By Carla Zanoni
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
INWOOD — Hitting a pothole can be a real headache for drivers in Manhattan. But for those who make their living on the road, like livery car driver Tara Wellansky, potholes can mean more than a bumpy ride — they can add up to several hundred dollars in repairs and hundreds more in lost fares.
As worries about the impact of the city’s bottomless pothole problem mounted, the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers announced Thursday that it is mounting a public service campaign to make sure drivers know they can ask the city to foot the bill on damage to their cars.
"They're on the road 24/7 and they basically confront every pothole you can imagine," Fernando Mateo, president of the Federation, said. "In a lot of cases their tires of getting mauled, rims get dented and they are swerving all over the road to avoid the holes. We’re afraid they are going to swerve and kill somebody."
Through a program offered by the City Comptrollers office, drivers can ask for reimbursement for damage to their vehicles caused by a pothole by filling out a five-page form.
Claimants have to prove that the Department of Transportation (DOT) had previous notice of the pothole 15 days before the damage occurred.
Potholes in Upper Manhattan have caught the attention of local politicians as well.
During a Town Hall meeting on Wednesday evening, State Senator Adriano Espaillat voiced concern about the number of potholes in Upper Manhattan. He announced plan to create a pothole patrol in his district to report potholes and track how long it takes to fill them, he said.
Speaking at the same meeting, DOT spokesman Maurice Bruet, said the agency is working 24 hours a day to fill potholes as they are identified and reported.
But on Thursday, Mateo said the DOT needs to act more quickly to remedy the pitted roadways, suggesting the agency contract workers the way the city did for snow clean-up.
In the meantime, Mateo said he would be working to build awareness of the city’s vehicle damage reimbursement program.
"We’re here to let the Mayor know that claims will be coming," Mateo said.
