Masked Man Shoots at NYC Cab Driver After Not Being Able to Pay Fare

A masked man shot at a NYC taxi driver after he apparently couldn't pay his fare in full -- and now the cabbie's own ilk is telling its workforce how to avoid this situation.

In the footage -- filmed from inside driver Eufelix Jiminian's cab earlier this month -- the passenger jumps out of the moving vehicle after complaining about the bill ... and him seemingly not being able to cash out. Eventually, he opens fire on the cab as it drives away.

It's a little bizarre how this whole thing unfolds. First, Jiminian picks him up off the street -- even though he's clearly wearing a mask from the get-go -- and eventually the dude in the back says he needs to go back to where he was to get his wallet.

Once he drops him off and picks him up again, it seems he took him to his destination ... only for this fella to try and stiff the driver, which resulted in him pulling a gun out.

You can see their argument from there ... the masked man tells the cab driver this isn't Uber and that you get who you take. The man then tries getting out, but the driver keeps driving ... almost as an act of rebellion in order to keep the dude there. The masked man jumps out.

The driver keeps on driving away, and that's when the masked man opens fire -- with one of the bullets making contact with the car. NYPD says Jiminian was uninjured, and that the suspect fled on foot ... he's still at large, and cops are investigating.

Meanwhile ... the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers -- the org that advocates for cab drivers in the state -- is also seeking information on the shooting ... offering up a $3,000 reward for anyone who can provide deets about the unidentified culprit.