TLC cracks down on street hails

From the NY Post:

A band of outlaw livery-car firms has racked up a slew of illegal street hails, even amid a city crackdown.

The 10 firms, among the 461 registered with the city, account for 10 percent of all illegal-hail tickets written by Taxi and Limousine Commission agents from April to May, records show.

So far, city officials have written 5,420 summonses in their sting operation, in which they pose as passengers to see whether livery cars respond to street hails.

Leading the worst-offenders list is Bangla Car & Limo Service, which has been hit with 105 summonses. More than half were issued in the last 10 weeks, records show.

Taxi brass say that illegal hails encourage price gouging. The practice also drops the value of yellow-cab medallions.