Illegal taxi operation

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Illegal taxicabs, sometimes known as pirate taxis, gypsy cabs, or jitney cabs, are taxicabs and other for-hire vehicles that are not duly licensed or permitted by the jurisdiction in which they operate. Most major cities worldwide require taxicabs to be licensed, safety-inspected, insured as for-hire vehicles, and to use taximeters, and there may also be requirements that the taxi driver be registered or accredited. However, many unlicensed cabs are in operation. Illegal cabs may be marked taxi vehicles (sometimes referred to as "speedy cabs"), and others are personal vehicles used by an individual to offer unauthorized taxi-like services. Illegal cabs are prevalent in cities with medallion systems, which restrict the number of legal cabs in operation. Since their introduction in 2009, vehicles affiliated with ridesharing companies have been classified as illegal taxicabs in some jurisdictions.

Contents

Terminology

A variety of terms are used in the industry to describe legal and illegal transportation providers. Hacks or hackers is a common term that originated with the hackney horse, a breed of horse typically offered for hire in the 19th century. Other terms used are livery cab, car service, or jitney cab. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

The phrases vary by locality and often refer to different classes of licensed transportation providers.

In mainland China, illegal cabs are referred to as black taxis or black cars (黑车), or alternatively blue-plate cars (蓝牌车), referring to the colour of the licence plates for private vehicles, rather than yellow for public service vehicles.[ citation needed ]

In Lagos, Nigeria, illegal cabs are usually referred to as kabu kabu. [7]

In Hong Kong, illegal cabs are usually referred to as white card , due to the different licence plate appearance between commercial and non-commercial vehicles.[ citation needed ]

In Malaysia, illegal taxicabs are called prebet sapu (sweep privates). [8]

In the Philippines, illegal taxis operating as Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs) without proper franchise are called colorums.

In Madrid, Spain, illegal taxicabs meant for carrying drug addicts to the meeting point with drug dealers are called cundas (singular, cunda). [9]

In Argentina, illegal taxicabs are called remises truchos (false taxis). [10]

In Norway and Denmark, an illegal cab is called pirattaxi (pirate taxi). [11]

In Gabon they are called clandos. [12]

In the Netherlands they are called snorders ; the term derives from the Yiddish verb snorren, to scrounge, cadge. [13] [14]

In Turkey, an illegal taxicab is known as a korsan taksi (pirate taxi). [15]

Types and exceptions

Unlicensed cabs may be found cruising the residential streets of a city, typically in the working-class neighborhoods. Sometimes, drivers will also wait at a location where taxi service is in demand, such as airport or train station arrival areas or shopping centers, asking arriving passengers if they need a ride. Unlicensed taxis often do not have meters, so the fare is usually agreed to at the beginning of the ride. The car itself is usually large and similar in feel to a licensed taxi.

In New York City, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and other cities non-medallion car services (also called livery cabs) lawfully exist but are only supposed to respond to telephone dispatch. They cannot legally pick up street hails or enter taxi stands at airports. However, outside of the core Manhattan business district, livery cabs are ubiquitous and will respond to street hails. Some areas also have sedan services, which likewise respond to telephone dispatch.

There are also non-taxicab based unlicensed transportation providers. Examples include "dollar vans" plying city bus routes in New York City, and van services that offer rides between major cities. In some places, providing a ride in a personal vehicle as a part of another job, such as caregiving, may be legal, sometimes with regulation of certain factors, such as insurance coverage.

Medallion systems

In some large American cities, and in Hong Kong, a medallion system is used to license cabs. The city issues a fixed number of medallions, and only medallion taxis are allowed to pick up fares. In general, this leads to medallions becoming ever more expensive—a New York City corporate medallion can sell for up to $1 million each. [16] Medallions are transferable, and while some cab drivers own their own medallion, most must lease one on a daily or weekly basis from a fleet owner.

The medallion system has several effects upon the illegal transportation market. By acting as a barrier to entry to the taxi market, it has the consequence of creating a market for unlicensed cabs, especially in areas that tend to be underserved by medallion cabs. Taxi medallions tend to increase in value over time, and their owners and lessees tend to be very eager to protect their exclusive rights, for example, by lobbying for stricter enforcement against unlicensed cabs.

In working-class neighborhoods

In some major US cities, there is significant anecdotal evidence that unlicensed cabs are mostly found in working-class neighborhoods. [17]

In Baltimore, United States, supermarkets in working-class neighborhoods frequently have "courtesy drivers" who, although not employed by the supermarket, have shown identification to management and are allowed to wait in front of the store for fares. Unlike licensed cab drivers, these courtesy drivers will also help to carry groceries up to one's apartment. [17] "Hacking" in Baltimore has grown grass-roots style to a region-wide phenomenon, originating from "Hack Clubs", organizations usually operating in converted rowhouses where "hacks" made their cars available, distributed business cards with a central number, employed a "dispatcher", and hung around the rowhouse waiting in line for calls. This practice continues today, but hacking has evolved to the point where people nowadays just wag a finger toward the street, and wait for anyone to stop. This new way of getting around remains popular, despite being potentially dangerous, due to disillusionment with the city transit service, and the fact that licensed cabs seldom stop for fares in the most dangerous parts of town. There are plenty of willing drivers, and competition can be fierce. The fare is negotiated and paid upfront. Police maintain this is illegal, and sometimes enforce with $500 tickets, and a trip to the courthouse.

In Pittsburgh, jitneys are unlicensed cabs that specialize in areas underserved by traditional taxis and public transport, particularly the historically Black Hill District. This is the inspiration for August Wilson's play Jitney , which is set at a Hill District car service office. [18]

In Chicago, raiteros are drivers who take immigrant workers to distant farms and factories. They sometimes function also as temp agency. [19]

Amish taxis

Unlicensed cabs are also found among the Amish of rural Pennsylvania (within the US). An Amish taxi is typically an illegal taxicab operation run on an informal basis by an individual who is not specifically running a taxi service, but who has been propositioned by an Amish person to transport them for shopping or business purposes.[ citation needed ] Old Order Amish do not drive, but will hire a van or taxi for trips for which they cannot use their traditional horse and buggy transportation. [20]

In most rural locations with a low-density Amish population, it would be impractical for an Amish person to hire a commercial taxi from a metropolitan area since the taxi would have to drive long distances just to pick up the Amish person. It is therefore more convenient and less expensive to find an unlicensed non-Amish neighbor willing to act as a "taxi".

Normal individual automotive insurance is not intended to insure driving a vehicle for hire for business purposes. A paratransit license from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) is required to operate an Amish taxi legally in Pennsylvania. This applies to anyone who transports people for a fee. The vehicle cannot hold more than 15 passengers, and must display a PUC identification number on both sides of the vehicle. [21]

Crowdsourced taxis

A protest against Uber by taxicab drivers in Budapest Protest against Uber - Budapest, 2016.01.18 (2).JPG
A protest against Uber by taxicab drivers in Budapest

Crowdsourced taxis are run by ridesharing companies. [22] [23] Since Uber's launch, several other companies have emulated its business model, a trend that has come to be referred to as "Uberification". [24] [25]

Many governments and taxi companies have protested against Uber, alleging that its use of unlicensed, crowd-sourced drivers was unsafe and illegal. Uber operates and functions as a taxi service company for the public by dispatching drivers to provide transportation services to passengers who pay Uber mileage-based fees and surcharges through credit card information kept on file by Uber. The taxi industry has pushed to have Uber treated the same as taxi companies, who face public safety requirements under the law ranging from how old vehicles on the road can be to how much they can charge or how many passengers allowed per vehicle and how much insurance they must carry. [26]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hackney carriage</span> British car for hire

A hackney or hackney carriage is a carriage or car for hire. A hackney of a more expensive or high class was called a remise. A symbol of London and Britain, the black taxi is a common sight on the streets of London. The hackney carriages carry a roof sign TAXI that can be illuminated to indicate their availability for passengers.

Jitney may refer to:

A share taxi, shared taxi, taxibus, or jitney or dollar van in the US, or marshrutka in former Soviet countries, is a mode of transport which falls between a taxicab and a bus. Share taxis are a form of paratransit. They are vehicles for hire and are typically smaller than buses. Share taxis usually take passengers on a fixed or semi-fixed route without timetables, sometimes only departing when all seats are filled. They may stop anywhere to pick up or drop off their passengers. They are most common in developing countries and inner cities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taxis of Hong Kong</span>

Hong Kong taxicabs provide taxi services in Hong Kong. Although a few taxis are independently owned and operated, the vast majority are owned by 17 independent taxi companies that rent out taxis on a shift basis to 40,000 self-employed drivers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taxis of New York City</span>

Taxicabs in New York City come in two varieties: yellow and green; they are widely recognizable symbols of the city. Taxis painted yellow are able to pick up passengers anywhere in the five boroughs. Taxis painted apple green, which began to appear in August 2013, are allowed to pick up passengers in Upper Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. Both types have the same fare structure. Taxicabs are operated by private individuals or companies and licensed by the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC). It also oversees over 40,000 other for-hire vehicles, including "black cars", commuter vans, and ambulettes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taxis of Singapore</span>

Taxis of Singapore come in two main varieties. Traditional taxi companies offer flag down and call bookings and their drivers are hired employees of the company. Ridesharing companies allow bookings through a smartphone, allowing ease for passengers, these are mostly known as private hire vehicles (PHV). Their apps also allow the flexibility to work and pick up passengers with their own vehicle, be it owned or rented, provided the various requirements are met depending on the company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motorcycle taxi</span> Form of transport

A motorcycle taxi, or cart bike or bike taxi, is a licensed form of transport in some countries. The taxi typically carries one passenger, who "rides pillion" behind the motorcycle operator. Multiple passengers are common in some countries.

Taxicabs within a country often share common properties, but there is a wide variation from country to country in the vehicles used, the circumstances under which they may be hired and the regulatory regime to which these are subject.

The taxicabs of the United States make up a mature system; most U.S. cities have a licensing scheme which restricts the number of taxicabs allowed. As of 2012 the total number of taxi cab drivers in the United States is 233,900; the average annual salary of a taxi cab driver is $22,820 and the expected percent job increase over the next 10 years is 16%.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taxis of the United Kingdom</span> Transportation in form of taxicabs in the United Kingdom

Taxicabs are regulated throughout the United Kingdom, but the regulation of taxicabs in London is especially rigorous with regard to mechanical integrity and driver knowledge. An official report observed that: "Little however is known about the regulation by anyone outside the trade. The Public Carriage Office (PCO), which regulates and licenses taxis and private hire was transferred from the Metropolitan Police to become part of Transport for London in 2000." In 2015, there were around 298,000 licensed drivers in England, of which 164,000 were private hire licences, 62,000 were taxi licences and 72,000 were dual licences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taxis of Australia</span> Transportation in form of taxicabs in Australia

Taxis in Australia are highly regulated by each Australian state and territory, with each state and territory having its own history and structure. In December 2014, there were 21,344 taxis in Australia. Taxis in Australia are required to be licensed and are typically required to operate and charge on a fitted taximeter. Taxi fare rates are set by State or Territory governments. A vehicle without a meter is generally not considered to be a taxi, and may be described, for example, as a hire car, limousine, carpool, etc. Most taxis today are fueled by liquid petroleum gas. A2B Australia owns and operates the Cabcharge payment system, which covers 98% of taxis in Australia, and operates one of Australia's largest taxi networks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission</span> New York City government agency

The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission is an agency of the New York City government that licenses and regulates the medallion taxis and for-hire vehicle industries, including app-based companies such as Uber and Lyft. The TLC's regulatory landscape includes medallion (yellow) taxicabs, green or Boro taxicabs, black cars, community-based livery cars, commuter vans, paratransit vehicles (ambulettes), and some luxury limousines.

A sedan service is a transportation service that offers taxi-like rides in vehicles. Sedan services exist in many places, though the exact definition, along with regulations, may vary in different places. In some places, the term refers to a more luxurious service than taxicabs, while in other areas, it is a cheaper alternative. In most places, the ride must be prearranged, and a sedan driver is not legally permitted to pick up a hailing passenger like a taxicab. Also, most sedan services do not use meters like taxicabs, but rather charge by the mile, following the odometer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taxi</span> Type of vehicle for hire with a driver

A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice. This differs from public transport where the pick-up and drop-off locations are decided by the service provider, not by the customers, although demand responsive transport and share taxis provide a hybrid bus/taxi mode.

Taxicabs and other vehicles-for-hire in Canada are regulated by local municipalities and provinces, and are owned & operated by private companies and individuals. Unlicensed cabs in some cities are referred to as bandit taxis/cabs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taxis of India</span>

Cars such as Toyota Etios, Maruti Omni, Mahindra Logan, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Indica and Tata Indigo are fairly popular among taxicab operators. The livery of the taxicabs in India varies from state to state. In Delhi and Maharashtra, most taxicabs have yellow-black livery, while in West Bengal, taxis have yellow livery. Private taxicab operators are not required to have a specific livery. However, they are required by law to be registered as commercial vehicles.

The legality of ridesharing companies by jurisdiction varies; in some areas they are considered to be illegal taxi operations, while in other areas, they are subject to regulations that can include requirements for driver background checks, fares, caps on the number of drivers in an area, insurance, licensing, and minimum wage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taxi medallion</span> American city transferrable taxi permit

A taxi medallion, also known as a CPNC, is a transferable permit in the United States allowing a taxicab to operate. Several major cities in the US use these in their taxi licensing systems, including New York City, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, and San Francisco.

Taxis in Vietnam are part of a complex transportation and economic system within the country. Taxicabs are one facet of a diverse 'vehicle for hire' ecosystem in Vietnam.

A livery cab, private hire, or minicab (London) is a car with a driver available for hire only on a pre-booked basis. These cabs are contrasted with public-hire taxicabs or hackney carriages, hailed or street taxis, licensed to ply streets and for hailing throughout communities. This type of transport may include limousine services and some minibuses and shuttle buses.

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