Illegal taxicab operation
Encyclopedia
While most jurisdictions require taxicab
operators to be license
d, many unlicensed cabs are in operation. Some of these are marked taxi vehicles (sometimes referred to as "gypsy cabs" or "speedy cabs"), and others are personal vehicles used by an individual to offer unauthorized taxi-like services (sometimes called a "hack"). Illegal cabs tend to be more prevalent in cities with medallion systems, which restrict the number of legal cabs in operation. Illegal taxicab operation is generally seen as a victimless crime although it may affect the economic value of licensed taxis, and safety regulations may be bypassed. Both the drivers and passengers of illegal cabs are taking this risk. However, passengers sometimes find illegal cabs to be more available, convenient, or economical than licensed ones.
In London illegal cabs are called gray cabs , as the licensed legal cabs are called black cabs. Usually black is associated with black market, but in this case the black cabs are the legal ones, officially called Licensed Hackney Carriages.
In Lagos (Nigeria),illegal cabs are usually referred to as "Kabu kabu".
In Hong Kong
, illegal cabs are usually referred to as White card
due to different plate appearance between commercial and non-commercial vehicles.
In Norway
, an illegal cab is called pirattaxi, "pirate taxi".
In Trinidad and Tobago
illegal taxis are referred to as "PH" cars. This is because of the coding used on licence plates to distinguish between private cars from taxis. On a private car's licence plate, the number begins with a "P" (for private) while on taxis the licence plates begin with an "H" (for hired). Thus the slang "PH" indicates an informal blend of the two states.
In St. Catharines, Ontario an illegal cab is called a "speedy cab", they offer rides of 8 dollars anywhere in town flat rates outside of town also offered. Due to the high rate the legal taxis cost, speedy cabs are very popular amongst the retired, elderly, and generally fixed income people, many college students also use the system.
or train station
arrival areas or shopping centers, asking arriving passengers if they need a ride. Unlicensed taxis often do not have meters, so the fare is usually agreed to at the beginning of the ride. The car itself is usually large, similar in feel to a licensed taxi.
In New York City and some other cities, non medallion car services (also called livery cabs) lawfully exist but are only supposed to respond to telephone dispatch. They cannot legally pick up street hails or enter taxi stands at airports. However, outside of the core Manhattan business district, livery cabs are ubiquitous and will respond to street hails.
Some areas also have sedan service
s, which likewise, respond to telephone dispatch.
There are also non-taxicab based unlicensed transportation providers. Examples include "dollar van
s" plying city bus routes in New York City, and van services that offer rides between major cities.
In some places, providing a ride in a personal vehicle as a part of another job
, such as caregiving
, may be legal, sometimes with regulation of certain factors, such as insurance coverage.
The medallion system has several effects upon the illegal transportation market. By acting as a barrier to entry to the taxi market, it has the unintended consequence of creating a market for unlicensed cabs, especially in areas that tend to be underserved by medallion cabs. Taxi medallions tend to increase in value over time, and their owners and lessees tend to be very eager to protect their exclusive rights, for example, by lobbying for stricter enforcement against unlicensed cabs.
that unlicensed cabs are mostly found in working class neighborhoods of large cities. There are likely several reasons for this. First is a lack of licensed taxis—due to the perception, by cab drivers, of safety issues or that better tips can be had in wealthier neighborhoods. Often due to expensive medallions, licensed taxis don't leave the Central Business District
(CBD), except to go to airports to drop off or pick up customers, which are easy and guaranteed income. If a metropolitan area is made of islands and depends on bridges and tunnels, and the CBD is a particular island, there is great psychological pressure to the licensed taxi driver to not leave that CBD island except for airports—even if the destination is a wealthy neighborhood—for fear of inability to attain a return fare, safety concerns, or reliability of an outer-island customer paying his bill at the end of the journey.
Eventually a precedent forms wherein customers will never find a licensed taxi in outer areas, causing licensed drivers to expect difficulty finding customers for a return trip, and wherein customers will wait for the first unlicensed cab or public transport rather than wait indefinitely for a licensed cab. Eventually drivers may form informal patrol zones corresponding to licensed and unlicensed taxis. Compounding this, residents of outer neighborhoods often own fewer cars per capita and thus are more dependent on publicly available transportation.
Moreover, residents of such neighborhoods may favor unlicensed cabs even if licensed taxis are available. Metered fares usually include a rate pertaining to the duration of a trip; as such, in areas where traffic congestion is common and unpredictable, the duration component of a licensed trip can skyrocket a fare beyond customer expectation. In contrast, unlicensed fares are known in advance, eliminating customer fears of unexpected cost.
It is not uncommon for residents and drivers to develop long-term relationships, wherein a customer comes to rely on a specific driver, using him regularly to commute to work or go shopping.
In Baltimore, MD
, supermarkets in working class neighborhoods frequently have "courtesy drivers" who, although not employed by the supermarket, have shown identification to management and are allowed to wait in front of the store for fares. Unlike licensed cab drivers, these courtesy drivers will also help to carry groceries up to one's apartment. "Hacking" in Baltimore has grown grass-roots style to a region-wide phenomenon, originating from "Hack Clubs", organizations usually operating in converted rowhouses where "hacks" made their cars available, distributed business cards with a central number, employed a "dispatcher", and hung around the rowhouse waiting in line for calls. This practice continues today, but hacking has evolved to the point where people nowadays just wag a finger toward the street, and wait for anyone to stop. Photo of someone in Baltimore flagging a hack This new way of getting around remains popular, despite being incredibly dangerous, due to disillusionment with the city transit service, and the fact that licensed cabs seldom stop for fares in the most dangerous parts of town. There are plenty of willing drivers, and competition can be fierce. The fare is negotiated and paid upfront. Police maintain this is illegal, and sometimes enforce with $500 tickets, and a trip to the courthouse. However, hacking is so prevalent in certain parts of town that cops don't bother making traffic stops.
of rural Pennsylvania. Old Order Amish do not drive, but will hire a van or taxi for trips for which they cannot use their traditional horse and buggy transportation.
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
operators to be license
License
The verb license or grant licence means to give permission. The noun license or licence refers to that permission as well as to the document recording that permission.A license may be granted by a party to another party as an element of an agreement...
d, many unlicensed cabs are in operation. Some of these are marked taxi vehicles (sometimes referred to as "gypsy cabs" or "speedy cabs"), and others are personal vehicles used by an individual to offer unauthorized taxi-like services (sometimes called a "hack"). Illegal cabs tend to be more prevalent in cities with medallion systems, which restrict the number of legal cabs in operation. Illegal taxicab operation is generally seen as a victimless crime although it may affect the economic value of licensed taxis, and safety regulations may be bypassed. Both the drivers and passengers of illegal cabs are taking this risk. However, passengers sometimes find illegal cabs to be more available, convenient, or economical than licensed ones.
Terminology
A variety of terms are used in the industry to describe legal and illegal transportation providers. Hacks or Hackers is a common term that originated with the hackney horse, a breed of horse typically offered for hire in the 19th century. Other terms used are gypsy cab, livery cab, car service, or jitney cab. The phrases vary by locality and often refer to different classes of licensed transportation providers. For example, in Philadelphia a cab driver's license is called a hacker's license, while in New York City livery cabs are licensed for telephone dispatch only.In London illegal cabs are called gray cabs , as the licensed legal cabs are called black cabs. Usually black is associated with black market, but in this case the black cabs are the legal ones, officially called Licensed Hackney Carriages.
In Lagos (Nigeria),illegal cabs are usually referred to as "Kabu kabu".
In Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, illegal cabs are usually referred to as White card
White card
White card is a term used to describe citizen-owned automobiles in Hong Kong that are used as illegal unlicensed taxis.-History:...
due to different plate appearance between commercial and non-commercial vehicles.
In Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, an illegal cab is called pirattaxi, "pirate taxi".
In Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
illegal taxis are referred to as "PH" cars. This is because of the coding used on licence plates to distinguish between private cars from taxis. On a private car's licence plate, the number begins with a "P" (for private) while on taxis the licence plates begin with an "H" (for hired). Thus the slang "PH" indicates an informal blend of the two states.
In St. Catharines, Ontario an illegal cab is called a "speedy cab", they offer rides of 8 dollars anywhere in town flat rates outside of town also offered. Due to the high rate the legal taxis cost, speedy cabs are very popular amongst the retired, elderly, and generally fixed income people, many college students also use the system.
The basics
Unlicensed cabs may be found cruising the residential streets of a city, typically in the working class neighborhoods. Sometimes, drivers will also wait at a location where taxi service is in demand, such as airportAirport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
or train station
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
arrival areas or shopping centers, asking arriving passengers if they need a ride. Unlicensed taxis often do not have meters, so the fare is usually agreed to at the beginning of the ride. The car itself is usually large, similar in feel to a licensed taxi.
In New York City and some other cities, non medallion car services (also called livery cabs) lawfully exist but are only supposed to respond to telephone dispatch. They cannot legally pick up street hails or enter taxi stands at airports. However, outside of the core Manhattan business district, livery cabs are ubiquitous and will respond to street hails.
Some areas also have sedan service
Sedan service
A sedan service is a transportation service that offers taxi-like rides in vehicles. Sedan services exist in many places, though the exact definition, along with regulations, may vary in different places. In some places, the term refers to a more luxurious service than taxicabs, while in other...
s, which likewise, respond to telephone dispatch.
There are also non-taxicab based unlicensed transportation providers. Examples include "dollar van
Dollar Van
A dollar van is a privately owned type of bus service used to carry passengers in the United States of America. Dollar vans typically operate in neighborhoods within urban areas that are under-served by public mass transit or taxis. Some of the dollar vans are licensed and regulated, while others...
s" plying city bus routes in New York City, and van services that offer rides between major cities.
In some places, providing a ride in a personal vehicle as a part of another job
Employment
Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. An employee may be defined as:- Employee :...
, such as caregiving
Caregiver
Caregiver may refer to:* Caregiver or carer - an unpaid person who cares for someone requiring support due to a disability, frailty, mental health problem, learning disability or old age...
, may be legal, sometimes with regulation of certain factors, such as insurance coverage.
Medallion systems
In some large American cities, as well as Hong Kong, a medallion system is used to license cabs. The city issues a fixed number of medallions, and only medallion taxis are allowed to pick up fares. In general, this leads to medallions becoming ever more expensive—a New York City corporate medallion sells for more than $600,000. Medallions are transferable, and while some cab drivers own their own medallion, most must lease one on a daily or weekly basis from a fleet owner.The medallion system has several effects upon the illegal transportation market. By acting as a barrier to entry to the taxi market, it has the unintended consequence of creating a market for unlicensed cabs, especially in areas that tend to be underserved by medallion cabs. Taxi medallions tend to increase in value over time, and their owners and lessees tend to be very eager to protect their exclusive rights, for example, by lobbying for stricter enforcement against unlicensed cabs.
In working-class neighborhoods
In America, there is significant anecdotal evidenceAnecdotal evidence
The expression anecdotal evidence refers to evidence from anecdotes. Because of the small sample, there is a larger chance that it may be true but unreliable due to cherry-picked or otherwise unrepresentative of typical cases....
that unlicensed cabs are mostly found in working class neighborhoods of large cities. There are likely several reasons for this. First is a lack of licensed taxis—due to the perception, by cab drivers, of safety issues or that better tips can be had in wealthier neighborhoods. Often due to expensive medallions, licensed taxis don't leave the Central Business District
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
(CBD), except to go to airports to drop off or pick up customers, which are easy and guaranteed income. If a metropolitan area is made of islands and depends on bridges and tunnels, and the CBD is a particular island, there is great psychological pressure to the licensed taxi driver to not leave that CBD island except for airports—even if the destination is a wealthy neighborhood—for fear of inability to attain a return fare, safety concerns, or reliability of an outer-island customer paying his bill at the end of the journey.
Eventually a precedent forms wherein customers will never find a licensed taxi in outer areas, causing licensed drivers to expect difficulty finding customers for a return trip, and wherein customers will wait for the first unlicensed cab or public transport rather than wait indefinitely for a licensed cab. Eventually drivers may form informal patrol zones corresponding to licensed and unlicensed taxis. Compounding this, residents of outer neighborhoods often own fewer cars per capita and thus are more dependent on publicly available transportation.
Moreover, residents of such neighborhoods may favor unlicensed cabs even if licensed taxis are available. Metered fares usually include a rate pertaining to the duration of a trip; as such, in areas where traffic congestion is common and unpredictable, the duration component of a licensed trip can skyrocket a fare beyond customer expectation. In contrast, unlicensed fares are known in advance, eliminating customer fears of unexpected cost.
It is not uncommon for residents and drivers to develop long-term relationships, wherein a customer comes to rely on a specific driver, using him regularly to commute to work or go shopping.
In Baltimore, MD
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, supermarkets in working class neighborhoods frequently have "courtesy drivers" who, although not employed by the supermarket, have shown identification to management and are allowed to wait in front of the store for fares. Unlike licensed cab drivers, these courtesy drivers will also help to carry groceries up to one's apartment. "Hacking" in Baltimore has grown grass-roots style to a region-wide phenomenon, originating from "Hack Clubs", organizations usually operating in converted rowhouses where "hacks" made their cars available, distributed business cards with a central number, employed a "dispatcher", and hung around the rowhouse waiting in line for calls. This practice continues today, but hacking has evolved to the point where people nowadays just wag a finger toward the street, and wait for anyone to stop. Photo of someone in Baltimore flagging a hack This new way of getting around remains popular, despite being incredibly dangerous, due to disillusionment with the city transit service, and the fact that licensed cabs seldom stop for fares in the most dangerous parts of town. There are plenty of willing drivers, and competition can be fierce. The fare is negotiated and paid upfront. Police maintain this is illegal, and sometimes enforce with $500 tickets, and a trip to the courthouse. However, hacking is so prevalent in certain parts of town that cops don't bother making traffic stops.
Among the Amish
Unlicensed cabs are also found among the AmishAmish
The Amish , sometimes referred to as Amish Mennonites, are a group of Christian church fellowships that form a subgroup of the Mennonite churches...
of rural Pennsylvania. Old Order Amish do not drive, but will hire a van or taxi for trips for which they cannot use their traditional horse and buggy transportation.