Taxi drivers are taking New Yorkers for a ride.
Cabbies have illegally scammed unsuspecting riders out of a staggering $8.3 million by manually switching the meter to rates that only apply when they are driving outside the city, officials said.
In a bomshell report issued by the Taxi and Limousine Commission this afternoon, the agency said it uncovered that drivers illegally overcharged passengers by switching the meter from Rate Code 1 (the default setting used for trips inside the five boroughs) to Rate Code 4 (a higher rate only used for travel in Westchester or Nassau counties when cabs leave the city).
Using GPS technology installed inside cabs, the TLC was able to uncover that 1.87 million trips took place where passengers were illegally charged the higher, out-of-city rate.
The TLC said it will “seek revocation for the most serious offenders and fines for any driver that illegally charged the higher rate code.”
Over the past two years, 35,558 drivers illegally overcharged at least one passenger for an overall total of $8.33 million — about an average of $4.45 per trip, TLC officials said.
When Rate Code 4 is used, the fare switches from 40 cents per one-fifth of a mile to 80 cents per one-fifth of a mile. Using Rate Code 4 for trips that begin and end within the city is a TLC violation.
The agency said it has referred the incidents to the city Department of Investigation for them to further probe.
Riders can currently see what rate they are being charged by looking at the meter, which displays a No. “1” or a “4” to denote the setting.