Tensions have been simmering between drivers and taxi inspectors in recent weeks.

This meaningless exercise is only an excuse for the legions of taxi inspectors to write quick, quota-filling tickets.

For an additional fee of $25 to $40, they said, he would temporarily disconnect the device to thwart taxi inspectors.

For example," he said, "You get a driver to play a taxi inspector while a real taxi inspector pretends to be a passenger.

During that crackdown, a taxi inspector was stabbed in the leg by an unlicensed driver.

One of his first acts as commission chairman was to double the hours of taxi inspectors assigned to airport duty.

It begins tomorrow morning with 150 police officers and taxi inspectors.

In the new operation, police officers and taxi inspectors will work undercover in multiracial groups of three.

He said he teased the driver about being an undercover taxi inspector.

In addition, the number of taxi inspectors is to drop by 60 from the current 156, an official said.