A public hearing was held today on a proposal by the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission to increase fares for taxi riders.
The proposal calls for various price hikes, such as raising the initial charge from $2.50 to $3.00, increasing the rush-hour charge from $1.00 to $2.50, and increasing the flat fare from Manhattan to John F. Kennedy International Airport from $52 to $65.
"There's always a balance, and we feel like we've struck that balance," said Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the Taxi Workers Alliance. "You know, the increase for the public is going to be not very large, but for the drivers it will add up."
Uber and Lyft customers could be affected in the future as well.