Taxis Strike In Paris, Too. In NYC, More Cabs, Soon.
Three weeks ago, we had The Great NYC Taxi Strike of 2007. We were lucky that it only lasted two days, and the weather was nice. But it seems we’re not alone in this; there are some dissatisfied taxi drivers in Paris as well. ParisDailyPhoto says,
“There is a limited number of taxis in Paris and the Government wants to free the market and remove this limit.”
New York is doing something similar, but there does not seem to be anyone against the idea. If the cab drivers are, they’ve said nothing. New York City needs more taxi cabs on the road. But the cab drivers, as I’ve said before, need to change the way they operate. For some reason, they all go on and off duty at the same time. So, at 5:00 PM, the majority of cabs are off-duty, and lined up at the gas stations to fill up and go home, or to drop the cab off to the next driver. Who else goes home at 5:00 PM? Most of the people working in Manhattan.
If you’ve ever tried to get a cab on a rainy afternoon in NYC, you’re about to get some good news. In November, the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission will be auctioning 150 new medallions (the license that you see physically mounted to the taxi cab’s hood that allows that cab to be operated.) From the TLC’s site:
“The yellow medallion taxicab is an internationally recognized icon of New York City. Taxicab ridership has increased to over 240 million passengers annually, yet the number of taxicabs available to serve the public has remained almost unchanged for almost seven decades until recently. The Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) plans to sell up to 150 additional taxicab medallions at auction in November of this year, increasing taxicab service to the public, and providing career opportunities for those who wish to own and operate a taxicab business. In 1937, the number of taxicab medallions was limited to those that existed at that time. By the late 1940s, this number settled at 11,787. Today there are currently 13,087 yellow medallion taxicabs operating in New York City. A new medallion is a rare opportunity.”
In case you’re interested in switching careers, the minimum bid for a New York City Taxi medallion is $189,000. Minimum. They have been sold for up to $600,000.
You may also be interested in:
NYC Taxis Vs. NYC TLC: “Gentlemen, prepare for another strike.” (09.27.07)
Strike? No. Lawsuit? Yes: NYC Taxi Cab Drivers Sue NYC Taxi And Limousine Commission Over GPS. (09.19.07)
”Credit Or Debit?“ Why Your Supermarket Wants You To Pay With A Debit Card. (09.04.07)
See a map of New York City.
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