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A federal U.S. district judge decided not to block the City of New York from requiring the installation of GPS and credit card equipment in taxis. The Taxi Workers Alliance went to the courts after a strike by its members earlier this month had a less than dramatic impact and failed to sway public and political opinions. Some drivers are opposed to the installation of the equipment because they say GPS tracking invades their privacy and that poorly designed credit card equipment and fare meters will cost them in lost revenues. The federal judge in the case ruled that the benefit to customers outweighed the privacy concerns of drivers.
Back in July, NYC Taxi and Limousine Commissioner Matthew Daus claimed that drivers using the new equipment were making 18% more in tips. Cab drivers are worried that the new equipment will encounter problems similar to GPS-equipped cabs in Philadelphia, where frequent system crashes and GPS dead zones meant that customers were undercharged. The Taxi Workers Alliance will proceed with its suit against the city; (the judge only refused to issue a temporary stay on the new equipment requirement.) The group's executive director said that another strike was a distinct possibility.
(74Y2, by Triborough at flickr)
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Taxi drives are NOT ALLOWING THEIR PASSENGERS TO PAY WITH CREDIT CARDS. They lie that it's not working. They shut it off before it can be used. They mess up the whole thing. Is it so they can simply avoid paying taxes like the rest of us pay? We are tipping more with them!
Why isn't the TLC or city doing anything about this widespread problem?
This city is so messy! In any other city a GOS would be consider helpful...here is a policy fll of intrugue and deception! Like cabs are not supposed to be a service, but some sort of favor! Shitty service for a league full of unilateral demands...
GOS meanaing GPS
It's crap like this that drives many New Yorkers [and certainly employees of many Fortune 500 companies] to turn to black car services that can be paid via credit card.
The taxi workers can probably strike all next week, and no one will really care, since there are so many alternatives, and cabbies that will stay at work and will work with new technology.
One of the guest commenters had it right: credit cards leave an electronic trail. Can't cook the books and avoid taxes that easily when there are service invoices via credit card transactions.
There aren't many alternatives to yellow taxis if you don't have time to wait for the car service to come and you are in a rush. They have a monopoly in that department.
The problem with this technology is that it is being foisted on drivers and the public as a done deal, just like the much-despised "talking taxi" messages and a short-lived TV screen tryout a few years ago, also reviled by riders. There are numerous reports of the machines breaking down, and when they do the meter stops working, costing the driver the shift(s?) and taking a cab off the streets. Drivers did not agree to this in exchange for the 2004 fare hike; we have no seat at the TLC table (and the fare hike was after 8 years and 2 months; would any one here like to go that long without a raise?) As for the constant charges of tax evasion, why do presumptively much better paid people always go on about this regarding workers who by 2007 NYC standards earn bupkes? Particularly since I'm sure corporations can write off much of their black car expenses, i. e., pay less in taxes.
why the fuck would anyone want to take a cab? I cringe at having to be around a stinking curry smelling arab guy who probably donates parts of his wages to terrorists. seriously, they smell