Spotted: Green Cab In Ditmas Park

We had our first green cab spotting in the neighborhood on Coney Island Avenue yesterday (though it may have been an impostor). The all-borough taxis are converted livery cabs that can be hailed, legally, from the street, that only started rolling last month after about a year of challenges. The new green cabs are metered the same as yellow cabs — for more info, WNYC has a good bunch of FAQs about the new program.

Don’t be fooled by impostors (whether intentional or not), like this neighborhood staple which isn’t a taxi and has just had a green paint job for years. There have been reports that some companies have been painting their cars in the same green apple color, and the Taxi and Limousine Commission will vote on a new rule that would ban all shades of green for cars that don’t have a street-hail license.

What you as a passenger should look out for to make sure it’s a legit cab: it’s got to have a meter, roof lights, and a permit. That one we saw didn’t have roof lights, so maybe it was one of the fakes?

Has anyone hailed a green cab yet? If so, where’d you catch it? And is it something you’ll look out for in Ditmas Park, or are you happy to rely on calling a service when you need a ride?