from USA
WORLDWIDE TAXI FOCUS from South Africa
$100M AIRPORT TAXI CRACKDOWN TO HELP WORLD CUP TOURISTS
New York transportation officials have announced a massive $100 million crackdown on illegal airport “taxi hustlers” and fare gougers ahead of a huge wave of tourists arriving for the World Cup. The joint effort by the Taxi and Limousine Commission and the Port Authority will introduce stiffer penalties, increased surveillance, more enforcement officers, and widespread public warnings. The initiative aims to stop unlicensed drivers from targeting and swindling unsuspecting visitors right as they step off their flights. “We’ve all seen the individuals who wait around the baggage claim and on our frontages, targeting unknown passengers with the offer of transportation - often posing as legitimate rideshare drivers,” Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia said. “They are, at their best, annoying for travellers; at their worst, they are a real threat to public safety.” Officials warned the problem is escalating danger- ously, with at least 16 incidents in the past year where hustlers refused to let passengers leave their vehicles until they paid exorbitant fees. In one extreme case last December, an illegal driver and an accomplice trapped two Japanese tourists at JFK Airport, demanding $500 for a ride. When the passengers refused to pay at an ATM, the driver drove them to Flushing Meadow Park and threatened them. The numbers highlight a sharp rise in the scam. Port Authority police issued 2,874 summonses for taxi hustling at LaGuardia and Kennedy airports in 2025, a massive jump from 1,698 in 2024 and just 802 in 2022. Additionally, TLC spokespersons revealed they have already issued 2,021 summonses for unauthorised vehicle operations in the first five months of this year. To combat the surge, dozens of extra police officers will be deployed to airport terminals. High-tech licence-plate readers will also be used to automatically flag suspected vehicles. Also, drivers convicted of illegal solicitation will face a hefty five-point penalty on their driver’s licence. Under New York law, racking up 11 points within two years triggers an automatic licence suspension. To ensure travellers don’t fall victim to the scams in the first place, officials are also launching an aggressive public information campaign inside airport terminals and during incoming flights.
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TAXI CHIEFS WARN: ‘BUCKET SEATING’ PUTS COMMUTER LIVES AT RISK
The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) is urging commuters to speak out against a dangerous and illegal trend where overcrowded taxis force passengers to sit on plastic buckets and makeshift seats. The taxi body has strongly condemned operators who use these unauthorised seating arrangements on KwaZulu-Natal’s roads to squeeze in extra passengers. A Santaco spokesperson confirmed they have received reports of this happening during peak travel hours, stating that it compromises safety and ruins efforts to make the industry professional. They said: “Drivers who do not obey the law must face the full might of the law. The safety of passengers must always come first. We cannot allow a situation where profit is placed above people’s lives.” In response, the government is teaming up with Santaco’s new leadership to ramp up safety measures, promising to tackle vehicle overloading head-on.
from Greece
GREEK CABBIE FOUND DEAD AFTER CAR PLUNGES INTO SEA
A Greek cabbie has died after his car plunged into the sea at the port of Piraeus last month. A large-scale search and recovery oper- ation quickly took place and a crane was also brought in to lift the submerged car out of the water. The driver, identified as a 59-year-old Greek man, was rushed to a hospital, where medical staff officially pronounced him dead. Authorities confirmed that there were no passengers in the taxi at the time of the plunge. Investigators are working to determine whether the plunge was caused by a sudden medical emergency, a mechanical failure, or a tragic driving accident.
JULY 2026 PHTM
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