Outer-borough cabbies are taking home the green.
Drivers of the outer-borough taxis say that the apple green rides are major money makers.
Jenny Ahmed, vice president of Brooklyn’s PIA Car Limo, said on Thursday that some drivers are raking up to four times their usual haul since the green cabs hit the road on Aug. 9. Some of her base’s night drivers are making as much as $650 a shift, whereas she said before they were fortunate to make $150.
“They like that they can take street hails,” Ahmed said.
“They were living off the grid for a while. Now they have something to aspire to.”
Mohammed Virk, a 40-year-old Marine Park father of four, said that he’s been taking home as much as triple what he took in as a livery-car driver.
He used to make $100 and $150 a shift; now he makes $200 to $350. He said that the ability to pick up street hails has had a huge impact on the 23-year veteran’s bottom line.
“It’s truly amazing. We have a lot more business,” he said. “Financially, things are getting better. It’s very exciting.”
Currently, there are about 500 outer-borough taxis on the roads, and in ensuing months that number is expected to hit at least 4,000. About 20 percent of the new cabs will be wheelchair-accessible.