If you care about your riding comfort, take the time to send a comment to the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission. Until June 15, the commission is accepting comments on several proposals, including whether to allow shared riding and whether to restrict cell phone use by drivers. You can read the commission’s entire proposal at www.nyc.gov/taxi, and post your comments by e-mail at policymail@tlc.nyc.gov.
There has never been a more critical time to make your voice heard. New Yorkers are dependent upon public transportation. Long before the nation started to go “green,” the majority of us were getting around town on buses, subways, trains, and taxis. While the prudent strategy is to use a Metrocard to save money, there are times when hopping into a taxi cannot be avoided. With cutbacks in rail and bus service, taking a cab is many times the only way to arrive on time.
As taxi fares have risen, the quality of service has declined. It is an oft-heard complaint that riding a taxi in New York is not the pleasant experience it should be (despite those upbeat endorsements on Taxi TV by Regis and Kelly). At Woman Around Town, we have heard complaints from our readers about dangerous rides, rude drivers, and uncomfortable seating. We plan to e-mail the TLC with our comments and would like to share them with you.
Shared riding. TLC is considering allowing cab drivers to pick up more than one fare. A second meter would need to be installed in each cab to keep track of double fares. TLC believes that allowing multiple fares “would be useful for group rides, during emergencies, major transit outages or strikes.”
While we applaud the idea of saving fuel by allowing more than one rider in a cab, we worry that this practice could make riding in a cab more time-consuming and uncomfortable for passengers. If you are in a hurry to get to your destination, having your driver stops every few blocks for a possible additional fare is bound to eat up time. Some of the hybrid cabs now being used by many drivers have very small backseats. Two adults can fit, but what if the driver stops for a third passenger? Group riding is a life safer during times of emergencies, but the TLC can easily make such allowances if situations demand sharing.
Blocking cell phone use by drivers. New technology makes it possible to block cell phone usage in vehicles. TLC is asking for comments on whether this technology should be used to prevent cell phone use by drivers without affecting a passenger’s cell phone use.
Something does need to be done to prevent cell phone use by drivers, but blocking a driver’s usage could create a safety problem. In the event the driver really needs to use his phone, the technology would not allow him to do so.
Under the TLC’s Driver Rule 2-25h, “drivers are not allowed to use cellular phones or any communication device, hands free or otherwise, while operating a cab.” Yet this rule is ignored by most drivers. How many times have you had trouble talking to the driver, actually missed your stop, because he has been talking on his cell phone? The TLC needs to take a stronger hand enforcing the rule it has on the books without resorting to technology.
The TLC wishes to explore the possibility of requiring the Passenger Information Monitors (PIMs) now in cabs to present “more robust and varied content.” These additions could include: new applications, increased access to public service announcements and city produced content, music videos on demand and entertainment in general.
Some passengers love those TV monitors in the back of cabs. (Parents with young children are grateful the colorful images keep little ones occupied). Many others see them as a major distraction and turn them off as soon as they get into the cab. (Except on the occasion when the monitor refuses to be turned off). Do tourists find these programs informative? Perhaps. We are not big fans, but understand that many people enjoy watching reviews, news, the weather, and other subjects on the cab screen. We would hope people would be specific in telling the TLC what type of information would be useful to have on the TVs.
What we haven’t seen listed in the TLC’s proposal is anything on the types of taxis being approved for use in the city. The hybrids and the vans are high off the ground and difficult to climb into and out of. The doors on the vans are hard to open and close. Even a physically fit person may find the whole process a challenge. What about the elderly or anyone with a physical disability? At a time when buses are being made accessible for those in wheelchairs, cabs are becoming more inaccessible. (The TLC website advises those in wheelchairs to call 311 for service, but for most people that is an inconvenience).
We know we will never go back to those wonderful Checker cabs, but something should be done to make the city’s taxicab fleet more passenger friendly.
The TLC proposal also doesn’t ask about the drivers themselves. Some are wonderful, polite, helpful, and part of the flavor of what makes New York New York. Others have forgotten that they are in a service business and the service they provide means to take a passenger to her destination in comfort and safety. There are no uniform requirements for cab drivers, but there should at least be standards for what is allowed and what is unacceptable.
We encourage all Women Around Town to remember that cabs are one of the best ways to get around town. Let’s make our voices heard. Send your comments to TLC.
The comment period for the Request For Information officially opened on April 14, 2009 and ends June 15, 2009. The RFI is posted on the TLC Web site www.nyc.gov/taxi, and those interested may comment either through the Web site, via US Mail at NYC TLC, 40 Rector Street, 5th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10006; via Fax at 212-676-1002, or by e-mail at policymail@tlc.nyc.gov.
