After all of that fuss, credit cards continue to be a cashcow for cabbies. "People are benefiting from the credit-card option," TLC Commissioner David Yassky told the Post. Not only are people using their cards more (36 percent of fares were paid with plastic in 2010, up from 25.6 in 2009) but "drivers are benefiting from consistently high tips on credit-card rides." And the good news for hacks doesn't stop there. Despite shorter trips in 2010, the average fare managed to jump 9.1 percent from $10.73 to $11.71.
There is some speculation that the bump came from more people taking taxis through bridges and tunnels, but its all gravy for the drivers since with the average tip increased last year too, from 18.4 percent in 2009 to 18.6 percent.
Other interesting data culled from the TLC? Though the average trip got shorter (10.74 minutes, down from 11.66), the average trip distance went up from 2.71 miles in 2009 to 2.77 in 2010. Also, cabbing it to the airport got way more popular. In 2009 there were 6,189 daily trips to the airport on average and last last year that jumped to 7,515! Uhm, AirTrain people?
And do note that none of those numbers include the 50-cent MTA-bailout surcharge that has been in effect since November 2009. Also that all this info's collection was made possible by those infuriating screens that are spying on you. So, we guess they are good for something (besides letting us charge our cab rides). Meanwhile, remember those planned discussions of a taxi driver dress code haven't disappeared! They're now planned for this Thursday.
