An association of New York City cab drivers has issued bulletproof vests to its drivers.
The New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers distributed the vests on Monday following a spate of high profile attacks on drivers.
Priority was given to the livery drivers who work the night shift in areas where statistics showed high incidence of attacks - chiefly in outlying parts of boroughs outside Manhattan.
Livery cabs must be hired ahead of time and do not pick up passengers off the street, unlike the more well known yellow taxis that cruise New York City streets looking for fares.
A dozen vests were donated by New York-based security firm Security USA, adding to another 20 protective shields that had been previously donated by retired police officers.
The company said it expects to expand the program to meet a clear need.
The company donated the vests, valued at $400 each, after being contacted by taxi federation head Fernando Mateo.
Driving a taxi or livery car can be one of the city's more dangerous jobs, the group noted, as robberies sometimes turn violent. A number of taxi drivers have been killed in recent years.
Reuters