City Cracks Down on Unlicensed Cabbies

New York, NY —

As air travel heats up this holiday weekend, so will enforcement of unlicensed cabbies at the city's airports. A new state law now makes it a misdemeanor for non-cabbies to offer rides for a fee.

Queens district attorney Richard Brown says drivers could face up to 90 days in jail and fines as high as $1,250 for trying to make a few extra bucks. "These hustlers have got to understand they are going to be hit with some substantial fines and if they are recidivists they've got to worry about doing some jail time," Brown says.

Police have already arrested 17 unlicensed hacks at JFK Airport in an enforcement sweep timed to coincide with the new law.