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As the Bloomberg administration moves forward with its plan to expand taxi service outside Manhattan, there have been a number of closed-door meetings between industry stakeholders vying to get the best deal possible.

The Taxi and Limousine Commission wants to issue 6,000 medallions to those who would only pick up passengers outside of Manhattan. These medallions would be tied to the sale of 1,500 in-borough medallions that could bring in a hefty sum in revenue to the city's coffers.

A group of powerful yellow taxi fleet owners opposed changing the agreement that gives yellow medallions exclusive rights to street hails. Owners said that would drive down the value of medallions that now sell for around $1 million.

These fleet owners, many resented by the group The Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade, prefer this newer plan because it would potentially give fleets control of many of the outer-borough medallions, which they could lease.

One framework that's being considered is that every medallion sold to fleets would be paired with six non-Manhattan medallions. Owner-drivers would receive just one the new medallions for every yellow one purchased in an auction.

There are roughly 22,000 livery vehicles and more than 450 livery bases in the city. They're worried the new plan will upend their business because, as non-medallion based, mom-and-pop models, they may not be able to compete against deep-pocketed fleets at auction time. Some also believe there aren’t enough medallions to go around.

The city is trying to entice them by helping to creative a legal framework for an industry that makes much of its money through these illegal street hails.

A consensus organization representing the majority of bases and about 18,000 livery drivers, called the Livery Round Table are highly organized. They've hired a lobbyist to argue on their behalf and they’re fighting to convince lawmakers to unlink the sale of the 2 kinds of medallions. If that’s impossible they’re working to get at least half of the outer borough medallions set aside for existing livery drivers and bases. 

"We cannot be shut out because we can't afford the high price tag of a yellow medallion," said Fernando Matteo with the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers. "All we want is a fair shot to purchase the same kind of equity that yellow medallion owners have."

The mayor's plan must be passed through the state legislature by the end of June and the City Council after that.