Cab Drivers No Longer Required to Learn N.Y.C.’s Streets

Prospective New York City taxi drivers are no longer required to master the city’s streets, according to a new report.

Difficult geography questions have disappeared from the once 80-question test administered by The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) on the nuances of the city’s roadways before winning a coveted license, the New York Times reports. Technology such as GPS and competition from car services like Uber and Lyft contributed to the change, the report finds.

In recent years, GPS has made it easy for a taxi driver to get from one point to another without much knowledge of city streets.

But experts interviewed by the Times said that the rise of competition from services like Uber has forced the commission’s hand to encourage more people to apply to drive a taxi.

[NYT]