Family, friends and advocates gathered Tuesday to remember a 53-year-old taxi driver who was found dead in his cab Friday in Manhattan’s West Village.
Jagjit Singh, a husband, father and taxi driver for 20 years, died in his taxi near Seventh Avenue and Charles Street after dropping off passengers, according to the New York Taxi Workers Alliance.
One source described Singh as having a medical episode.
“Still shocking. Still shocking. It’s too bad what happened. I don’t know how their kids are going to survive,” said one person who came to pay their respects.
Singh’s family gathered at the West Village street corner where he spent his final moments. His wife, now a widow, was supported by their 10-year-old twins as the family tried to process the loss.
“It breaks our heart that in a car where he’s supposed to work, that he also took his last breath,” said Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance.
According to the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, Singh is the third taxi driver to be found dead in their cab in three months.
Taxi worker advocates said the deaths underscore the physical and emotional toll of the job, with drivers often working long hours and dealing with high levels of stress.
Midori Valdivia, the Taxi and Limousine Commission commissioner, said changes are needed to address the challenges facing drivers.
“The mayor talks about an affordability crisis. And a different part that the affordability crisis is how it impacts our drivers,” said Valdivia.
But Tuesday, the focus was on Singh’s family and the two children grieving the loss of their father.
Someone close to the family also called for the city to provide social service assistance in multiple languages, saying language barriers can sometimes make it difficult for people to seek help.