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NYC Taxi Drivers Protest Crackdown On Livery Cabs

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A group of cab drivers is planning a protest outside the Taxi and Limousine Commission to demand the city void tickets issued during a recent crackdown on livery cabs.

It's illegal for livery cabs to accept street hails, but many do so anyway. Drivers say the law was rarely enforced until this year.

New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers head Fernando Mateo organized the Wednesday protest. He says it's an unfair pressure tactic to get drivers to negotiate on a bill being considered in Albany.

The law would allow livery cabs to pick up passengers from the street in the outer boroughs and northern Manhattan. That has outraged yellow taxi drivers who say the value of their expensive medallions could plummet because of new competition.

Should livery cab drivers be allowed to pick up passengers in the outer boroughs? Sound off in our comments section below…

(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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