Car service cars/livery cabs/radio-dispatched cabs will continue to pick up people who hail them on the streets of Brooklyn (and the other "outer boroughs" and north of 96th Street in Manhattan), but they'll be doing it legally. The needed legislation was passed earlier this year and, after much negotiating, will be signed by Governor Cuomo tomorrow (Wednesday).
Special hail licenses for use in the outer-boroughs will be issued to a total of 18,000 livery cabs over the next three years. Twenty percent (3,600) of the cabs will be handicapped-accessible. After the first 6,000 licenses are sold, 6,000 more will be offered for sale, followed by 6,000 more.
The cars will have metered fares, credit card readers, and roof lights.
In addition, 2,000 new yellow cab medallions will be sold. All of them will be handicapped-accessible. About 13,200 medallions are now in use.