Starting next Friday, New Yorkers will have a newish way to get around the city. The Taxi and Limousine Commission is set to unveil its new “group rides” program, which allows passengers to share cabs with strangers in exchange for a fare discount. The plan involves setting up buslike routes for cabs, which will leave from a designated place and drop riders off in specific zones.
Beginning at 6 a.m. on Friday, cabs will depart from the following locations:
* W. 57th St. and Eighth Ave. with dropoffs allowed on Park Ave. between 57th St. until 42nd St.
* W.72nd St. and Columbus Ave. with dropoffs on Park Ave. from 72nd St. to 42nd St.
The rides will cost $3, $4, and $4, respectively, as long as there is more than one person in the cab.
This program comes as the TLC is putting the final touches on a different type of ride-sharing program that will allow people to hail cabs that are already carrying passengers. Drivers will display a sign with the area it’s headed to and if riders decide to share, they will be allowed to split the fare. Just think of all the amazing Missed Connections that are bound to come of this.
