NYC taxi commission hears testimony on fares

The proposed plan would increase the cost of the average ride by 17 percent. The base fare of $2.50 would not increase but the mileage charge would. The flat-rate fee between Manhattan and John F. Kennedy International Airport would jump from $45 to $52. The surcharge to travel to or from Newark Liberty International Airport would rise from $15 to $17.50.

Proposed surcharges would include one for rush-hour traffic and another for nighttime travel.

“This is a tremendous boost to cab drivers,” said Bill Lindauer, a retired cab driver. “They need this tremendously,”

Lindauer argues that New Yorkers experience fare increases for the subway every two years, which seldom happens in the cab world. The last taxi fare hike was in 2005.

He added that cab fare in New York is cheaper in comparison to other cities in the country.

“Three or four people can travel in a cab for less money than they would on a subway. Is that fair?” he said.

Cab drivers and owners gave most of the testimony at the hearing Monday.

Most agreed on the need for a fare increase, but disagreement arose over another issue: The proposal, if passed, would not increase the leasing fee paid by drivers.

Michael Woloz of the Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade said giving drivers a break would burden fleet owners, who already have a lot of expenses.

“This fare increase goes just to drivers and the taxi garages that employ thousands of people get nothing,” Woloz said.

Victor Salizar, a cab driver and an activist for the New York Taxi Workers Alliance disagrees. He says the cab drivers already pay so much for leases and the laws need to be adjusted so that the drivers are not “exploited.”

“They want to continue to drain as much money out as they can from us,” Salizar said.

Currently, cab drivers do not have health insurance plans, but with this provision, 6 cents from each trip would go toward health care and disability coverage.

A vote on the proposal is scheduled for Thursday.