On July 12, New York City’s Taxi and Limousine Commission decided to raise taxi fares by as much as 17%. Starting yesterday, the cost of an average per-mile charge for a taxi ride will rise $2 to about $15, said spokesperson Allan Fromberg to the New York Times.

For example, a ride between JFK and Manhattan will rise to $52 from $45, plus tolls. Bloomberg News stated that the pricing structure has been virtually unchanged since 2006, and cabbies demand a fair wage to feed their families. In fact, the average driver now makes 24% less than in 2006. Many New Yorkers agree that the change is logical. One taxi rider stated, “I mean, gas is higher; they are just trying to recoup some of their losses. I’m not saying that it’s great; everything is more expensive.”

Mayor Bloomberg explained to NBC New York, “If we’ve kept taxi rates stable for the last six years, then we have to adjust for inflation, and if you think about it, people that work in the industry have to be able to make a living … We want more better drivers to want to drive taxis.”  Due to simultaneously increasing gas prices, the percentage of good cabbies in New York City is definitely declining. This 45% rise in gas expenses is coming out of the taxi drivers’ pockets. Driver earnings are now down 15%. Benefits for cabbies will now include six cents that goes towards driver health care.

For drunk freshmen looking to take a cab home from their sketch warehouse party in Brooklyn, this may make you reconsider. You have to choose between high prices and getting stabbed as you hurl into a greasy dumpster in the dark alley nearby.

LSP Sophomore and crew stud Griffin Simpson remarked, “I think it’s just going to make living in Manhattan less of an option for people who aren’t established professionals. Last night I literally spent two hours in a subway station trying to get to Brooklyn. For some reason it wasn’t running. I couldn’t even get transfers. Unless they seriously devote resources into improving the subway, then that isn’t as reliable transportation as a cab.”

For most people, cabs are the last-resort “white knights” of the evening. Now,  unless you are absolutely and completely obsessed with the idea of spending an evening with the mole people, most campus residents won’t be negatively affected. NYU is an expensive school, and the assumption can be made that most students in it can afford to pay the fare.

Commuters can either make the choice to cab it all or part of the way, subway, or drive? Good luck, commuters; we salute you.

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