Why aren't Brooklyn town cars more clearly marked?
February 1, 2009 12:25 PM   Subscribe

Why aren't Brooklyn town cars more explicitly marked? I feel like I have to stand within a foot of the windshield when one of them is stopped to know which company they represent, or whether they represent a company I've even heard of. Is it a licensing issue?
posted by bingo to Grab Bag (10 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
I've always thought it relates to the fact that only taxi cabs are permitted to pick up unscheduled fares in New York City. While town cars have livery license plates, and are therefore fairly obviously hired cars for policing purposes, the lack of clear markings make it harder for by-standers or competition to report the company if they pick-up a passenger on the street.

That said, town cars often are not explicitly marked in other cities either. But you don't hail them in the street, they're not as common, and the driver usually carries a sign with the company and/or passengers name.
posted by McGuillicuddy at 12:39 PM on February 1, 2009


Some information on the different legal services is here. Other than the prohibition against curbside, unscheduled fares, there are fewer regulations on livery cabs and "black cars". This is about all there is for identification:

The driver's license and the car's TLC registration must be prominently displayed inside the vehicle.

If the Taxi & Limousine Commission were serious about reporting pick-ups they would require more prominent signage. I think this represents a gray market that exists out of necessity (as the yellow cab companies lobby to keep the number of medallions limited well below market need -- not just a NYC problem).
posted by dhartung at 1:21 PM on February 1, 2009


Response by poster: Interesting. It didn't even occur to me that the point was to discourage unscheduled pick-ups.

Unfortunately, I live in a busy area, and when I call for a car ahead of time, I still can't be sure it's from the company that I called until I'm about a foot from the windshield.
posted by bingo at 1:50 PM on February 1, 2009


also consider that a lot of town cars actually belong to the drivers and that they may drive for more than one service, so marking the cars wouldn't work for those guys.
posted by lia at 2:12 PM on February 1, 2009


When you call for the car, ask for the make/model, color, and/or license plate number of the car that is coming for you so that you'll know it when you see it.

Meanwhile, I've never heard of a "Brooklyn town car;" is that the same thing as a gypsy cab? I did grow up here but I guess I haven't spent enough time in Brooklyn.

I know that in Harlem when I was young, it was harder to get a yellow cab on the street, and there were tons of gypsy cabs and you'd just stand in the street with your hand up. Obviously those cars weren't marked because what they were doing was illegal.
posted by thebazilist at 3:32 PM on February 1, 2009


Meanwhile, I've never heard of a "Brooklyn town car;"

I think the poster is just using "Brooklyn town car" as shorthand for a car you order from a car service, because they're often Lincoln town cars.
posted by Evangeline at 3:38 PM on February 1, 2009


gypsy cab

Please don't use this phrase. It, like "to gyp in line" is borne of a crass racial stereotype.
posted by mkultra at 7:22 PM on February 1, 2009


Maybe it's because the folk who hire these cars don't like signage splashed over their ride ? The livery companies have learnt through market-pressure to keep low-profile and decreet.
posted by Xhris at 9:49 PM on February 1, 2009


Please don't use this phrase. It, like "to gyp in line" is borne of a crass racial stereotype.

It's the standard phrase. The meaning may not be what you assume -- that is, I take it as referring to wandering around looking for fares rather than ripping off. Note this Volkswagen promotion.
posted by dhartung at 9:08 AM on February 2, 2009


Mod note: comment removed - no more derail about gypsy cabs please.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:40 AM on February 5, 2009


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