New York gets green cabs as town cars change colour

[theaveragejoe]

New Yo rk is known the world over to have yellow cabs but now, in a fitting tribute to the 'Big Apple', they are turning green.The new bright green cabs, scheduled to hit the city’s busy roads by June, were unveiled by Mayor Bloomberg on Sunday.The fleet of livery cabs – known as ‘Boro Taxis’ - will be allowed to pick up passengers outside of Manhattan and in Northern Manhattan above East 96th and West 110th Streets.They are being introduced following a law passed in February which allows the 7 million people living in areas outside central Manhattan to hail taxis.

 

PPr fgeereereerPreviously only yellow cabs were allowed to pick up punters from the street which led to an estimated 100,000 illegal hails happening daily.The city are issuing 18,000 Boro Taxi permits, with the first 6,000 becoming available in June. The permits cost $1,500 each and will be valid for three years.

Mayor Bloomberg said the scheme will bring ‘thousands of’ livery drivers 'out of the shadows and into the legal economy.’'We went out to try to find something that would be recognizable...that would be distinguishable from the yellow cabs, and that would be pleasing to the eye and fit in with the city,' Bloomberg said at a press conference in City Hall. Like yellow cabs the taxis will be equipped with credit card machines, roof lights signaling when they are available and, of course, fare meters.They will cost the same as the yellow taxis.On April 2 the latest version of New York's yellow cab was unveiled – a new mini-van style vehicle that boasts charging ports for riders' electronics.

The new cabs, which will be on streets by next year, will also have more leg room, a large skylight roof to gaze at the city skyscrapers and even odor-reducing and anti-microbial fabric to keep bad smells at bay.

 

 

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