Jan 26, 2009 6:47 pm US/Eastern
NYC Eyes Split Rides In 'Fare Share' Taxi Program
Mayor Bloomberg Says Proposal A Win-Win For NYC
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
We ride with strangers everyday on subways, buses and commuter trains. But how about sharing the confined backseat of a cab with someone you don't know?
New York City is considering a "Taxi Sharing" program, designed to decrease fares for group riders.
"I'd share as long as they're paying half," a city commuter told CBS 2 HD.
A city experiment being considered may reprogram meters to calculate fares for group rides.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg described in his State of the City address how sharing taxi cabs was a win-win for New York, with passengers paying less and drivers earning more. But how do drivers feel about it?
"It would be good. Drivers would make more money I think," said Pervaiz Mughal.
"I believe in sharing with everyone," said Andrew Schatkin.
How would it work?
A $20 Wall Street to Midtown fare could be reworked on the meter so two passengers could pay $13 a piece or three passengers at $10 each.
"We're going to look into the GPS data bank and see where we're making a lot of drop-offs. We can set up a stand in the area and work out the details," said Matthew Daus of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission.
Shared rides is just one of the many ideas currently being considered along with zoned fares and authorized livery cab pickups.
A city official says the Taxi and Limousine Commission is still thinking about the plan and an official proposal won't be made for months.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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