Cabbies  Plan NYC Strike

New York City taxi drivers, ticked off by measures that they say hit pocketbooks and reduce privacy, have put the wheels in motion for a second city-wide strike Oct. 22. Last month, the Taxi Workers Alliance organized a 48-hour strike in response to requirements that all taxis include GPS devices and credit-card machines, technology that many cabbies pay for. While the strike’s impacts were much less than expected, it certainly wasn’t possible to catch a cab in a New-York minute. City officials estimated cab wait times averaged approximately 30 minutes, and business travelers reported longer waits during rush hour and at airports.

It’s difficult to say what this strike’s impacts would be, but taxi drivers are a notoriously independent bunch, and they don’t make money if they aren’t driving.  If the strike happens, business travelers to the Big Apple should schedule plenty of time for commuting, and bring a good pair of walking shoes.

More on the taxi strike.