Livery driver charged with raping passenger he picked up in the Seaport

until the BPD cracks down on all of these guys who think it's the Wild West in this town regarding their flouting the laws against livery vehicles soliciting off of the street. I can tell you from personal experience that these guys are just riding around, not bothering to wait for whatever app they're using to get customers with and picking up anyone off of the street for cash. It's dangerous and it's illegal.

let's not lose sight of real issues here - that a woman mistakenly took a livery vehicle for a cab, and that that livery driver unlawfully picked that woman up and sexually assaulted her.

We should spend our time talking about how horrendous events like this can be prevented going forward - not about how there is some overlapping police jurisdiction in South Boston (e.g., education campaign (partic. for new college kids): unless the car is white and has a Boston Hackney No. on it, it cannot be hailed in Boston).

(I will say only this on jurisdiction, as I have said it many times before on UHub: except for the few towns which do not have police departments of their own and a few other enclaves, there is overlapping police jurisdiction almost everywhere in the Commonwealth since the Department of State Police has plenary jurisdiction throughout the Commonwealth. I don't see it as a reason to complain unless there is very good evidence that concurrent jurisdiction is substantially impeding investigations, etc. I am aware of no such evidence in South Boston or elsewhere.)

Wow, you're still reading?

Yes, I am a part time cab driver in Boston. Before you leave though, I am in no way here to defend them, because I know for the most part, they suck. I was a huge critic of cabs on here before getting my hack license, and I still hear the constant horror stories from my passengers: the driver told me the card reader was broken, he made me go to the ATM, he smoked and talked on the phone the entire way while going 80. It pisses me off to no end to hear this, because it makes every cab driver look bad and more people want to take Uber (rightfully so) and avoid cabs altogether. I've literally taken my cab out of service to get my reader fixed. Is this rare? Yes, but it's the law. It's 2014 and people should be able to use a credit card. Period.

People often ask me if I hate Uber, and the answer is no. If people want to use Uber, a legal car service, and maybe pay a bit more, that's their prerogative. I have plenty of friends who use Uber because it's fast and convenient, and there's no haggling over using a credit card or taking the longest route to their destination. There's no harm in that.

For what it's worth, Boston cab drivers do go through a background and sex offender check before even being allowed to take the class to get their license. I understand Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar all have some sort of background checks as well.

Does that mean you'll be absolutely safe though? Of course it doesn't. Anyone can do anything at anytime. Boston cab, Uber, or illegal gypsy cab, it doesn't matter. If the driver wants to do something unscrupulous, he or she will.

My biggest problem though, in relation to this story, is these livery drivers and as well out of town cabs picking up street hails illegally in Boston. I see it no matter what night I drive; weeknight or weekend. I once came on this site (you can look it up) and proposed a regional cab plan so that cabs from all over can pick up in Boston. Since driving, I've now changed my mind. I know Boston doesn't have a ton of cabs, and in some ways a cab from Cambridge dropping off in Boston and returning to Cambridge empty isn't exactly economical; but if you get into a Waltham cab in Boston (yes, Waltham Classic Cab roams Boston streets every night looking for fares) you run the risk of being charged a different rate and driving with a driver that, GPS or not, probably has little clue where they are going (not that Boston cab drivers necessarily do either, but I'd like to think most have at least a basic grasp....maybe not). Out of town cabs have gotten cute too, using the same paint scheme and colors as Boston taxis (think you're hailing a Metro Cab or City Cab? Look closely; you might be getting into a "Metric Cab" or "Easy Taxi"; the former having Metro Cab's colors, the latter City Cab's). Medford and Saugus cabs are starting to do this more often.

Unlicensed livery drivers, however, are the worst offenders and in my opinion, the biggest danger. People think you need a "livery license" to operate a livery vehicle in Boston, but no such thing exists (if you think this is wrong, call BPD Hackney and ask about getting a livery license). To be a livery service, you need little more than a driver's license, a vehicle, and if you're doing it legally, livery plates. I don't know what this guy was driving, but I've seen PLENTY of vehicles (vans mostly) with standard license plates and a magnetic sign on the side with some company name and a phone number. Some entrepreneurial livery guys have even gone a step further, adding taxi dome lights to the top of their vehicles; one van even says "TAXI" and has a taxi advertisement roof topper, but a livery license plate. A vehicle with a livery plate is not a taxi. There's nothing stopping anyone, with NO background check, and a criminal past, from slapping a roof light and a magnetic sign on their car and trying to pick people up. Again, I don't know this particular guy's history, but I'm speaking from my observation.

I re-iterate: I know Boston taxis and Uber vehicles may not be 100% safe either, but I'd like to think they are safer than Joe X Livery Service, in his van, attempting to pick people up. At least with Boston cabs and Uber, someone has checked the driver out. (In terms of a record of fares for Boston cabs, we are encouraged to keep a waybill, but it's not mandatory. I'm probably 1 of 3 drivers that does, and the other two don't know it's optional).

The bottom line here is that I hope the girl is ok, and I hope that the city steps up enforcement of any illegal vehicle from picking up in the city.

And my PSA, a licensed Boston taxi is white, has a medallion on the trunk, the words "LICENSED HACKNEY CARRIAGE POLICE DEPT CITY OF BOSTON" on the medallion, and BOSTON LIC. TAXI on both back fenders. Is someone going to look for this? Probably not, but those are signs the cab is licensed in Boston. If it has no medallion or says "livery" anywhere on it, it's not a taxi.

If you're not sure, don't get into it. If you outright hate cabs, try Uber or another ride sharing service. Please don't get into a random van with a magnetic sign.