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More than 1,000 Cabbies Reportedly Face Penalties for Taxi Fare Scam

By Ben Fractenberg | May 21, 2010 8:09am | Updated on May 22, 2010 1:36pm
Over 1,000 cabbies may lose their license for overcharging passengers.
Over 1,000 cabbies may lose their license for overcharging passengers.
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By Ben Fractenberg

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MANHATTAN — More than 1,000 cabbies are likely to be penalized, some even losing their hack licenses, over the recent scandal where they were overcharging riders by more than $1 million, The New York Post reported.

The drivers allegedly charged passengers out of town rates while driving within the city limits, leading to around $1.1 million in extra fees, the paper said.

"We're insisting that the worst 633 offenders lose their license, and there's another 1,600 who will get fines," Taxi and Limousine Commission chief David Yassky told The Post.

Some drivers will have the option of paying a $5,000 fine or giving up their license, the paper said.

But the city is looking to revoke the licenses of 633 drivers who are not being giving the option of paying the fine.

"Make not mistake: Our obligation is to the riding public," Yassky told The New York Times. "And we will protect the integrity of the fare."