Travelers coming through the JFK international airport in New York will be more at ease knowing that a man posing as a shuttle driver has been busted. Barnabas Laurent, age 47, of Long Island, was arrested for his illegal cab service by Port Authority police last Saturday. He is currently being held for a $500 bond.
Laurent actually had been previously warned by police for operating a shuttle service without proper licensure. Without a livery license, it is illegal in New York to operate a freelance cab service. But Laurent did not take heed to the warning and continued to offer his illegal services, shadily bribing travelers by misinforming them that the AirTrain subway connection service was shut down. This was a complete falsehood, as the AirTrain was running as scheduled.
Laurent was caught red handed with a detailed rate book for fares, receipt books, and a pilfered Super Shuttle logo, where officers observed him trying to solicit fares coming out of the airport. Laurent, after being interrogated, told authorities that he obtained the stolen materials for his operation from another, legitimate cab driver.
In an interview with CBS NY news, Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said “It is important that travelers visiting New York City are provided with a safe and welcoming atmosphere at our airports. Unregulated taxis and unscrupulous drivers – who are not properly licensed and do not carry appropriate insurance – put riders at risk.”
Travelers coming through the JFK airport should know a few guidelines. No cabbie will approach a customer inside the airport, period. Cabbies will also never ask for additional fare for any baggage. The NY Taxi and Limousine commission has detailed websites about how to get cabs in the city and how to identify credible drivers. There is a flat rate of $52 dollars from the airport into the city, so any driver asking more than that is surely a fake. Laurent was charging $435 for the same trip.
The Queens New York District Attorney has charged Mr. Laurent with possession of a forged instrument, and impersonation at his arraignment this past weekend, which happens to be a federal crime. He faces up to a year in prison should he be convicted.
