New law cuts English requirement for NY cabbies

The average New York City taxi driver may still be sassy, but will not be required to speak English any longer.

The change is the result of a new law that Mayor Bill DeBlasio signed in April and went into effect on Friday eliminating the English proficiency exam for taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers.

It is the latest big change for cabdrivers as policymakers and regulators try to adapt the city's requirements to demographic and technological changes. The legislation created a single license for all taxicab and for-hire vehicles and eliminated the English language proficiency test, according to a New York City Council website.