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Updated 03/03/2010 01:49 PM

Taxi Share Program Kicks Off

By: Roger Clark

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The Taxi and Limousine Commission began its group-ride program Wednesday.

Taxi and Limousine Commissioner Matthew Daus took the inaugural cab ride this morning at 57th Street and Eighth Avenue – one of three pickup locations.

Between 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on weekdays, a cab driver can pick up four or five passengers who may not be going to the same place at three designated locations. Each passenger pays a flat rate to ride along and then gets off somewhere along a designated route.

Each passenger picked up at 57th Street and Eighth Avenue will pay $3.

Drivers will also be picking up passengers at 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue and 72nd Street and Third Avenue, with drop-offs along Park Avenue until 42nd Street. Those passengers will pay $4 each.

On Wednesday, not many people have tried the service, but Daus said he did not expect it to pick up right away.

"This is going to be a slow process. We are not expecting thousands of passengers or cabbies to be here on the first day or first couple of days," he said.

Most people who spoke with NY1 said they would not mind sharing a cab with a stranger.

"I'm okay with that,” said one rider. “I mean, obviously if they don't look friendly, then maybe I'd pass, but I'm sure most of the time, it's fine."

"It's only for a few minutes hopefully and you save money,” said another. “The quicker, the better. If you had to go to work, I wouldn't mind."

"If I didn't feel comfortable, I wouldn't get in the cab with them,” said a third.

TLC officials said the program will help drivers earn more, although some cab drivers told NY1 they were skeptical.

"Can't make enough money out of it," said one driver.

"Of course more money, but just in rush hours," said another.

The TLC is looking to eventually expand the program to other locations – including Pennsylvania Station, Grand Central Terminal, the Port Authority Bus Terminal and LaGuardia Airport.