Taxi drivers ask Peekskill to raise fares, tighten enforcement on illegal taxis

Taxi drivers representing several companies told the Committee of the Whole that fares in Peekskill have not changed since 2008 and urged the city to raise the in-town rate and strengthen enforcement against unlicensed drivers. "The prices in general have gone up ... insurance for us is is more than double than what it was before," said Edwin Quezada, who said he has driven in Peekskill for 22 years and asked council to consider raising the $6 regular fare to $8 and changing the senior fare from the current $3 to a higher flat amount.

City manager Matt said staff would add fares to the city's fee schedule, provide comparisons to neighboring communities and present a proposal that would show moving the base fare "from $6 to $8" and increasing the per-additional-passenger charge from $1 to $2. Council members supported a phased approach and asked staff to also review the fine schedule for unlicensed vehicles; one member called the existing $250 penalty insufficient as a deterrent. Staff said if the council agrees the next formal steps would include a resolution at the end of the month to set a public hearing for March 10.

The council discussed enforcement tools — plate identification stickers and police-issued driver cards — and asked police and city staff to consider whether fines should escalate for repeat offenders and whether medallion-style identification could improve public recognition of licensed taxis. No final ordinance or vote occurred; staff will return with a formal fee schedule and public-hearing notice.