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GPS Log Analysis Uncovers Millions In NYC Taxi Overcharges
Hugh Pickens writes "The NY Times reports that New York City's Taxi and Limousine Commission is using GPS data collected in every cab to review millions of trips in New York City over the past 26 months and has discovered a huge number in which out-of-city rates, twice the rate charged for rides in the five boroughs, were improperly charged. The drivers' scheme, the commission says, involved 1.8 million rides and cost passengers an average of $4 to $5 extra per trip when drivers flipped switches on their meters that kicked in the higher rates, costing New York City riders a total of $8.3 million. Cab drivers are supposed to charge the higher rate only when they cross the border between New York City and Nassau or Westchester. 'We have not seen anything quite this pervasive,' said Matthew W. Daus, the taxi and limousine commissioner. 'It's very disturbing.' The taxi industry vigorously challenged the city's findings, saying it was unimaginable that such a pervasive problem could be the result of deliberate fraud. The commission says that 75% out of the city's 48,000 drivers had applied the higher rate at least once. Officials hope to roll out a short-term fix in two or three weeks in which an alert will appear on the backseat monitor when a cabbie activates the out-of-town rate."
I don't think you've spent much time here if you actually think that. First of all, I would say less than 5% of cabbies are native-born New Yorkers based on my experiences living here since the mid-90s. In fact, I'd say the significant majority are recent immigrants with modest English language skills. I don't think they have suddenly absorbed their ethical code from New York City.
Unfortunately, there are a non-negligible percentage of people in the world that are dishonest. They will take advantage of somebody if they think they can to make a few bucks. This will happen in any city on the planet. The fact that it's only happened to me a few times here in New York actually shows that it's more uncommon than common. The vast majority of these instances from the data in this story seem to be perpetrated by a minority of cab drivers - the significant number of cabbies who did this once or twice probably did it by accident. The small number who did it hundreds of times are complete scumbags, sure.
Such is the way of the world. It really has zip-all to do with New York or the East Coast.
You forgot the 'Magic Obama' part of the equation that lets you have more services for more people at a lower cost.
On a per-patient basis, not a per-dollar basis, Medicare's administrative costs are higher than private insurance.
Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
I'm really getting annoyed with the Republicans posting comments like this one all over the place. Once upon a time, it wasn't cool to be an open racist. But then came the Reagan Revolution and the Contract on America, and suddenly everyone's pulling grandpa's sheets off the shelf.
Fascism trolls keeping me up every night. When I starts a preachin', he HITS ME WITH HIS REICH!
Freeing slaves was not what was on Republican's minds back then. If so, the Emancipation Proclamation would have been issued in 1861 instead of two years later on 1863. The real issue was State's Rights, or does a state have the right to Secede from the Union. Besides, the factories of the North needed a place to dump all those goods they were producing. So, see, Republican listened to big business, even 150 years ago. Although, I will say you are partially right, did Lincoln express a desire to see slavery limited to the states that already had it, even before he took office.