It’s about to become a lot easier to hail a cab in New York.
The Taxi and Limousine Commission voted 7-1 today to simplify the light system on taxis’ roofs.
Under the new rule, if the medallion number is lit up, the cab is available to be hailed. If the light’s off, keep looking.
That’s a change from several different sign-lighting options cabbies can now use.
Most confusing to riders is cabbies’ use of the “off duty” lights, which some say are hard to see, a TLC survey found. The new rule bans the use of the off duty lights.
TLC Chairman David Yassky said simplifying the signals makes sense. “From the point of view of the passenger, it’s irrelevant whether the driver is on duty– they just want to know if the car is available,” he said.
Trolling for fares with the “off duty” sign lit is illegal. But cabbies say they do it anyway, often at the end of their shifts, when they’re hoping for a passenger headed in the direction of their garages.
Curbing the practice will hit cabbies in the wallet, said driver Mohan Singh, 57. “That’s extra money we’re not getting — and it hurts,” said Singh.
But former Transportation Commissioner Iris Weinshall — the only TLC member to vote against the rule — said it won’t stop cabbies from illegally seeking passengers.
“I don’t think we need a change,” Weinshall said. “The problem is with taxi drivers shopping around for customers — and you’ll have that with or without off-duty lights.”
Taxis will be required to modify their roof lights so the “off duty” sign is blacked out by April 30. TLC spokesman Allan Fromberg said the agency doesn’t expect to ticket cabbies for violating the rule before then.