ABSTRACT
The emergence of the gypsy cab operating in the outer boroughs of New York is a direct result of the failure of the medallion industry to supply services. The enormous increases in the size and density of the urban ghettoes of New York has been accompanied by a growth in the gypsy and private livery industries. The gypsy cab has been responsible for the breakdown of the legal distinctions between the taxicab and the private livery. The growth of the gypsy cab and private livery industry has upgraded public recognition and provided a quasi-legal acceptance of their activities. With their growth in numbers, they have developed a sense of strength and with their virtual control over ghetto service, they have decreed a form of squatters' rights on taxi service. The rise of the gypsy cab industry in effect points to the growing demand for taxi service in the outer boroughs of New York.
