The street snitches who have raked in up to nearly $1 million apiece reporting idling trucks to the city are lawyers, doctors and residents of posh enclaves — enjoying the lucrative perks of a program that targeted even mobile COVID testing trucks during the pandemic.
Among the people profiting the most off the Big Apple’s Citizen Idling Complaint Program is Patrick Schnell, who records show has made $582,800 since 2019 by filming trucks idling for more than 3 minutes, then sending his clips to the city and collecting checks worth up to 50% of the vehicles’ ensuing fines.
But it’s just a side hustle for Schnell, who lives in leafy Boerum Hill, Brooklyn — and is a pediatrician with a long resume from high-powered medical groups such as Pfizer.
As part of his street-reporting schtick, Schnell appears to have an X account where he posts footage of cars and drivers who have obscured their license plates or parked illegally…