
- inactive, on 10/23/2007, -1/+10Interesting point, didn't think about it like that. You just may be right.
- jmpeagle, on 10/27/2007, -1/+10why are there a fixed number of purchasable "medallions" in NYC to make taxi rides as expensive as possible?
- jgc7, on 10/27/2007, -2/+11What you say has a certain degree of truthiness but, I have taken 1000s of taxi rides in NYC and never been taken on the scenic tour. The drivers make more from the initial fee than the mileage, so it is unlikely they will opt for the long route. I think this has more to do with the tax man and the price increase for the drivers to lease the cabs.
- inactive, on 10/23/2007, -0/+9Once again, the story is all wrong. Yes, there is a strike---but almost no cabbies are taking actual part in it---since they have to pay their licensing fees whether they work or not, it is not possible for the vast majority of them to miss a days wage. Also, when there's a strike on, the city enforces "zoned" fares, which means that for short trips, cabbies can make five or six times more than they could yesterday--whether they're technically on "strike" or not. I had absolutely no problem getting cabs today in three very busy parts of the city.
- trixterii, on 10/23/2007, -0/+8I live an work in manhattan and it's barely noticeable.
- inactive, on 10/23/2007, -2/+10What about taking care of the customers who can now be sure that their cabbie isn't taking them the long way to their destination?
- ingxia, on 10/27/2007, -2/+10Is driving a taxi in new york a skilled enough job to strike? Anyone with aggressive driving habits and minimal English could probably get the job.
- popothebright, on 10/23/2007, -1/+9In other words: We admit we're all a bunch of scammers and that we've been rigging the meter for years.
- schnikies79, on 10/23/2007, -1/+8Forcing? They are CHOOSING to strike. No one is forcing anyone to do anything. There are very very few things in live that you are forced to do. This isn't even close.
I see they don't not having the option of taking a longer route and charging more. - DannySpace, on 10/23/2007, -5/+12You know what? Good for them. ***** that whole "Hand that feeds You" *****. And the surcharge is just a bunch of *****. It's time that employers take care of the ones who pay their mortgages for them!
- HeroicLife, on 10/27/2007, -1/+7Why can't politicians let cabbies and consumers decide whether they want GPS tracking? Why does NYC have to run the economy like it's back in Soviet Russia?
- compgeek, on 10/23/2007, -2/+8what a bunch of pussies they are simply protesting this cause they know now they won't be able to take super long routes and charge ass rape prices for it. I'd just fire the ***** there's no union for em so I'd say GTFO you're out of a job and hire some people who will take to the new regulations
- AxeSwinger, on 10/27/2007, -1/+6You have no idea how the New York cab system works... Most cab drivers own or lease their tokens and cars and pay the company like independent contractors for the dispatching service.
- AxeSwinger, on 10/23/2007, -0/+4Because we all know that's a huge problem and gps is always going to give you the best route especially during rush hour.
- AriaStar, on 10/23/2007, -0/+4Once, taking a taxi from the train to my mom's place, on roads I know well, the driver had the gall to insist he was taking the shortest route possible when the shortest route was actually straight down the road three miles and a single left turn. If there's a GPS monitor, someone in a taxi may notice this in an area unfamiliar to them.
- bwizard, on 10/23/2007, -1/+5Everyone should just buy a bike and get over it...
- weeeezzll, on 10/22/2007, -0/+4And even if it was, Taxis strikes are not that bad. NYC has weathered Bus strikes and Train strikes. Taxi strikes only impact the rich that can afford to hop in a taxi everywhere they go, and they can afford to stay home for one day.
- inactive, on 10/23/2007, -0/+4Most folks ride mass transit
- SPECOPS, on 10/23/2007, -0/+4"that idiot" is probably making some sort of kick-back him/her self.
- mbk909, on 10/23/2007, -1/+5This whole thing is a joke. A few years ago the cab drivers agreed to the gps and credit card machines so they could get a fare hike. Now the time has come for them to honor their end of the deal and they don't want to.
All they are accomplishing by them striking is making people realize they are not a necessity. - pintomp3, on 10/23/2007, -1/+5FYI, the gps isn't for navigation. a lot of people are under the impression that it will be a navigational aid, but it's only for tracking. it can theoretically be a boon for passengers who lose stuff on cabs, but it's a loss of income for the driver to have to come back and return an umbrella. and the owners of the cabs take out 5% on credit card transaction, so that comes out of the driver's income. to make things worse, if the gps crashes, it reboots the meter so they lose that fare too. and the cost all of these hardware upgrades makes it more expensive to rent the cabs; drivers already work about 8 hours just to break even.
- inactive, on 10/23/2007, -1/+41. most new york city cabbies are their own employer
2. they're protesting the up to 5% service charge on *every* credit card receipt, which they will have to take
3. Its true that cabbies rake in a tremendous amount of money, but each cab costs around 2,000 USD per WEEK to operate in the form of medallion fees that the cabbie must pay. And that's not counting gas.
4. Try to settle down when you have an urge to slam a cabbie. It is indeed a job where you get to sit all day, but it's also a job where you're locked in a metal box with abusive ***** who really do believe that you're making 5K per month in cash, free and clear, to sit on your ass. - PopcornDave, on 10/23/2007, -1/+4Shares or squares?
- Economist35, on 10/23/2007, -0/+3they are protesting because nobody wants a back seat tourist driver. "TAKE A RIGHT! TAKE A RIGHT!" "It's a one way street."
- gbarger, on 10/23/2007, -0/+3Have you been to NY? I don't live there, but I'm there twice a year, and the only time I'm in a cab is riding from and to the airport, and even then it's because I'm too impatient to wait on the M60 bus. It's not really that big a deal.
- inactive, on 10/23/2007, -0/+3Why are Chicagoans always saying that they have "no desire" to visit NYC? I lived in Chicago for nearly ten years, and thats all I ever heard. My theory is that its something to do with having a chip on their collective shoulder about everyone calling them "the second city".
NYC of course, being first. - inactive, on 10/23/2007, -1/+4Gunned down by crazy cabbies? What city are you talking about? That doesn't actually happen here.
- sagat, on 10/23/2007, -0/+3The subway was a little busier than usual after work but otherwise I noticed no difference possibly other than the 50% reduction in road rage on the streets today. No doubt my missus will be charged $20 for a $5 cab ride when she gets one home from work tonight, that is if she can find one that isn't striking.
- bmartin, on 10/27/2007, -0/+3I just relocated to Virginia Beach. I'm thinking about biking to work here; the traffic's pretty heavy and I'm lucky enough to live within 5 miles of my new job.
I told my parents about it; they think it's ridiculous and classless to bike to work. It's sad to think that the US has devolved to the point where traveling to work in an environmentally friendly way is considered tacky. - GoatCheez, on 10/23/2007, -0/+3Didn't they already try this once like a month ago?
- nphase, on 10/23/2007, -0/+35% seems awfully high, when I was doing work for authorize.net it was between 1.9-2.9% + ~$0.30. I wonder who is pocketing that extra bit..
- skinfrakki, on 10/23/2007, -1/+4CDL truck drivers have GPS tracking mandatory and they are only transporting goods. So tracking taxis with people is not so bad
- angelaelle, on 10/23/2007, -1/+4I live/work in Manhattan too. Its been quieter today with fewer taxis. And there wasn't a big increase in subway riders this morning on my line. They're just mad because their ability make extra bucks taking the "scenic route" has been cut off.
- inactive, on 10/27/2007, -0/+2I see this argument a lot. Really, "longer routes" are for cabbies in cities that have lots and lots of curvy streets that go in a zillion different directions, with very consistent traffic patterns. In NYC it's very different---there aren't really any "long ways" inside Manhattan (point to point on the same island that is) that would cost you more than a dollar over what you'd pay anyhow---so its not really worth anyone's time. And besides that, it's one of the reasons that the base price of getting into a cab at all was raised to 2.50; it makes a bunch of short trips back to back much, much more profitable than one long trip that takes the same amount of time as many short ones.
So no, in NYC we don't really have that problem so much. But I know for a fact that its a huge problem in both Boston and Chicago, at least. - MrSteamTank, on 10/23/2007, -0/+2I don't understand the anger against cab drivers. Maybe in New York they live a decent life? Here in Ottawa, Canada they make life impossible for cab drivers with ridiculous absurdly expensive laws such as not allowing cab cars to be over 7 years old
Unfortunately, it makes life really difficult for cab drivers and because of this they have to charge outrageous prices to stay in business. Naturally at the detriment of the people actually living in Ottawa - jrkotrla, on 10/22/2007, -0/+2I'm wondering who the idiot is who picked that merchant account. Swiped transactions generally have a fee less than 1.5%. even without adding in any extra security codes. Heck, I can do onsite transactions, over the phone, without swiping a CC and get less than 5%
- bmartin, on 10/27/2007, -0/+2If politicians let us decide, there would be no war in Iraq, talking on your cell phone while driving would be legal, people would be smoking joints in public, and no one would pay taxes.
- bmartin, on 10/23/2007, -0/+2They simply made more room for the other 2 million cars that go through the city every day.
Let them stay on strike. NYC has awesome public transportation; it's time more people started using it. - Coven, on 10/23/2007, -1/+3No, the GPS and CC machines were all part of the 25% fare hike implemented in 2005. These cabbies are full of ***** and need to honor their end of the deal. I'm sick of having to fish out cash to pay them.
Proof that Bloomberg isn't lying:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950 ... - Elliuotatar, on 10/23/2007, -0/+1Wow, where the ***** does the city get off charging someone $2000 a week to drive around the city picking up passengers?
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