Bloomberg: Legalize livery cab service in outer boroughs

Mayor Michael Bloomberg is proposing to allow livery cabs to make street pick-ups outside of Manhattan the same way yellow cabs do in Manhattan.

In his State of the City address being given today at the St. George Theater on Staten Island, the mayor will ask the City Council to consider throwing out the current ban on passengers hailing livery cabs in the outer boroughs, according to a preview of his speech yesterday.

City data show that while 80 percent of New Yorkers live in the outer boroughs, nearly all taxi trips begin in Manhattan or at the airports.