By Serena Solomon
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
UPPER WEST SIDE — Mark Anthony, 45, left his home Wednesday morning bound for W. 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue to share a cab with other New Yorkers on the first day of the city's group ride program.
One problem: No one else showed up.
"It's annoying. It makes you want to catch your own [cab]," he said, standing in the rain. Anthony approached a taxi and asked if the occupants wanted to share.
But no luck. It was another reporter trying to cover the story.
With his plans foiled, Anthony decided to walk to work.
The Taxi and Limousine Commission's group ride program was supposed to start last Friday, but that got pushed to Wednesday due to last week's snowstorm.
From three designated pick-up spots in Manhattan, the weekday program from 6 a.m to 10 a.m promises to drastically reduce fares for riders who want to share a cab with strangers.
On Wednesday, though, judging by Anthony's experience at W. 72nd and Columbus, it seemed New Yorkers would need convincing to embrace the program.
"I don't think we can actually gauge after a few hours if it works," said TLC spokesman Allan Fromberg. "Obviously, we believe it is going to grow from here."
Fromberg said there had been a dozen or so successful rides on the first day, with representatives from the TLC stationed at the pickup points to assist commuters.
The points are located at W. 57th Street and Eighth Avenue, W. 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue, and E. 72nd Street and Third Avenue. All of the routes converge on Park Avenue and continue downtown to Grand Central Terminal.
Traveling from West and East 72nd Street to Grand Central will cost $4 per passenger, and traveling from W. 57th Street will cost $3.
"We are usually competing on opposite corners," said Peter Greenman, who was at the Upper West Side stop attempting to flag down a taxi. He was on his way to Broadway and West 55th Street, and would consider sharing a cab if the route went past his office.
For Lesley Deleny, who was headed to W. 52nd Street and Seventh Avenue, the trusty bus was sufficient.
"If I'm going to pay for a cab, I'm going to pay the full fare," she said.
