NYC Taxi Strike '07 BREAKING NEWS!!!!! - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

QuasiMondo · 09-05-2007, 02:53 PM

I heard that Mayor Bloomberg had contengency plans in place. The city was braced for the kind of upheaval that shook it during other disasters like 9/11 and the MTA bus and subway strike. I wanted to see how things were holding up so I took a detour on the way home and swung through midtown Manhattan along 34th Street to see how my beloved city was holding up.

Uh oh! Looks like some cabbies didn't get the memo.

34th St, coming out of the Lincoln Tunnel:

8th Ave, outside Madison Square Garden:

7th Ave:

Broadway:

Park Ave (behind the Benz and Town Car):

Lexington Ave:

3rd Ave:

2nd Ave:

Southbound on the FDR Drive:

Houston (for you out-of-towners, it's pronounced HOUSE-ton) Street, who's that's in my rearview?

The New York Taxi Worker's Alliance declared the strike a smashing success, claiming 80% of cabbies stayed home. Really?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mayor Bloomberg

Over all I think it is fair to say today’s strike is having a limited impact, if at all.

Of course, traffic did seem noticeably smoother getting through the city today, so maybe the strike did have an impact....just not the impact they were looking for.

SecretMethod70 · 09-05-2007, 03:06 PM

Scabs.

snowy · 09-05-2007, 03:45 PM

If a person really wanted to see the impact of the strike on NYC, head to Times Square. My family stayed in a hotel overlooking the square when we visited, and calculated that an average of 100 taxis pass through that area per minute. I'd be interested to see if that number changed, with the supposed 80% of drivers staying home.

fresnelly · 09-05-2007, 03:48 PM

We're in town visiting and we slept better last night because of the conspicuous lack of honking.

Getting around by walking and Subway (with two small children in tow) was no worse or better than before the strike.

Kabsnow · 09-05-2007, 11:14 PM

ha HA! If I were a cab driver I would be out there in my taxi reaping the benefits of supply and demand!

QuasiMondo · 09-06-2007, 03:11 AM

Oh, they were. They had one guy on the news gloating about pulling $500 in just a few hours. He wished the could go on strike every day.

Halx · 09-06-2007, 05:37 AM

Caught a cab from times square last night. He had his meter turned off so he estimated the ride. Turns out he heard me wrong, so a couple miles into Brooklyn, he was getting pissed. "I thought you said right off the Williamsburg Bridge!" Hah!

ScottKuma · 09-06-2007, 05:44 AM

What are they complaining about THIS time? Last I heard, their collective panties are in a bunch over GPS...

Cynthetiq · 09-06-2007, 06:24 AM

http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/31/d...-taxi-solution

they are griping about the application of this technology, which will allow for GPS mapping, pay by creditcard (3% fees will be also paid by the cabbie) and also have advertising and NYC facts and information. I was in a cab that had it a few weeks back, but the GPS portion was disabled. The tracking map was centered over Brooklyn.

Quote:

Also, drivers who are buying their vehicles will be forced to shell out $2,900 to $7,200 for use of the units over a three-year period.

that's a HUGE hit to the bottom line when taxi cab drivers have to pay a mortgage on the medallion or lease payments, gas, car payment, insurance and maintenance of the vehicle. Some cabbies I have met have to run the medallion 24 hours a day in order to break make a decent wage. Note a medallion cost is around $300,000-$400,000.

kutulu · 09-06-2007, 09:15 AM

I don't have sympathy for them having to pay credit card transaction fees. It's 2007, not 1987.

I have some questions about the GPS system. I understand that commercials are playing (just what this world needs, more advertising) on it at times. Who gets that revenue? Why isn't the revenue from the commercials offsetting the cost of the systems?

Cynthetiq · 09-06-2007, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kutulu

I don't have sympathy for them having to pay credit card transaction fees. It's 2007, not 1987.

I have some questions about the GPS system. I understand that commercials are playing (just what this world needs, more advertising) on it at times. Who gets that revenue? Why isn't the revenue from the commercials offsetting the cost of the systems?

shouldn't it be up to the business owner to decide if he/she wants to accept credit cards?

In Chinatown most business are cash only. No checks, no credit cards. No cash, no goods. Chinese community would rather save the 3% that goes to the bank and not to the owner. They would rather the costs stay lower and not be raised 3% for the increased costs. Shouldn't the cabbie as a small business owner also have that same freedom of choice?

I'm not sure of who gets the revenue, in the past it was the city of NYC and not the cabbie for the Buckle Up advertising system in the mid90's.

QuasiMondo · 09-06-2007, 10:20 AM

I can see how the cab drivers would have to eat the costs of these machines if they own the medallion, but what about medallions that drivers lease from fleet companies? Do those drivers have to shoulder the costs for these machines too?

Cynthetiq · 09-06-2007, 10:48 AM

I'm not sure about the fleet cars. I would say that in some fashion the fleet owner will pass something onto the driver in the same way that the stripper pays the house for the stage, tip out the dj for the music, tip out the bartender.

I'll keep digging to find out, it's a personal interest of mine to understand just how the cabbies make a living in NYC. I know a number of people who keep a hack license because it's decent money if you just have to drive the vehicle, but if you have to pay the rest of the costs associated with owning the medallion and vehicle, it's barely worth it.

ubertuber · 09-06-2007, 10:56 AM

I used to talk to drivers about this all the time when I lived in NY. Basically, you can make decent money driving someone else's medallion. If you own a medallion, you'll be working hard to get by if you are the only one driving the vehicle. For that reason, some people get a medallion and a vehicle and drive it for a shift, and then let someone else rent it from them for a shift. That way the medallion earns while the owner is sleeping.

Make enough money there and you can get a second medallion and vehicle, which can work 2 shifts while you do other stuff. It's the only way to get ahead, and it takes both time and discipline. On the other hand, the system is straightforward...

Cynthetiq · 09-07-2007, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nydailynews.com

What the hack, it's progress click to show

At W. 65th St., he pulled over and stopped the meter, automatically registering the end of the trip via GPS. The reporter climbed out and Melendez drove on, not having mentioned the $15 to $45 cabbies such as he who lease must pay weekly toward the new gismos. He also had not mentioned the 5% surcharge drivers pay on each credit card transaction.

That 5% is a big issue for many of the strikers, particularly because only a third of it goes to the credit card companies and the rest is split between the GPS operators and the cab owners.

The 5% is a bit of a chafe, to go to the GPS operator? I can see the cab owner, but the GPS operator after paying for the unit???

blahblah454 · 09-07-2007, 08:45 PM

Okay, what the heck is a medallion?

QuasiMondo · 09-08-2007, 12:20 PM

From the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission website:

A taxicab medallion is a tin affixed to the hood of a New York City taxicab that represents a license from the City, authorizing the operation of a taxicab within the City of New York. Licensed taxicabs are the only motor vehicles permitted to accept passengers by street hail on the streets of New York City. The medallion owner must purchase a vehicle that meets the TLC’s specifications to operate as a New York City taxicab. Not only is a medallion a license to operate a taxicab, but it is also a license to own and operate a small business, to use as security for loans, and to lease the license to other operators for a fee. Taxicab licenses may be transferred to another qualified buyer.

Cynthetiq · 10-22-2007, 09:50 AM

ROUND 2!!!!

Quote:

Many taxi drivers are prepared to go on strike again tomorrow to protest the mandatory installation of expensive GPS equipment, credit and debit card readers, and video screens in the rear seats of their cabs. The effect of the first strike seemed negligible to many New Yorkers.

A very informal survey of cab drivers who already have the equipment installed in their cars yielded a consensus opinion of the new technology: it sucks. Drivers complained that when the card reader is not functioning, the entire meter is inoperable. Also, the unit gets very hot, but drivers are hesitant to turn them off because they take so long to reboot. Passengers don't seem that enthusiastic about the seat back video either, and many became frustrated with the card swipe devices, according to the Daily News.

To alleviate any inconveniences caused by the strike, the Taxi & Limousine Commission is re-instituting contingency pricing and ride-sharing rules. A full description of contingency pricing during the strike can be found after the jump.

QuasiMondo · 10-22-2007, 04:46 PM

Sounds like it'll be another beautiful traffic day.

dlish · 10-22-2007, 05:41 PM

something to look forward to when im there in december! u havent seen traffic here yet til u come to dubai. if the taxis strike here, it would cripple the whole coujtry. we dont have any other means of public transport just yet, so they could hold us to ransom if they wanted to. luckily Dubai Taxis are owned by the government!

World's King · 10-22-2007, 05:49 PM

I really wish I lived somewhere where taxis just roamed around waiting to pick people up.

The only way to get a cab in Denver is to call. Then you have to wait for anywhere from 10 min to two hours. It's absurd.

Luckily I have a friend that owns his own car service. If I'm in need of a ride I just call him and he picks me up in a badass Cadillac. For free.

biznatch · 10-29-2007, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by World's King

I really wish I lived somewhere where taxis just roamed around waiting to pick people up.

The only way to get a cab in Denver is to call. Then you have to wait for anywhere from 10 min to two hours. It's absurd.

Luckily I have a friend that owns his own car service. If I'm in need of a ride I just call him and he picks me up in a badass Cadillac. For free.

Yeah, the only real way to get around in Denver if you don't have a car is RTD, and even that's pretty bad.

09-05-2007, 03:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
SecretMethod70 Human Administrator Location: Chicago	Scabs. __________________ Le temps détruit tout "Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling

09-05-2007, 03:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
snowy Kick Ass Kunoichi Location: Oregon	If a person really wanted to see the impact of the strike on NYC, head to Times Square. My family stayed in a hotel overlooking the square when we visited, and calculated that an average of 100 taxis pass through that area per minute. I'd be interested to see if that number changed, with the supposed 80% of drivers staying home. __________________ If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

09-05-2007, 03:48 PM	#4 (permalink)
fresnelly Functionally Appropriate Location: Toronto	We're in town visiting and we slept better last night because of the conspicuous lack of honking. Getting around by walking and Subway (with two small children in tow) was no worse or better than before the strike. __________________ Building an artificial intelligence that appreciates Mozart is easy. Building an A.I. that appreciates a theme restaurant is the real challenge - Kit Roebuck - Nine Planets Without Intelligent Life

09-06-2007, 03:11 AM	#6 (permalink)
QuasiMondo Wise-ass Latino Location: Pretoria (Tshwane), RSA	Oh, they were. They had one guy on the news gloating about pulling $500 in just a few hours. He wished the could go on strike every day. __________________ Cameron originally envisioned the Terminator as a small, unremarkable man, giving it the ability to blend in more easily. As a result, his first choice for the part was Lance Henriksen. O. J. Simpson was on the shortlist but Cameron did not think that such a nice guy could be a ruthless killer. -From the Collector's Edition DVD of The Terminator

09-06-2007, 05:37 AM	#7 (permalink)
Halx Please touch this. Owner/Admin Location: Manhattan	Caught a cab from times square last night. He had his meter turned off so he estimated the ride. Turns out he heard me wrong, so a couple miles into Brooklyn, he was getting pissed. "I thought you said right off the Williamsburg Bridge!" Hah! __________________ You have found this post informative. -The Administrator [Don't Feed The Animals]

09-05-2007, 11:14 PM	#5 (permalink)
Kabsnow Registered User Location: CA	ha HA! If I were a cab driver I would be out there in my taxi reaping the benefits of supply and demand!

09-06-2007, 05:44 AM	#8 (permalink)
ScottKuma Insane Location: Maineville, OH	What are they complaining about THIS time? Last I heard, their collective panties are in a bunch over GPS... __________________ A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take from you everything you have. -Gerald R. Ford GoogleMap Me

09-06-2007, 09:15 AM	#10 (permalink)
kutulu Junkie	I don't have sympathy for them having to pay credit card transaction fees. It's 2007, not 1987. I have some questions about the GPS system. I understand that commercials are playing (just what this world needs, more advertising) on it at times. Who gets that revenue? Why isn't the revenue from the commercials offsetting the cost of the systems?

09-06-2007, 10:20 AM	#12 (permalink)
QuasiMondo Wise-ass Latino Location: Pretoria (Tshwane), RSA	I can see how the cab drivers would have to eat the costs of these machines if they own the medallion, but what about medallions that drivers lease from fleet companies? Do those drivers have to shoulder the costs for these machines too? __________________ Cameron originally envisioned the Terminator as a small, unremarkable man, giving it the ability to blend in more easily. As a result, his first choice for the part was Lance Henriksen. O. J. Simpson was on the shortlist but Cameron did not think that such a nice guy could be a ruthless killer. -From the Collector's Edition DVD of The Terminator

09-06-2007, 10:48 AM	#13 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	I'm not sure about the fleet cars. I would say that in some fashion the fleet owner will pass something onto the driver in the same way that the stripper pays the house for the stage, tip out the dj for the music, tip out the bartender. I'll keep digging to find out, it's a personal interest of mine to understand just how the cabbies make a living in NYC. I know a number of people who keep a hack license because it's decent money if you just have to drive the vehicle, but if you have to pay the rest of the costs associated with owning the medallion and vehicle, it's barely worth it. __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

09-06-2007, 10:56 AM	#14 (permalink)
ubertuber spudly Location: Ellay	I used to talk to drivers about this all the time when I lived in NY. Basically, you can make decent money driving someone else's medallion. If you own a medallion, you'll be working hard to get by if you are the only one driving the vehicle. For that reason, some people get a medallion and a vehicle and drive it for a shift, and then let someone else rent it from them for a shift. That way the medallion earns while the owner is sleeping. Make enough money there and you can get a second medallion and vehicle, which can work 2 shifts while you do other stuff. It's the only way to get ahead, and it takes both time and discipline. On the other hand, the system is straightforward... __________________ Cogito ergo spud -- I think, therefore I yam

09-07-2007, 08:45 PM	#16 (permalink)
blahblah454 Let's put a smile on that face Location: On the road...	Okay, what the heck is a medallion?

09-08-2007, 12:20 PM	#17 (permalink)
QuasiMondo Wise-ass Latino Location: Pretoria (Tshwane), RSA	From the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission website: A taxicab medallion is a tin affixed to the hood of a New York City taxicab that represents a license from the City, authorizing the operation of a taxicab within the City of New York. Licensed taxicabs are the only motor vehicles permitted to accept passengers by street hail on the streets of New York City. The medallion owner must purchase a vehicle that meets the TLC’s specifications to operate as a New York City taxicab. Not only is a medallion a license to operate a taxicab, but it is also a license to own and operate a small business, to use as security for loans, and to lease the license to other operators for a fee. Taxicab licenses may be transferred to another qualified buyer. __________________ Cameron originally envisioned the Terminator as a small, unremarkable man, giving it the ability to blend in more easily. As a result, his first choice for the part was Lance Henriksen. O. J. Simpson was on the shortlist but Cameron did not think that such a nice guy could be a ruthless killer. -From the Collector's Edition DVD of The Terminator

10-22-2007, 04:46 PM	#19 (permalink)
QuasiMondo Wise-ass Latino Location: Pretoria (Tshwane), RSA	Sounds like it'll be another beautiful traffic day. __________________ Cameron originally envisioned the Terminator as a small, unremarkable man, giving it the ability to blend in more easily. As a result, his first choice for the part was Lance Henriksen. O. J. Simpson was on the shortlist but Cameron did not think that such a nice guy could be a ruthless killer. -From the Collector's Edition DVD of The Terminator

10-22-2007, 05:41 PM	#20 (permalink)
dlish Currently sour but formerly Dlishs Super Moderator Location: Australia/UAE	something to look forward to when im there in december! u havent seen traffic here yet til u come to dubai. if the taxis strike here, it would cripple the whole coujtry. we dont have any other means of public transport just yet, so they could hold us to ransom if they wanted to. luckily Dubai Taxis are owned by the government! __________________ An injustice anywhere, is an injustice everywhere I always sign my facebook comments with ()()===========(}. Does that make me gay? - Filthy

10-22-2007, 05:49 PM	#21 (permalink)
World's King Here Location: Denver City Denver	I really wish I lived somewhere where taxis just roamed around waiting to pick people up. The only way to get a cab in Denver is to call. Then you have to wait for anywhere from 10 min to two hours. It's absurd. Luckily I have a friend that owns his own car service. If I'm in need of a ride I just call him and he picks me up in a badass Cadillac. For free. __________________ heavy is the head that wears the crown