The mayor is slowly picking up support for his plan to increase cab service in the outer boroughs and in upper Manhattan.
Just hours after calling the proposal “devastating,” Taxi Workers Alliance Executive Director Bhairavi Desai switched gears, and announced her support of the plan Monday. The Black, Latino and Asian Caucus of the City Council also backed the plan, as did the Livery Base Owners.
State legislators introduced bills over the weekend that would offer permits to 30,000 livery cab drivers to legally pick up street hails in the outer boroughs and to sell 1,500 regular yellow cab medallions.
Several unions representing cab and livery owners and drivers — including the Taxi Workers Alliance — slammed the plan and held a protest Monday afternoon at City Hall. They said it would hurt both groups.
In a meeting between the mayor’s office and the Taxi Workers Alliance, the city agreed to a slower rollout of the “outer-borough” taxis and new regular yellow cabs, lower credit card fees for taxi drivers from 5 to 4 percent and to increase enforcement of illegal street hails and overcharging at taxi garages. Desai then agreed to back the plan.
“Our support was contingent on us being able to, in good conscience, to say to our members that they will remain whole,” Desai said, adding that the city’s agreement would help lessen the financial blow of legalizing livery cab street hails.
That wasn’t enough for several other taxi unions, who planned another rally at the state capitol Tuesday morning.
“This is going to kill community service, it’s going to kill the [livery dispatch] bases and it’s also going to create a meltdown in the yellow cab industry,” said Fernando Mateo, President of New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, which represents yellow, black and livery cab drivers.
The mayor’s office said yellow cabs pick up more than 97 percent of passengers in Manhattan and at airports – where livery cabs wouldn’t be allowed to go – and that they hope the law will soon pass.
It shouldn’t be any credit card fees for any taxi drivers! What do you think of this supports and protests?
Whoever writes the articles or news releases SETS the attitude, the scene, as if it were correct. Why be or against? It is ILLEGAL, you cannot double sell hail rights purchased for $1.5 or $1.2 million for 2 medallions, that City just sold. If you say “X stopped beating his wife,” 50 percent say he was beating his wife, 50 percent say he was not. Look at WHO wants WHAT — all the taxi parasites want and TAKE more money that comes from: the Driver and the Passenger who are alone in the cab going on an average 12 minute ride — the driver and the passenger are tapped. The driver’s pay is taken, the passenger’s fare goes up by 50%, but on top of that doubles by the major’s traffic lane decisions. The driver and rider are raped by city and oligarch interests that feed on THEM. A couple of means riding in the cab for a medical reason said they used to take NYC cabs all the time, but now they have stopped and take the subway with no seats either, have to stand. This couple said it is not only the high fares but the increasing time it takes to get anywhere because of all the new traffic designs. Yet, the illegal proposed DOUBLE-SELLING of hail rights wasn’t enough for the GREEDY city and oligarchs, they want another Ponzi-scheme AUCTION of medallions to increase the prices beyond $1 million for a corporate medallion, which has nothing to do with driver and rider satisfaction and safety, it has to do with MORE AND MORE MONEY made by the taxi parasites. It makes money for the GREEDY PARASITES to flood NYC with even more taxis — this flood of taxis kills the drivers and riders. The major is bound and determined to slash and has the NYC cab business so that by the time he is voted out, it won’t even resemble a taxi business, and will be so distorted it won’t function and there will be less and less riders.
This couple also pointed out that the pedi-cabs are so dangerous where riders and bicyclist have no real protection against being hit by motor vehicle. And safety was NO ISSUE with the major, apparently, because there was no tall pole in the design with a pom pom hanging off so that motorists could see the pedi-cab was there. Promoting bicycle use in NYC is all about MONEY, and both of these conveyances promote fatalities. But is life more important than GREED and MONEY and POWER? Not to these taxi parasites — both city and oligarchs are on a ROLL and even the federal courts cannot stop them.
One prominent black politician on cable 24/7 news (was it Herman Cain?) said that in NYC it costs $600,000 to own a cab (he had it a little low, more like $1.2 or $1.5 million), while he compared owning a cab Washington, DC — said you could own a cab in Washinton DC for a $200 permit. He didn’t explain it exactly right, but there is no doubt he was very aware of how the taxi business is being parasited by government in New York City. I don’t think this politician knows that now the NYC city government is getting ready to FLOOD the city with more medallions in auction at the same time DOUBLE-SELLING THE HAIL RIGHTS ALREADY SOLD. NYC is on a roll, and even federal court cannot stop it.
Cabbies talking about tickets not true, and cop write & say to driver not true. Unknown why cop want to stop special cab or driver or ‘practical matter’ or borderline violation or outright lie. One explanation, cop get nervous when see driver looks neat/intelligent and might ask hearing, so cop goes crazy writing down all type of untrue things driver suppose to do that don’t even fit the scene talk about. Like Rod Blago, so many charges, all acquitted by one deadlocked, hoping one gets thru. Cabbies need notebook paper/pen and disposable camera so can be developed same day, take wide angle shot from standing in front of cab where it happened, plus several shots of the vicinity. Cabbie needs to take down 3 or 4 medallion numbers to seek those drivers later for statements, phone numbers, addresses. One cabbie says he thinks cop saying untrue and rude things to driver, on purpose not true, maybe try get the driver upset, say or do something to be arrested, did someone put cop up to it, or maybe just the style cops use to UPSET driver with by saying untrue things right at the scene, so distract driver more focus on shock by cop saying wrong things to mess up short, factual, defense of ticket and pictures, so distract driver from getting medallion numbers and witness names and addresses, cruiser license plate, badge #. Cabbies keep cool, get facts, pictures, witnesses or statement to present to judge, and SAY at the scene it was obvious charge wasn’t true. Judges hear it enough times – maybe and hope it bring change. Cops like to make driver angry so go hearing with his MOUTH and not with the pictures, witness statement, and write up of what happened (so judge cannot cut off your talk). Go with MOUTH and judge say driver just gave it a shot to delay fine or get off. Bring facts, pictures, and all the details – it is work, give judge more reason to listen to your side. Cabbies need to work together otherwise no hope.
Is there anyone who bought his/her medallion recently and so happy? Will it be pedi-cabs outfitted with medallions in NYC?
There is an I phone app that lets you take credit cards with your cell phone. The rates are less then 5%. 2 1/2% I think. It is a bit more hassle so I dont use it but for those of you that are concerned about the extra 2% you may want to use it. Taking credit cards is one of the better things that has happened to cabbies. No more waiting at cash machines and better tips and more fares so stop complaining about 5%. It is not that much and the advantages far outweigh the small fee.
First Prius Cabbie is saying “It is not that much and the advantages far outweigh the small fee”? That is $2500-3000 every year per cabdriver, and that’s a lot of money to lose!
But in this day and age Ramirez to not take credit cards would put us at a great disadvantage. No one likes the fee but what other choice is there?
unless there is unity in cab drivers, everybody wants a piece of your ass. we need union and leadership.
unless there is unity in cab drivers, everybody wants a piece of your ass. we need union and leadership.
I guess this couldn’t be a more ideal time to change the rules. NY Cabbies are already our heritage, so why waste time killing them?
–Ri of http://www.changerules.net
” In a meeting between the mayor’s office and the Taxi Workers Alliance, the city agreed to a slower rollout of the “outer-borough” taxis and new regular yellow cabs, lower credit card fees for taxi drivers from 5 to 4 percent and to increase enforcement of illegal street hails and overcharging at taxi garages. Desai then agreed to back the plan. ”
Amazing, the City of New York apparently has the power to lower card-swipe fees that taxi drivers are forced to pay. From 5% to 4%. Given that taxi drivers are the only workers in the world who are forced to pay card fees, this miniscule lowering of the fee is a laugh. Can’t think of anywhere or any other purchase in the world where the worker pays the card-swipe purchase fees. Waitress? Use your card, restaurant pays the fee. Waiters, retail cashiers, mechanics, card-swipe fees NOT paid by the worker. Only the cab business where not only the worker pays the fees, but the fees are elevated so that the owners can get a CUT of the worker (cabbie’s) pay. Amazing.
In a meeting between the mayor’s office and the Taxi Workers Alliance, the city agreed to a slower rollout of the “outer-borough” taxis and new regular yellow cabs, lower credit card fees for taxi drivers from 5 to 4 percent and to increase enforcement of illegal street hails and overcharging at taxi garages. Desai then agreed to back the plan.
What does ‘new regular yellow cabs’ mean? More NYC medallions to be sold? This outer boro car service ‘hail’ plan has been in the works a LONG TIME. More than a year ago a NYC rider said that soon outer-boro car services who had brought a rider to Manhattan, would be able to pick up a rider in Manhattan and take that rider to the outer boros. No doubt car service drivers were licking their lips in anticipation of ‘ working Manhattan. ‘ At least 2 years ago, wasn’t there talk on this website about car services being able to form taxi stands at malls?
This is nothing new, no doubt it has been in the works a long time, the TLC and taxi parasite plans to give-away ‘hail’ rights and cab stand rights to car services, which is actually a DOUBLE SELL of the NYC taxi medallion rights, which individuals paid something like $1.1 million for a pair in the last auction. No sooner had individual owner operators taken on the task of trying to make a living out of running these HIGH COST medallions, but the TLC and City of New York was conniving and planning to double sell their rights to car services in the boros. All the boro riders have to look forward to is JACKED UP FARES. Where a north Manhattan rider can now get a car service ride into the city for $20, what do you think it will be after all the parasite money machines are installed in 30,000 car service vehicles? Probably $40. Who will benefit? The taxi parasites. Who will be the losers, NYC cab drivers, and riders, both in Manhattan and outer boros who will see their fares DOUBLE.
Get for your meddalion 3400 $$$ a month call me 9178536220
I’m from Wisconsin, I’ve never been to New York state let alone NYC and I don’t have any plans in the near future, so I suppose the city government would tell me to f–k off, but since Mikey Bloomers is denying the right to have relious leaders or even the firefighters and rescuers to attend the 9/11 observation I think he knows what he can suck.
Living just north of Madison, WI, I’m near enough to Chicago to know a load of steaming horse snot smells like from miles away. As I was reading the story which seemed to be very careful to avoid getting too insulting of the mayor (gotta love that word. “mayor may not”), I began to sense something wasn’t right. Why WOULD a driver refuse to go to the outer boroughs? He’ll stil get his pay and – you would think – a larger tip. Reading the comments simply confirmed my suspicions. The cabbies DO in fact have reasons to refuse rides. While I saw gripes about needing to use the bathroom or the simple fact that you’ve been going non stop for four hours, which are definitely important, I think it’s the matter of starting and closing shifts that tipped me off to the way Bloomberg runs his government. Classic Chicago Mafia style.
You are forced to take your car out to the far end of queens towards the end of the shift or get fined or you take the person out to the boroughs and have the garage sock it to you cuz you’re late bringing back the cab. This is as crooked as it comes. If you are forced to take someone to the far side of Queens and you’re late getting back, I believe that draws in serious racketeering infractions. The city and the garages have you in a damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation. This immediatly raises my suspicions of collusion between the owners of the garages and the city officials all the way up to Bloomdrug. Any chance that they are NOT conspiring to suck as much money as they can from the cabbies while promoting high turnover rate in order to keep wages low and the work force disorganized. It has all the markings conspiring between the city government and the Mob.
Don’t stop fighting that crap, cabbies! Sooner or later Bloomers or another are going to drive the cab companies to simply leave and move to other major cities where they will be treated with some respect and you will end up wit a Republican mayor for the first time in… HOW many years? Forever?
- Jonny Wisconsin (Go CHEESE!)