NEW YORK (AP) -- A group of New York City taxi drivers launched a two-day strike early Wednesday over what the cabbies consider intrusive new technology.þþThe executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, Bhairavi Desai, said it wasn't immediately clear how many of the city's 13,000 taxis would be idled in the strike, which began on the verge of the morning rush hour in the nation's largest city.þþWhile Mayor Michael Bloomberg had downplayed the likelihood of widespread disruption, the city allowed taxis to pick up multiple separate passengers, and the transit system added some buses. Normally, drivers are allowed to pick up only one passenger or group of passengers at a time.þþThe alliance called the strike to protest new rules requiring all cabs to have global positioning systems and touch-screen monitors that will let passengers pay by credit card. Some cabbies fear the GPS systems could be used to track their movements and that they could get stuck paying hefty fees for credit card processing.þþ''The overwhelming majority of drivers are against this system, and there are serious setbacks this system is causing drivers,'' Desai said early Wednesday. She said the drivers' group hoped the strike would persuade city officials to back off the requirement.þþThe alliance claims to represent about one-fifth of the Taxi & Limousine Commission's 44,000 licensed drivers, but its leaders predicted a larger number of drivers would join in. However, several other groups that represent thousands of city cab drivers released statements opposing the strike, and Bloomberg predicted Tuesday that ''few, if any'' cabbies would strike.þþStill, the city instituted a group taxi ride plan early Wednesday, saying it would be called off if the strike didn't cause a significant disruption.þþIn addition, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs the city's subways and buses, planned to provide additional service on routes to and from LaGuardia International Airport.þþThe New York Police Department assigned extra police officers to taxi garages and transportation hubs, and plainclothes officers were to ride in some taxis to guard against reprisals against cabbies who chose not to strike, NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly said.þþTaxi commission and mayor's office representatives did not immediately return messages left at after-hours telephone numbers early Wednesday.þþThe city's cabs must have the high-tech equipment when they come up for inspection, starting Oct. 1. Taxi officials say eliminating the need for cash could increase ridership and drivers' incomes, and that the GPS technology will be used to give drivers traffic tips and help passengers find lost items.þþThe alliance picked a busy week to strike. The city is hosting the U.S. Open tennis tournament and New York Fashion Week, and many New Yorkers are returning from summer vacations after Labor Day.þþ
Source: NY Times
