I'm with you - the invasion of privacy claim sounds scary to me, and while I understand that cabbies might not want everyone to know where they're going while on the job, it also sounds frighteningly like there's something that cab company owners and dispatchers should be afraid of. At the same time, I hesitate and stop short of thinking that maybe cabbies are sitting somewhere when there's fares to be had, because since most cabbies have to pay for fuel and other services, they can use all the fares they can get: but I'm more worried that cabbies who try to bilk passengers out of an extra few bucks by taking the "scenic route" might be a bit worried. ;)

Now before any cabbies yell at me for this, I know nothing about the cab driving industry aside from anecdotal complaints I've heard from friends, which is not by any means actual data-so I could be dead wrong there.

At the same time, I don't think cabbies should be forced to dish out the money for this - where are the cab company owners in all of this? Shouldn't THEY be the ones who have to comply? Or, like what usually happens when you ask a business to do something good - are they just shunting the cost down to the employees/owners/customers?

if the cabbies have to pay for these devices. should they receive the revenue from the commercials?

By this rationale, it would also help to prevent crime if everyone were outfitted with GPS transponders and tracked 24 hours a day. We would know when people were in the bathroom, when they spent the night at their significant others' house, and when they didn't. But we would certainly be able to tell when people were commiting crimes. You would get a speeding ticket in the mail every time you exceeded the speed limit by 1 mph, and someone would know about every time you failed to completely stop for a stop sign. I, personally, don't want that level of surveilance, not as an individual driver or cab passenger. As it is, if you don't trust your cabbies in NY, take the subway! (There's a shocker). And, if you're wealthy enough to take a cab, you're most likely wealthy enough to afford a cell phone, all (reasonable recent) of which can now be tracked with A/GPS via the E911 service. So, no, I don't see any point for this, save as another opportunity for corporate backscratching, advertising, and more of a large, invasive government.

"I don't agree that this is an invasion of privacy, because the GPS technology could aid in solving crimes or even stopping them if a passenger is in trouble." --This makes absolutely no sense. There's no logical sequence in this thought process as stated. Sorry.

GPS could be utilised to verify rates charged, as well as giving the drivers piece of mind re the route needing to be followed (assuming that it will be tied into route mapping software that the driver can also use). The privacy issue is relative. The fact that the cab driver is 'hired' for a period of time dictates that his 'privacy' is already infringed on. The privacy issue is now transferred to the individual hailing a cab. Would they want to have this 'big brother is watching you' while they are utilising a service?

Just a thought . . . .

Seems pretty logical to me, Arethusa....

I don't think of it as an Invasion of Privacy. The City issues a license to Cabbies who are then hired to carry passengers from point to point, if the City then wants to require GPS, so be it. I DO NOT think the Cabbies should have to pay for the units, unless they can pass the increased cost off to their customers. Better yet, use the Ad revenue to pay for the units. Should pay off in fairly short term.

I also agree with the previous commenter that the Cabbies should get at least a portion of the AD revenue generated when ads are shown to the riders.

One question I have is will the Ads be tied to the GPS system, so that when a Cabbie drives past, say Macy's, will the rider be more likely to see a Macy's ad, or even better, a Macy competitor's ad (ala Google)? Will they get a targeted ad talking about current Sales/Specials?

The fact that the units will accept Credit Cards is both a Pro and Con for the drivers. They would not need to carry as much cash with them, neither would their fairs, but the Credit Card Companies (VISA, MC, etc) take a slice of every purchase and that might cut into the drivers profits. Sur charge?

Cabbies need to be careful with Strike threats. They are not the only form of transport in the city, and the City issue's the licenses, so if they go too far I imagine that the City can begin to pull their permits.

PS: Don't fool yourselves into thinking that these GPS Units will help solve many crimes. The Cabbie's already have to keep logs of where they go, right? This just makes it easier for the Cops to get and sort the data.

I'm all for it. Let them strike, up the rates 10% and we'll finally get English speaking cab drivers again!!

Good luck with that, Rudy. :p

Can't stand yellow cabs in NYC. They are reckless and rude. I can understand that we all want to make a living, but you don't have to literally run people over to do it.

I personally would WELCOME a permanent strike by these lunatics on wheels. Half of them barely deserve a driver's license and the other half should be forced to ride in the cabs of these borderline drivers. Car service is so much more reasonable from a financial, social and professional point of view.

I've lived in NYC all my life. We did had a taxi strike once, several years back. What happened? Traffic in the streets continued to flow (better, in fact). People were able to get to their destinations SAFELY and ON TIME. In short, NO ONE CARED. It was a pleasant surprise and people who were initially inconvenienced decided halfway through the day that "I could get used to this". I was literally combing the news stations to see if I would get anything re: driving accidents and got zilch.

One problem with no taxis is you can't get to your destination where no buses run at night or in the suburbs where it's sparsely populated.

I've lived in Toronto, Canada all my life and never had a taxi strike since 1954.

If the NYC TLC were worried about the drivers safety it would be video cameras not gps devices. You should also ponder why the gps device only provides a map to the passenger not the driver. Imagine when other countries develop their own gps. Any and all interest will have access to everyones gps and big brother will become anyone. Our fight is the your fight! Our work space will become your work space. Company issued blackberrys with gps reviewing your off time movements.

And cabbies in other corners of the globe embrace this kind of technology. In fact, cabbies in Quebec have been fighting for 13 YEARS to make GPS legal:
http://www.thegpsinsider.com/2007/07/25/quebec-gives-green-light-to-gps-navigation-units/

great sys in ca but the first thing u see is a map for the driver. in the sys i have trained on no map for the driver. what good does that do? the nyc tlc prop is a crock of s*** further look for a stike in sept. Fellow NYers look long and hard @ this issue. it will come back to haunt u.

Well let me ask all user & readers of this Gear Log this question?

How many of you out there know that cabbies are truly employees?

If not why are they being forced to install GPS?
I urge all to see the facts at: www.saveacabbie.com
and while at the site be sure to visit our World Wide Cabbie Attack page.

The key here is there employees or NOT?

When you have to get hired in most parts of AMERICAN believe it or not you're an EMPOLYEE! But for some reason and it's been years, cabbies take the orders of the cab owners, TLC in NY, and others but they are not ruled employees!

When you're told when to work, when to stop, how much to charge, and now FROCED to use GPS you folks are surely an EMPOLYEE... This is what needs to be addressed.

My goodness, now all local pastors now have to pay taxes on what the church gives him/her. So I think my point is well stated here CABBIES ARE EMPOLYEE'S.

This GPS issue more proves it, as each city approves it use. If you're now going to track the every move of a cab and that driver means there you're EMPOLYEE...

Any ways stop by www.saveacabbie.com we have daily up dates and welcome all input.

Blessing to all,
DjSz-Daniel James Szekely
Editor of WWW.SAVEACABBIE.COM
A World Wide Media that works to "SAVEACABBIE"
Send in input to: input@saveacabbie.com

Its not invading there privacy. They are working. its FOR WORK PURPOSES. There is no privacy when used for work. They just do not want to spyed on from TLC. TLC will now know about all there fares, so now they can not hide there fares, which means they have to report everything, and pay more taxes. I know I pay all MY Taxes. I think they should too. So please dont tell me its Invading there privacy, when its absolutely not. If they have nothing to hide, then they should not worry about installing them. And YES, they should get a discount from the city to install them, since now there will be about 10,000 GPS installments.

I think that the GPS is and invasion of privicy. Drivers should be entitled to decide whether or not they want to install the GPS. The TLC has no right to tell them how much to spend on a GPS system they dont even want. This is not an absolute necessity and thacis were able to get around and do their job well without it. We should be remembered that this is the land of the free and taxi owners should not be slaves to the whims and the most random decisions of the city. ITS NOT FAIR!!

Yea i think the GPS is just bullshit...Now we are gonna see Cabby driving at 40-50mph and we will have a bigger traffic crisis in NY.

And "invasion of privacy and helping solve crime has nothing to do with each other..."

And if you feel that if something helps solve crime then its not invasion of privacy.. i guess we should install Camera in every public bathroom? i bet you wont like that.

And i was wondering where will the money from those Advertisements go to? I sure hope it goes to the taxi driver cause they are going to be paying for that crap.