Taxi Drivers Demand Apology!

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Now that the estimate of cabbies who scammed their passengers has shrunk, drivers are demanding an apology from the TLC. Led by executive director Bhairavi Desai, The New York Taxi Workers Alliance gathered outside of TLC offices yesterday demanding taxi commissioner Matthew W. Daus apologize to the "the hardworking taxi drivers of New York City who he vilified and smeared. We don't want silence on this retraction," reports City Room.

Daus originally estimated that 35,585 cab drivers improperly charged passengers out-of-city rates over a 26 month period, costing riders $8.3 million. However, at Monday's City Council meeting he admitted that "a fairly significant number" of those passengers were actually charged a lawful rate, and the drivers just accidentally switched to out-of-city rates after the fare had been calculated.

Workers demanded an apology to avoid being stereotyped as dishonest. Bill Lindaur, a 30-year veteran driver said, "If you say these are facts, you'd better be sure they are facts. Otherwise, you brand a whole work force cheaters and crooks." Desai also blames the newer, complicated rate systems for confusing drivers, saying, "we need a simple meter. One-two-three, start, stop, print receipt." Unfortunately, no apology has been issued yet. Who's a gal gotta threaten to get a "sorry" around here?

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By Jaya Saxena in News on March 24, 2010 10:27 AM

Comments [rss]

Addie

Last night, at 9PM, I was charged a $2 surcharge. No bags, just me, going 20 blocks in Manhattan. I asked the cabbie why, he said it was the new Taxi Tax. B-f'ing-s.

bullishnyc

What apology? Hang 'em by the balls!

whitecastlerock

Vilified and smeared? Ummm please stop. Cabbies have been rigging meters for decades. They have also taken advantage of tourists, broken every rule of the road, still talk on the phone, smell like mountain goats and refuse to bathe. Fuck them and their histrionics-it's tedious.

40oz.killa

An apology???? y dont u cabbies SUCK MY D*CK with some HALAL n CURRY SAUCE

Eric

"we need a simple meter. One-two-three, start, stop, print receipt."

Really? You want it easier than it is now? Did you just implicate yourself and blame it on the extremely complicated system of pushing a button? I really don't get it. All these guys have to do is a) know the city, and b) push a button. There are 4 buttons. How hard is this?

Cautious Pessimist

We're sorry we called you extremely corrupt scumbags. You're now back to your original level of just plain corrupt scumbags.

streber

Oh, blow it out your ass.

I live in brooklyn and have been illegally lied to countless times by crooked cabbies.

Cabbies have gotten loud and aggressive to avoid driving to brooklyn.

Cabbies have made lame excuses.

Cabbies have pretended to fall asleep.

...and I hate those friggen tv's.

Where's my apology?