NYC looking to jam cellphones in taxis

The New York City taxi-experience has improved quite a bit over the years. Most taxis are now outfitted with touchscreen monitors and credit card terminals to better serve the customer. But, when it comes to a talkative cab driver yapping away on a cellphone, things haven’t really changed too much. The Taxi and Limousine Commission may soon change all that.

The NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission has reached out to the cab-riding public for suggestions on how to better improve taxi services in The Big Apple (NSDQ: AAPL), and is considering putting an end to cab drivers paying more attention to their cellphone conversation than the road. The TLC wants to put a cellphone jammer in every cab, preventing cabbies from using their cellphones for casual conversations. The system would apparently still allow for emergency calls to be connected, but some are concerned that “family emergencies” are being overlooked.

More interesting is the idea that a cellphone jammer could be used to block cellular signals in just the front seats of the taxi cab. We’re not sure how the TLC would jam drivers’ mobile phones without cutting off rear-seat passengers or any passengers in cars to either side of the cab. But, for the sake of argument, should the TLC enact such a regulation? Is it a boon for taxi riders, or an unfair limitation on drivers?
Submit you suggestion on improving the NYC cab experience here.

[Via: wcbstv]