LIC, Astoria best bet for hailing green cabs

Queens taxi riders have the best shot at hailing a green cab in Long Island City and Astoria.

Nearly 900 new apple green cabs roam the northwestern edge of the borough, according to data from the Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC).

City officials said more than 1,000 borough taxis have hit the streets since the first fleet of its kind rolled out in early August.

“Borough taxis have quickly proven themselves to be immensely popular, with almost 300,000 rides having already taken place,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who proposed the plan in 2011. “The new taxis have been a hit with both riders and drivers, and they will become an increasingly common sight in communities that previously lacked taxi service.”

LIC and Astoria, near the western part of the Ravenswood Houses, have 223 wheelchair-accessible green cabs and 675 standard ones, TLC data shows.

The area also includes the strip of land bordering the East River, the Queensbridge Houses and a portion of the neighborhood north of Queens Plaza and west of Northern Boulevard.

“They are all over the place in Long Island City and Astoria,” said passenger David Gutierrez.

“They’ve just become part of the community.”

The 31-year-old LIC resident, who cruises to Astoria in a green cab for business almost every day, said he has no trouble spotting one.

“I like the green color,” he said. “You definitely can’t miss them.”

Neighborhoods with the lowest number of green cabs include Flushing, Far Rockaway, Forest Hills and Middle Village, according to TLC data. There is at least one street hail livery base in each of those regions but no licensed green cabs listed.

Heather Bartone of Astoria said Steinway Street is a “green cab central,” but she is often left stranded in Flushing, where she works.

“I rarely see any in Flushing, so instead I have to take a regular taxi back home,” said Bartone, 41.

City officials announced Tuesday a new website called www.borotaxis.org, created to let New Yorkers suggest new green cab locations.

The new taxis are licensed to pick up street hails anywhere in the city, except in certain parts of Manhattan and at airports.

They charge the same fare as yellow cabs and must also have taximeters, a TLC permit number, credit card machines, roof lights and rate information printed on its front driver and passenger doors.

The TLC said it has already finished selling its first 6,000 borough taxi licenses allotted this year.

However, Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio has been a staunch opponent of the new taxi plan, going so far as to say he would fire Taxi & Limousine Commissioner David Yassky, according to reports.

Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr., who chairs the Public Safety Committee, said the commission has not yet cracked down on pockets of illegal hail activity as promised.

“It seems the green cabs are just sitting outside train stops with livery cabs that are still illegally picking up passengers,” he said. “That wasn’t the deal.”

A TLC spokesperson said the commission would soon beef up enforcement after more than doubling its field strength over the past two years.

RECOMMENDED STORIES