Cops Cracking Down On Livery Murder Cases

City officials have aggressively stepped up their efforts to protect the citys 35,000 cabbies after the ninth livery driver was murdered this year.
Mayor Rudolf Giuliani and Bell Atlantic officials announced Monday that thousands of used cellular phones pre-programmed to automatically dial 911 will be distributed to some 29,000 livery drivers throughout the city. For the past month People Helping Others in Need of Emergency Services (P.H.O.N.E.S.) collected 10,000 cell phones to be donated to victims of domestic violence. However, in light of the recent string of violence against the citys livery drivers, the mayor said that they will now be made available to the citys hacks instead.
"We welcome the opportunity to to take another step to help the citys livery cab drivers, who work hard performing a vital service under dangerous circumstances," said Giuliani. "For those drivers who dont have a cell phone, these donated phones will be lifelines that might save them from tragedy."
Last week, the citys taxi and limousine commission adopted a policy requiring all livery drivers to install either a bulletproof partition or a security camera in their vehicle. Giuliani said the city will pay $5 million to equip each vehicle with the devices, breaking down to $300 per cab. In addition, the mayor announced the creation of fund to assist the victims familys with the funeral costs.
Allan Fromberg, spokesman for the taxi and limousine commission called the citys new initiatives "an unprecedented step," and added that cabs which previously had the option whether or not to implement a partition or camera, will now have 30 days to comply with the TLCs new rule.
Stan Kurlanchik, a taxi cab driver at Kellys Car Service in Bayside for the past 10 years said the violence directed at his peers has made him cautious, but not fearful. "You have to use your intuition and your discretion, and not be greedy," said Kurlanchik. "If someone looks unsavory, I dont pick them up. Although Kurlanchik, an imposing figure at 63", 220 pounds, says he feels safe, he adds that "I think about it every minute of every day."
Kellys, which deals exclusively with customers via phone, forbids their drivers from from picking-up hailers on the street. Thus far, of the nine livery drivers murdered this year, only one was contacted by phone.
Long Island City cabbie Kuldip Singth, was the first, and only livery driver murdered in Queens this year. Just minutes into the new millennium on January 1, the 25-year-old immigrant was fatally shot in the head while driving in Astoria. However, Singth was just the first in a growing list of victims that has put the citys livery drivers into a frenzied watch for their life.
Last weekend alone, two Queens cabbies were were assaulted while on the job. On Saturday, while picking up a fare at 121 Street and Sutphin Blvd in Jamaica, a livery driver was menaced with a knife. After a brief struggle, the driver escaped from his alleged attacker, 35-year old Julian Florard, who was arrested and charged with menacing. Hours later, a Jackson Heights driver was attacked when he became embroiled in an argument with a pedestrian.
In the first four months of the new year, the city has already reported 420 livery-cab robberies. In comparison, there were 737 such cases in all of 1999.
Last year, 11 livery drivers were murdered, including two on the streets of Queens. In February, a Woodside cabbie was fatally stabbed, and in August, a Maspeth driver met an untimely end on the job.
New York City Police Commissioner Howard Safir and Fernando Mateo, president of the New York State Taxi Drivers Federation have been vocal in recent weeks, urging drivers to refrain from picking up street hails until either their safety partition or camera is installed. "If you pick people up on the street…at 3 oclock in the morning, and you let them into your cab and into your front seat, youre putting yourself in danger," said Safir.