A troubling series of deaths involving New York City yellow taxi drivers is drawing new attention to the demanding conditions faced by cabbies working long hours across the five boroughs.
Three taxi drivers have been found dead inside their yellow cabs since July, according to the New York Taxi Workers Alliance. Driver advocates say the incidents highlight concerns about long shifts, financial pressure and drivers putting their own health aside while trying to make a living.
Yellow Cab Driver Found Dead in the West Village
The most recent death involved longtime taxi driver Jagjit Singh, who had reportedly driven a New York City cab for approximately 20 years.
Singh was found unresponsive inside his taxi near Seventh Avenue South and Charles Street in Manhattan’s West Village on Friday, September 11.
According to the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, Singh had dropped off passengers after a trip from John F. Kennedy International Airport earlier that evening. Friends became concerned when they were unable to reach him and eventually located his taxi around 11 p.m.
Singh left behind his wife and 10-year-old twin sons.
Family members, fellow taxi drivers and members of the taxi workers’ union later gathered at the West Village location where he died for a memorial. NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission Commissioner Midori Valdivia also attended.
Third Taxi Driver Death Since July
Singh’s death follows two other cases involving yellow cab drivers who were found dead inside their vehicles this summer.
In August, 53-year-old taxi driver Khalifa Siwa was found dead inside his parked cab along the Henry Hudson Parkway near West 81st Street. According to the Taxi Workers Alliance, insulin was found in his hand.
In July, longtime driver Richard Coulibaly, who was in his 70s, was found dead inside his taxi in Harlem. Reports said his death occurred during a period of extreme summer heat.
The circumstances surrounding each driver’s health were different, and the three deaths should not be assumed to have a single medical cause.
For driver advocates, however, their occurrence within such a short period has raised a broader question: Are New York City’s taxi drivers being pushed to work under conditions that make it harder to take care of their health?
Long Hours and Financial Pressure on NYC Cab Drivers
Driving a yellow cab has always involved long hours, but the economics of the industry have changed substantially.
Taxi drivers must account for fuel, vehicle expenses, insurance and other costs while competing for passengers with app-based services such as Uber and Lyft.
Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, said drivers are facing rising expenses while seeing fewer trips and fewer traditional street hails.
The result, advocates say, can be pressure to remain behind the wheel for extended periods because every hour away from the taxi represents lost income.
For drivers with diabetes, cardiovascular conditions or other medical needs, finding time for regular meals, medication, doctor visits and adequate rest may become particularly important.
Taxi Workers Call for More Support
The New York Taxi Workers Alliance is calling for the city to provide additional resources for drivers.
Among the ideas proposed are restoring more yellow-taxi-only taxi stands throughout New York City and establishing medical or nursing stations at locations where drivers regularly spend time waiting for passengers, including airport taxi holding lots.
Advocates have also raised broader issues such as access to health care, paid time off and financial protections that could allow drivers to take time away from work when they are sick.
TLC Commissioner Midori Valdivia acknowledged the challenges facing drivers while attending Singh’s memorial and said more work remains to be done to support the city’s taxi workforce.
The People Behind New York’s Yellow Cabs
Yellow taxis are one of New York City’s most recognizable symbols, but behind every cab is a driver spending hours navigating traffic, airport lines, late-night streets and changing economic conditions.
The deaths of three drivers in roughly three months have brought renewed attention to the human side of an industry that New Yorkers and visitors have depended on for generations.
For the families and fellow drivers mourning Jagjit Singh, Khalifa Siwa and Richard Coulibaly, the issue goes far beyond transportation.
Their deaths have started a larger conversation about what New York can do to make sure the people keeping its iconic yellow cabs moving are also given the time, resources and support needed to protect their own health.
Source: Reporting from PIX11, Spectrum News NY1, 1010 WINS and statements from the New York Taxi Workers Alliance.