There have been a lot of stories slamming capitalism lately, assuming it's all about giant bonuses, Wall St, and what not. But this story is a reminder of how good economic solutions make life a lot more efficient (than the alternatives).
I love stories like this! Businesses coming up with unique solutions to help their customers get their work done. It does surprise me that they gave them a $10k non-refundable deposit on the spot! That's a good customer relationship.
Non-medallion car service is legal in Manhattan, but is only allowed to respond to telephone dispatch (not that that stops them, especially near Water & Wall).
I suspect it was illegal to pay people to transport others in unlicensed, private cars around back then too. If not, cab licensing would be almost pointless.
I guess people trust Taxis a lot more than any random unlicensed car - thus I don't think it's pointless...
plus, aren't there private drivers in NY? If I have a lot of money and want to hire a cousin (or even some non-relative) to drive me around, is it illegal?