Three drivers have now been found dead in their yellow cabs in the last three months. The most recent death occurred on Sept. 11. Jagjit Singh, who was in his 50’s, died of a heart attack in his cab after he “dropped off a fare from Kennedy Airport to the West Village at around 5:30pm,” according to the New York Taxi Workers Alliance (NYTWA). His body was found in his yellow cab around 11:00pm on the corner of Seventh Avenue South and Charles Street.
In August, 53-year-old Khalifa Siwa died alone in his parked taxi on the Henry Hudson Parkway near 81st Street with his insulin in his hand. In July, Richard Coulibaly, who was in his 70’s, died of a heart attack in his yellow taxi in Harlem.
The NYTWA’s Bhairavi Desai told PIX 11 News “the common thread here is they’re all working really grueling hours and not able to take care of themselves.” She added that job stress has also increased “as the expenses keep going up, especially under inflation.”
TLC Commissioner, Midori Valdivia, attended a memorial for Jagjit Singh on the corner of 7th Avenue South and Charles Street. Valdivia said: “I stand here as a partner” and added “there is much more to do.”
Source: PIX 11
