NYC cabbies will / will not strike September 5-6 over mandatory GPS
It looks like the contentious issue of GPS-equipped cabs in New York City is still far from being resolved, with one advocacy group saying that the planned strike over the matter is still on, while another is now saying that "there will be no strike." In the latter camp, according to The New York Times, is the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, which now finds itself at odds with the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, who are apparently still ready to walk off the job on September 5th and 6th. At the heart of this brouhaha are new GPS-equipped cabs that the Taxi and Limousine Commission are insisting become standard issue by the end of January. While the GPS apparently won't be used for navigation, it will be used to track the cabs, which the driver's say amounts to an invasion of privacy. The cabbies also say that the GPS could cause problems if it breaks down, as it would be tied to the meter. No word on a next move by either party, but that September 5th deadline sure is fast approaching.