What the hail?
New Yorkers who complain they can’t catch a taxi during the afternoon rush hour now have proof it’s more than just a conspiracy theory — there actually are fewer yellow cabs on the road at that time.
An analysis conducted by the Taxi and Limousine Commission found that the number of available cabs on the road plummets 18 percent between the hours of 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.
There are 5,452 taxis that make two or more trips at that hour, a dip from the 6,688 picking up multiple fares between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., according to data from recent months.
That’s because 4 to 5 is the period when drivers make their shift changes. Daytime drivers finish their tours around 4 p.m., while nighttime drivers are just preparing to start their tours around then. Many drivers use the same cabs.
New Yorkers have a right to say, “I told you so,” said TLC chief David Yassky.
“The evidence shows there’s a significant dip in the number of cabs between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.,” he said. “There’s a real inconvenience to the public.”
The TLC, for the first time, is able to precisely track the number of cabs available, thanks to GPS equipment installed in the vehicles three years ago.
Yassky said the dearth of available cabs during rush hour is one of the biggest complaints lodged by customers, along with drivers yapping on their cellphones.
He said he would be holding discussions with taxi-industry officials about providing more cabs during rush hour before considering imposing rules that would require it.