NYC cab drivers all set to wear bulletproof vests

April 20th, 2011 - 11:03 pm ICT by Aishwarya Bhatt  

New York City, April 20 (THAINDIAN NEWS) Some taxi drivers in New York City were on Tuesday given bulletproof vests. The vests are meant to protect the cab drivers who are often called to respond to emergency situations in some of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the city.

The vests were distributed by the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers to livery taxi drivers who operated in New York. Drivers who worked in the night were given priority during the distribution.

Livery cab drivers don’t pick passengers from the street on demand like other cab drivers do. They have to be hired in advance. The nature of their work puts them at great risk. Drivers who work at places with his crime rates are the most vulnerable.

Some of the vests which were given to the drivers were donated. Security USA was among the donors to the program. The company donated about a dozen of the vests towards the program.

Clark Pena who is the spokesperson for Security USA said the company wants to expand their donation to the program. Retired police officers also donated about 20 protective vests to the program.

The program has been welcomed by the livery cab drivers.

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