In an aggressive move to fight fare evasion and staged crashes, 500 New York City taxis are being outfitted with front, rear and interior surveillance cameras as part of a new pilot called Operation Bright Eyes, according to a report by the New York Post. The initiative, launched by the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, is meant to dismantle what leaders are calling a “billion-dollar fraud machine” that’s been preying on cabbies for years.
At the heart of the scam are alleged criminal “cartels” that stage phony fender benders, then rope in complicit doctors, lawyers and insurers to cash in on bogus injury claims. Some passengers even bolt without paying or claim injuries after deliberately causing an accident.
The cameras, supplied by tech company Displayride, can be easily installed, and the system requires no app – simply press a single button to access footage. Abdul Kasim, CEO of Displayride, said the gear typically costs about $250, but through a partnership with American Transit Insurance and NYAB Brokerage, drivers will get the cameras free for at least the first year. Eventually, organizers want to scale to 100,000 vehicles across the city.
Sources: Time Out, The New York Post
