Bronx Youth in Critical Condition after Yellow Cab Refuses him and Friends a Ride Home: Councilman Vacca Issues Statement on Taxi Tragedy

Here is a topic discussed in an earlier post about yellow medallion cabs , mostly while in Manhattan, denying passengers a ride to the Bronx. Unfortunately, this time a request for a ride to the Bronx ended with the young man ending up in critical condition. Please do review the information provided by Councilman Vacca and report any incident were a yellow cab denies you a ride to the Bronx, from Manhattan or any other borough. Again, if the yellow medallion cabs don't want to service the Bronx all Bronx residents should support the bill presently in the City Council allowing licensed livery cabs to pick up passengers. Presently livery cabs that pick up passengers are given tickets. May the young man hurt have a full and speedy recovery.

Gregory

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Council Member Vacca Issues Statement on Recent Taxi Tragedy

BRONX, NY ― City Council Transportation Committee Chair James Vacca of the Bronx today released the following statement amid reports that a 22-year-old Bronx man was struck by a taxi and seriously injured Saturday night after the driver refused to take him and his friends to the Bronx from Manhattan. The victim, Anthony Loreto, is reported to be in critical condition with a skull fracture, while authorities pursue the suspected driver:

“First and foremost, my prayers are with Anthony and his family tonight as we await his full recovery and as authorities work to bring this maniac to justice. This tragedy underscores a systemic problem in the yellow taxi industry. I am tired of hearing about cab drivers who refuse to leave Manhattan when passengers are entitled by law to a ride anywhere in the five boroughs. Service refusal is a problem that has defied solution for too long, and this is truly the straw that broke the camel’s back. I am urging anyone and everyone who is refused a trip to record the date, time, driver name, and medallion number, and promptly report it to 311 or www.nyc.gov/taxi. And I am calling on the Taxi & Limousine Commission to discipline each and every cab driver who thinks he or she can choose which laws to obey and which not to obey, even if that means revoking licenses for repeat offenders. A tragedy like what occurred Saturday night should never be permitted to happen again.”