JUNE 2019 www.taxiliverytimes.com Vol.20 No. 6

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An Insider’s Look at Both NYC TLC Regulated Industries INNOVATIVE TAXI COMPANY BUILDS LOYALTY THROUGH DRIVER INCENTIVES

Yellow Exemption For Congestion Pricing? See Page 28

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W 36- 31 10TH S TREET , LIC (L ong Island Cit y), NY 11106 CarmelDriv er s@gmail. com * MUST OWN AN ANDROID SMART PHONE BA SE #B00 256 *MUS T BE AFFILIA TED WITH A LIVER Y B ASE. *30 Minut es T raining needed t o ge t s tart ed. TAXI & LIVERY TIMES BY NEIL WEISS 4 • • JUNE 2019 EDITOR’S NOTES UNITED TAXI TAKES LEAD OFFERING UNITED TAXI ASUME UN ROL DE LIDERAZGO AL OFRECER BENEFICIOS DE CABBIES LIFE INSURANCE SEGUROS DE VIDA A LOS TAXISTAS As I’ve watched the transformation of New York City’s ground transportation industry in recent years Tras observar la transformación de la industria de trans - porte terrestre de la ciudad de Nueva York en años recientes, – and literally wept at the tales of drivers who were y literalmente llorar con las historias de conductores someti - under so much stress from soaring competition, wors - dos a un estrés tal –producto de la competencia creciente, del ening traffic and financial devastation that they com - empeoramiento del tránsito y de la devastación financiera– mitted suicide – I’ve sought out stories that offered que los empujó al suicidio, busqué historias que ofrecieran hope and the promise of stability to hard-working driv - esperanza y la promesa de estabilidad a los dedicados con - ers. One such story came to my attention last month, ductores. Una de estas historias me llegó el mes pasado, al enterarme de que una empresa llamada United Taxi Man - as a company called United Taxi Management agement ( www.UnitedTaxiNY.com ) acababa de lanzar su (www.UnitedTaxiNY.com ) recently launched its “Put programa “ Put in The Miles, Earn the Rewards ” (Sumen mil - in The Miles, Earn the Rewards” program, which pro - las y obtengan su recompensa), que brinda una serie de ben - vides a suite of benefits to registered drivers who work eficios a los conductores registrados que trabajen una a minimum number of monthly shifts. cantidad minima de turnos mensuales. Los conductores que trabajen al menos 24 turnos por mes Drivers who perform 24 shifts or more per month para United Taxi recibirán automáticamente seguro de vida for United Taxi automatically receive $25,000 in life in - de $25,000, seguro contra muerte y mutilación accidentales surance, $25,000 in accidental death and dismember - de $25,000, seguro odontológico y oftalmológico, y descuentos ment insurance, dental and vision insurance, and en compras de farmacia y productos relacionados con pérdida discounts on pharmacy purchases and products related de la audición (tales como audífonos). No hace falta llenar to hearing loss (such as hearing aids). There are no ningún formulario ni hay gastos ocultos; según el presidente de la empresa, Savas Tsitiridis, todos los conductores reg - forms to fill out or hidden costs; all drivers registered istrados en United Taxi que trabajen la cantidad de horas with United Taxi who put in the required hours are au - requerida quedarán automáticamente inscriptos en el pro - tomatically enrolled in the program, according to com - grama. pany president, Savas Tsitiridis. “Quería ofrecer a los conductores algo relevante, algo de “I wanted to offer our drivers something of sub - valor, algo con lo que pudieran contar", explica el Sr. Tsi - tiridis. “Para atraer a los conductores, históricamente hemos stance, something of value, something they could count ofrecido alquileres con descuentos, pero queríamos brindar on,” explains Tsitiridis. “To attract drivers, we histori - algo que fomentara la lealtad de modo más efectivo y llevara cally offered discounted leases, but we wanted to tranquilidad a las personas, no solo para ellas mismas sino arrange for something that would more effectively build también para sus familias”. loyalty and give people peace of mind – for themselves El Sr. Tsitiridis señala que, “más allá de las circunstan - and their families.” cias y los desafíos que hayan atravesado, los conductores muestran una inquebrantable devoción por proteger a sus Tsitiridis notes that, “no matter the circumstances familias. Al hablar con ellos, nos llevamos una sorpresa: les and the challenges they’ve faced, drivers show unwa - importaba más contar con un seguro de vida que con uno vering devotion to protecting their families. In talking odontológico, oftalmológico o cualquier otra cosa que no esté with our drivers, we found a surprise… they cared more cubierta por los planes tradicionales”. Si bien United Taxi Management –que hace poco se fu - sionó con Westway Taxi– lanzó el programa en enero, según

Continued on page 6 Continúa en la página 6

Editor’s Notes ...... 4 &

Questions & Comments ...... 7 An Insider’s Look at Both NYC TLC Regulated Industries Taxi Dave ...... 9 EDITOR/PUBLISHER: Neil Weiss TRANSLATIONS: Taxi News ...... 12 Email: [email protected] The Language Center and NYC TLC E 714 Crestbrook Ave. Directory ...... 13 Cherry Hill, N.J. 08003 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: U Tel: 800-723-9119/856-751-0656 Matthew Daus, Esq. Livery News ...... 15 Fax: 856-751-0657 Larry Fisher S Features ...... 17 Bill Heinzen S ADV. SALES MGR./ Bertram Merling

I By Matthew W. Daus ART & DESIGN: David Pollack ITAR Outlook ...... 22 Michele Norton: 856-262-2368 Steven J. Shanker, Esq. Michael Spevack, Esq.

S Commissioner’s Corner By Bill Heinzen ...... 24 I The Fishbowl By Larry Fisher ...... 25 Copyright © 2019 by TAXI & LIVERY TIMES. All rights reserved. Neither H this newspaper nor any part therof may be reproduced, copied, or transmitted Defensive Driving By Bertram Merling ...... 26 in any form, without the express written permission of the publishers. The T copyright is extended to the design and text created for advertisements. This

The Taxi Attorney By Michael Spevack ...... 27 publication is not responsible for errors in advertisement beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Bylined articles represent the sole opinion of N Fun & Games ...... 27 the writer and are not necessarily in accordance with the views of TAXI & LIV - I ERY TIMES. This Publication reserves the right to limit or refuse advertising News ...... 26 it deems objectionable. TAXI & LIVERY TIMES is published monthly at a sub - scription rate of $48 per year. Taxi and FHV Relief Stands ...... 34 TAXI & LIVERY TIMES JUNE 2019 • • 5 TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 6 • • JUNE 2019 Continued from page 4 Viene de la página 4

about life insurance than dental, vision or anything else el Sr. Tsitiridis, el mismo estuvo en tratativas durante años, that traditional plans don’t cover.” pero se frustraba por las dificultades que aquejaban a la in - United Taxi Management – which recently merged with dustria en su conjunto. La mayor estabilidad financiera de - rivada de la reciente fusión de United y Westway, juntamente Westway Taxi – launched the program in January, but Tsi - con un innovador programa desarrollado por Max Weiner de tiridis says that it was years in the making, stalled by chal - Ostraa Insurance Company, lo ayudaron a concretar su sueño. lenges felt industrywide. The added financial stability “Fuimos testigos de los compromisos de resguardar la resulting from the recent merger between United and salud mental y mitigar las deudas que asumieron los legis - Westway, along with an innovative program developed by ladores y los entes reguladores, pero otras políticas por ellos Max Weiner of the Ostraa Insurance Company, helped him promulgadas, casi en forma simultánea, no hicieron más que castigar a los conductores”, asegura el Sr. Tsitiridis. “Los achieve his dream. nuevos cargos por conducir en el centro que empezaron a regir “We’ve seen the pledges of support by regulators and a principios de febrero fueron un golpe al bolsillo de los con - legislators for mental health and debt relief, but other poli - ductores, quienes, según los cálculos, solo en el primer mes, cies they’ve enacted – almost simultaneously – have actu - experimentaron una caída del 20 % en los viajes, del 19.5 % ally punished drivers,” notes Tsitiridis. “The new en los recibos, y de casi un 10 % en las propinas, en compara - ción con el año anterior. Lamentablemente, fue un paso hacia congestion charges that began in early February hit the adelante y dos hacia atrás”. drivers right in their wallets; estimates show that in the El Sr. Tsitiridis, cuyo establecimiento de Sunnyside first month alone, drivers saw a 20% drop in trips, a 19.5% (Nueva York) cuenta con estacionamiento en la vía pública, fall in receipts and a near 10% reduction in tips compared una sala de oración, baños, café gratuito, acceso exclusivo a to the previous year. Sadly, it was one step forward and computadoras, un taller de reparaciones y de chapa y pintura two steps back.” que ofrece servicio completo, un taller de taxímetros y un lavadero de autos en el sitio, dice que el dinero que los con - Tsitiridis – whose Sunnyside, NY facility features street ductores solían gastar en seguro para sí mismos y sus familias parking, a prayer room, bathrooms, free coffee, dedicated ahora vuelve a sus bolsillos; esto sirve como aumento y les computer access, a full service repair and body shop, meter permite asignar ese efectivo a otras prioridades, lo cual “gen - shop and car wash onsite – says that the money drivers era un impulso en la dirección correcta”. once spent on insurance for themselves and their families “Pensamos que las alianzas privadas con organizaciones que alivian las dificultades económicas de los conductores now goes back into their pockets, effectively serving as a crearán las soluciones que los políticos no han brindado”, raise, and allowing them to direct that cash to other prior - señala el Sr. Tsitiridis. “Comprobamos que el seguro inclusivo ities, “providing some momentum in the right direction.” –que ha ofrecido cobertura a personas sin seguro o con seguro “We believe that private partnerships with organiza - insuficiente en países en vías de desarrollo– es una forma vi - tions that ease the financial hardships of drivers will bring able de apoyar a los conductores, al cubrir las brechas que solutions that politicians have failed to deliver,” notes Tsi - dejan las aseguradoras tradicionales. Creamos algo total - mente innovador: un seguro de vida y apoyo para cobertura tiridis. “We found that inclusive insurance – which has of - odontológica, oftalmológica y de medicamentos recetados fered coverage to un-insured and under-insured people in basado en incentivos y vinculado a la carga de trabajo de un developing countries – is a viable way to support drivers, conductor. Cuantos más turnos trabajan, más prestaciones filling the gaps left by traditional insurance companies. We obtienen, lo que también beneficia a nuestra empresa”. created something new and innovative: life insurance and Felicitamos a United Taxi Management por introducir su innovador programa. support for dental, vision and prescription coverage that’s incentives-based, tied to a driver’s workload. The more shifts they work, the more benefits they earn, which helps our business as well.” Kudos to United Taxi Management for introducing their innovative, new program!

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An Insider’s Look at Both NYC TLC Regulated Industries “LIKE” US ON FACEBOOK FOR BREAKING NEWS! OR VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.TAXILIVERYTIMES.COM TAXI & LIVERY TIMES JUNE 2019 • • 7 QUESTIONS & COMMENTS

Dear Taxi Dave, have lost their jobs and life savings. and ACCOUNTANTS at City Hall… and MADE How ironic is it that Uber and Lyft drivers were Uber and Lyft’s strategy has been to bring in SURE it was a sound investment to BUY taxi on strike all over the United States for a few money to the company, and that they achieved. medallions, issued DIRECTLY from the City of hours in May? I watched many Lyft and Uber But at what cost? We now have an industry in New York! drivers interviewed, complaining to whoever chaos, to the point where many drivers – so THEN, within FOUR YEARS, “they” apparently would listen about working long, grueling hours buried in debt, with one long, stressful day blend - got UBER happy and FLOODED the streets of and not being able to make a reasonable living. ing into the next – completely lost hope, and Manhattan with 50,000 ADDITIONAL, OVER- Some of the protesters came from the regulated some even took their own lives. Glorified, high-tech “GYPSY CABS”! All without Medallion, Black Car and Car Service segments Having been in this industry for 50 years, I offer ANY realistic EPA pollution oversight, using DAN - of the industry, saying they’re making only a frac - a simple solution: Start from scratch, with a lim - GEROUS hand-held devices for dispatching! tion of what they made before Uber and Lyft ited number of Medallion Taxi, Black Car and Car Then, TLC and SHITTY HALL proceeded to came to NYC several years ago. Service Vehicles. If they want to partner with SCREW thousands of hard-working yellow cab They say they were looking for an easier way Uber and Lyft, they can pay a weekly service drivers out of their LIFE SAVINGS… MANY of of life and had hoped to work fewer than the stan - charge, as well as a percentage for the calls they whom were trusting, innocent 1st generation IM - dard 12-hour shifts they’d been forced to do. And receive. This would be fair to all. MIGRANTS! who could fault them seeking a career that would It’s simply not necessary for every passenger Yeah... Yeah… Yeah... I know… Bloomberg... allow them more time with their families? Unfor - to have their vehicle arrive within one minute of Bloomberg... Bloomberg... tunately, they didn’t do the math. their request. So what if the time increased to five Puhleeze... ENOUGH whining about The Medallion Taxi industry started in the minutes; this would allow drivers to make a fair BLOOMBERG… who, by the way, oversaw the 1930s under the premise there would be a regu - living and all vehicles could be double or tripled taxi medallion go from $200,000 all the way up lated cap on the number of vehicles, allowing shifted to allow for the drivers who would be to $1.3 MILLION by the time he left office. drivers to make a decent living – and at the same forced out by the caps. THIS is the Mayor you HATE?! REALLY?! time have something of value for their future. The Anonymous BLOOMBERG?! ~:O industry blossomed to the point where medal - –––––––––––––––––– —------GTFOH! Come on, now… ;p lions were worth up to a $1 million, allowing BLAME “PRESIDENT” de BLASIO! BLAME Medallion Owners to have a decent retirement ex-TLC Chair JOSHI / “NO-SEE”! Blame after years of grueling work, without ever getting Uh… EXCUUUUUUUUSE ME… ;P CUOMO, the TLC shills and the worthless CITY paid time off, in a city where they could face crim - I know I'm probably not WORTHY of mention - COUNCIL for trying to make UBER & LYFT & inals who see taxi drivers as easy prey. Some ing the almighty New York Times from my lowly, other FAKAKTA outfits the answer to the City's drivers paid with their lives. little “Common Man” corner of the world… but MTA disaster... all on the backs of GROSSLY In the years just prior to Uber and Lyft, New after reading their so-called “expose” on NYC’s UNDERPAID, WORKING-POOR YELLOW CAB York City wisely auctioned off medallions to im - yellow cab crisis... just WTF ARE THEY TALK - DRIVERS! prove the Taxi industry and at the same time ING ABOUT?! BLAMING THE CREDIT UNIONS The idiot politicians who RUN this city are the bring instant cash into the city budget. At that and BROKERS (who, granted, often ain’t angels) ones at the TOP of the BS LIST, when it comes time, the Black Car and Car Service segments for the medallion crash?! to the BLAME GAME of who DESTROYED were providing excellent service to areas where WHAT?! NYC’s beloved YELLOW CAB INDUSTRY! All Medallion Taxis were not servicing. The CITY OF NEW YORK had posted MINI - within FIVE YEARS! Then came Uber and Lyft, who obviously never MUM UPSET BID PRICES of at least $700,000 An industry that was ONCE worth $20 BILLION cared about the drivers or their income… or they PER MEDALLION, for their LAST auction. IMO DOLLARS... before de Blasio and Little Miss “NO would have capped the number of vehicles long that basically TOLD potential buyers / VICTIMS SEE” ran it straight into the friggin’ GROUND! before City Council was forced to do so. By then that de Blasio, Joshi, et al had VETTED THE YOU CAN LOOK IT UP! it was much too late. Now, thousands of people PROCESS with their FLOORS OF LAWYERS MH Get Great Rates& Great Service AtMystic Brokerage Inc. 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When Jimmy Carter became President storage today. cient, not a hybrid. of the United States, the people were ready Why did this happen? Several reasons, For their part, drivers were rightfully for a down to earth guy who happened to be actually. The loans are not news – they are concerned that a van would use substan - a peanut farmer. He seemed to be a regular really just a side story, one part of the real tially more gasoline than a hybrid sedan. guy that everyone could relate to. reasons drivers migrated away from yellow Simply put, medallion owners and leas - When it came to interest rates, how - and to Uber. It was a “Perfect Storm” of ing companies were forced to buy a vehicle ever, the United States average in 1980 events for companies like Uber to attract that was not the first choice of passengers was 18%, a far cry from what we see today. an unlimited workforce. and that drivers didn’t want, while their Jimmy Carter, the regular guy, suddenly Yellow cab companies historically had preferred vehicle – the Camry Hybrid – was lost some points for popularity, due in part a surplus of drivers, earning as much, or removed from the list of vehicles allowed to of this. Why? Few could sell a home or busi - more than they ever would working for an be Yellow Taxis. Drivers loved spending $8- ness with those kinds of rates. app-based company – but the illusion of 12 bucks a day driving the Camry Hybrid, Taxi loan interest rates were also in the better pay and a better driving experience as opposed to the Ford Crown Victoria, 18% ballpark back in 1980. With all this was blown way out of proportion by bill - which cost them substantially more in current media attention on taxi loans, I boards on New York City buildings and on gasoline daily – yet many were further at - wonder how many of you are currently the backs of buses, declaring a tracted to Uber, which had no such vehicle being hurt by loans with 18% interest? How $5,000/month guarantee… with an aster - mandate restriction. many of you asked specifically for interest- isk, of course. Black Car company clients always pre - only loans to keep your monthly payments I heard that some Uber drivers were ferred Lincoln Town Cars and such, but manageable – knowing that when you sold paid up to $750 for each driver they Uber was not servicing Fortune 500 com - your medallion all loans would be paid off? brought to Uber. Those drivers made more panies. Even the Black Car companies who What saved medallion owners with 18% money recruiting than driving. survived have lost between 35%-50% of loans back in the day was something never At around the same time, several poli - their drivers. The yellow industry also lost before used by credit unions: three-year cies were mandated against the Yellow drivers to SHLs, and those clamoring for balloon loans. Instead of the real fear of Taxi industry. One required 50% of the yel - that $5,000 guarantee (don’t forget the *) going bankrupt at 18% for 10 years, if rates low fleet to transition to wheelchair acces - from Uber. This happened when Uber had dropped, they were able to adjust payments sible vehicles, something the disabled (and still has) NO vehicle mandate. every three years. It was a simple business community deserved for decades. Another I used to have answers for medallion product that saved many a small business - was the opportunity for FHV drivers to buy owners who could no longer drive, due to ill - man. a Green-Cab (SHL) and pick up street hails ness or retirement. They could always sell The NY Times portrayed balloon loans above 96th Street and in the outer Bor - or lease their individual medallion. All as a bad thing. Do you think it is a good oughs. their options ended when the Perfect Storm thing that credit card companies can The city only sold about half of the arrived. charge over 29% interest today? I don’t 18,000 Green Cab licenses that were sup - I no longer had any answers. Prices fell know of any investigations or front-page posed to enter the industry – also due in and career drivers who spent their lifetimes stories about Mastercard, Visa or American part to Uber coming to town. At that time, investing in a medallion, with plans to one Express… do you? I don’t think there were all politicians I spoke to assured me that day retire, were crushed. Many owners, any banks that would lend money on every Car Service vehicle would go green. now in their 70s, are back behind the medallions in 1980, only credit unions, who Of course, that never happened. wheel, while others simply walked away. were helping small businessfolk get into Then we had the Taxi of Tomorrow Despite what the NY Times article and stay in the NYC taxi business. mandate, whereby every new Taxi had to would have you believe blame doesn’t lie When you consider the Times investiga - be the NV200. (I believe NV stands for Nis - solely on the shoulders of the lenders. The tion about medallion owners who paid over san Van). The Nissan NV200 was chosen system provided for thousands of retired $800K for a medallion and then went bank - by Mayor Bloomberg, even after a survey drivers, allowing them to enjoy life and a rupt, lost everything, became ill, could not conducted in taxis showed that 86% of NYC solid medallion market for almost a cen - resell, could not lease and simply could no taxi RIDERS preferred the Karsan – a tury. I also know that there are credit longer afford to drive, remember this: The Turkish company vehicle – instead of the unions out there doing everything they can initial problem in the taxi industry, the Nissan. to help small business owner, as they al - thing that caused prices to plummet was It appears Bloomberg bought his third ways have. drivers leaving the Yellow Taxi industry. term as Mayor for about $72/vote, after two There are also plenty of politicians who Without a workforce any business is referendums showed that New Yorkers now understand the damage done to medal - doomed. Because of a lack of drivers, pas - DID NOT want a mayor to run for a third lion purchasers who were unfortunate sive owners who were leasing their medal - term… but I digress. enough to buy at the high end. Sadly, that lions to companies and making enough I was a stakeholder for the Taxi of To - Perfect Storm would have hurt medallion money to pay their loans, could no longer morrow – as were artists, environmental - prices if they cost $5 or $5 million – but afford to pay owners – and in some cases, ists, the disabled, drivers, fleets, etc. there is hope and I feel strongly that there medallions were placed into storage at the Initially, the NV200 was neither accessible will be a thriving Taxi business again one NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission. Ap - nor a hybrid. Today, they are the preferred day, now that the Perfect Storm has proximately 1,500 medallions are sitting in accessible vehicle, and although fuel effi - passed.

David “Taxi Dave” Pollack is an industry veteran, spokesperson and advocate for drivers in New York City. He can be reached via email at [email protected] or by phone at 718-706-TAXI (8294). He encourages people with comments or questions to reach out to him, and each month we publish those letters in our “Questions & Comments” section. TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 10 • • JUNE 2019

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Base # B00887 TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 12 • • JUNE 2019 TAXI NEWS FORMER TLC CHAIRWOMAN DISCUSSES APP COMPANIES & SAVING YELLOWS

Meera Joshi’s five-year tenure as the head of the New York ministration, at times working with City Council, made a failed City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) coincided with a tu - attempt to extend some regulations to app-based services in 2015, multuous time for the industry. Joshi, who left the de Blasio ad - when the companies were smaller – but they lost the battle to ministration in March, joined the What’s The [Data] Point? place a cap on the number of new app-based cars that could be podcast from Citizens Budget Commission and Gotham Gazette licensed. The TLC mandated that larger app-based companies in May to discuss her tenure, the taxi industry and key steps she share trip data with the city to help understand how the emerg - spearheaded to regulate it – along with what’s next for app-based ing sector was influencing traffic. companies. In what would become the final months of her tenure, the city The introduction and explosion of ride-hailing apps has wound up getting the cap in 2018, while also creating sweeping shaken the overall For-Hire Vehicle (FHV) industry, disrupting new pay protections for app-based drivers. NYC was the first mu - the traditional taxi sector in NYC and beyond, and is creating nicipality in the country to achieve this, leading to significant new challenges in terms of street congestion, driver working con - changes for the companies, traditional taxis and the city’s transit ditions, and more. In two years, the number of FHVs in NYC scene. The TLC has also been better able to study the impact of grew 59% and they now far outnumber yellow and green taxi - app-based services on the city’s congestion, among other things. cabs, according to TLC data. As of last year, there were 13,587 “In New York City, we have a good history of data-driven pol - licensed yellow cabs in the city, along with 3,570 green cabs, and icy,” Joshi said on the podcast . She pointed out that taxi cabs 107,435 app-based for-hire vehicles. At the same time, the value have been tracked in great detail since 2007. The city Depart - of taxicab medallions plummeted from a peak over $1 million to ment of Transportation uses that information to understand traf - $175,000, leading to financial hardship, suicides, and questions fic flow and regulate drivers. about a government bailout. New state congestion charges for taxis ($2.50) and FHVs On the podcast, Joshi discussed the challenges of regulating ($2.75) were ruled to be legal by a New York judge in February. an emerging business model while also attending to the decline In May, another judge upheld the new minimum wage rates of another, as well as other issues, while she was TLC Chair - against challenges from Lyft and Juno. woman, a position she was appointed to in 2014 by Mayor Bill de In April, Uber and Lyft both stopped accepting new driver ap - Blasio. Joshi also served under the prior TLC commissioner and plications, perhaps because of the new utilization rate structure held positions at the city’s Department of Investigation. and wage minimums, not to mention the vehicle license cap. The During Joshi’s five years leading the TLC, the de Blasio ad - utilization rate structure effectively penalizes rideshare compa - nies for having a large number of drivers on the road at the same time who are not moving passengers. On May 8, some app-based drivers in New York and other cities across the country went on strike in protest of low wages DMV & TLC Summonses and low quality of life at work. This came just ahead of Uber’s initial public offering (IPO) of stock. The New York Taxi Workers Michael Spevack Associations coordinated the strike in New York City. Attorney-at-Law Despite her criticisms of ridesharing apps, Joshi recognized that, “this is a good service, a popular service filling a void.” Ac - You Can Receive the Finest cording to Joshi, the boroughs outside Manhattan have seen the biggest benefit from the apps. Representation At Reasonable Fees! Joshi has been criticized for negative consequences due to ex - plosive growth of the app companies, including the falling value of taxicab medallions, wages for taxi drivers and increased stress All TLC & DMV Problems and suicide rates of drivers. When asked why she is not in favor Customer Complaints • Moving Violations of a bailout for taxi medallion owners, Joshi said “the problem Wills • Buying Or Selling A Business stems from the loan,” pointing out that taxis earn profits when House Closings • Personal Injury Cases they are on the road. She added that banks were irresponsible in & Other Legal Work their lending. “So many of these taxi medallions have outsized loans at - tached to them because the price was inflated,” comparing the situation to the housing bubble of the late 2000s. She believes a 212-754-1011 bailout would primarily benefit the banks who offered loans to acquire the medallions, saying, “I don’t know if the individual All Bankruptcy Matters Handled owner is better off, because they still may owe a tremendous amount of money to the banks.” 97-77 Queens Blvd., Suite 1120 Joshi believes that banks “are going to have to write [the loans] down anyway” and “resize them for what they’re selling Rego Park, NY 11374 for now, because they have to take the loss and they might as • well keep the borrower.” p 212-754-1011 As Joshi moves on to a position at NYU’s Wagner School of www.traffic-summons.com Public Policy as a visiting scholar and a policy advisor at Remix, the debate over the future of the taxi industry in NYC continues, with some of her moves hailed as major progress to help save yel - I can help you with TLC low taxis and improve the lives of all NYC TLC drivers, while others say the city has not acted quickly or aggressively enough.

and in Criminal Court. Source: Gotham Gazette TAXI & LIVERY TIMES JUNE 2019 • • 13 DIRECTORY

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518 W. 44th St., NY, NY 10036 WANTED DRIVERS time e or full Part tim vailable shifts a 212.279.3166 For more info Call TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 14 • • JUNE 2019 TAXI NEWS EX-TAXI DRIVER RELEASES BOOK KEITH MOON USED CABS TO PULL OF GRITTY 1980 s NYC PHOTOS PRANK ON NYC STREETS IN 1976 In 1978, Matt Weber was a cabbie in NYC, a city plagued by crime, abandoned buildings and a government on the verge of fi - April 30 marked the nancial collapse – a scene reminiscent of the movie “Taxi Driver.” 43rd anniversary of the Working the night shift, Weber witnessed fights and arrests, saw time Keith Moon pulled hookers and homeless people, and “so many crazy things on the an epic prank in New street that I kept saying, ‘Damn, I’ve got to buy a camera.’” So, York City. On that date, he picked up a camera and started chronicling the porn, peep in 1976, Keith Moon – shows and prostitution in Times Square, the busted cars in drummer of the rock Harlem, and the sailors who came to town looking for fun. band The Who – paid off His decades of documenting the city is now part of a new book, nine cab drivers to block “Street Trip. Life in NYC.” off a New York City Weber, who said he never intended to become a street pho - street. He then threw all tographer, noted that change is the only constant in NYC. The the furniture from his neighborhoods have been transformed since he began photo - hotel room out the win - graphing in the late 1970s. The black and white images, part of dow, according to re - the book that came out May 27, show a gritty side, during a gritty ports. time in NYC. The Who was on Source: Daily Mail tour for their 1975 album, “The Who By Numbers.” It was Moon’s last tour with the band. He died from an overdose on September 13, 1978 in Lon - don. Source: KKLZ NYC CAB DRIVER BUSTED WITH 3 POUNDS OF METH IN READING, PA.

A jury found a New York cab driver guilty in April of deliver - ing three pounds of methamphetamine to Reading from the Bronx in his taxi in February 2018. Marquel I. Azor-Ortiz, 37, was found guilty of intending to deliver methamphetamine and e e Are You Over Paying? Check With Us!!! possession of the drug after a two-day trial. c Judge Paul M. Yatron sentenced Azor-Ortiz to 5 to 10 years n ¿PAGA DE MÁS? ¡CONSÚLTENOS!

a in state prison, with credit for 426 days, after the jury rendered

r Royal Bay Insurance Agency its verdict. As a Dominican Republic citizen in the U.S. illegally, u u [email protected] Azor-Ortiz now faces deportation. Citing the deportation, defense s 30-02 Skillman Ave. • LIC, NY 11101 attorney Jay M. Nigrini asked Yatron to consider a shorter sen - n n

I tence so that Azor-Ortiz wouldn’t take up space in the prison.

r Azor-Ortiz’s case stemmed from a multi-state, drug-traffick - u u ing, wire-tap investigation involving Gerardo Camilo-Nolasco, a

o ROYAL BAY convicted New York City drug dealer. Camilo-Nolasco was caught

Y INSURANCE with 10 pounds of methamphetamine, worth $800,000, in a taxi TLC Insurance Is Our Speciality Los seguros de TLC son nuestra especialidad he was driving in Fort Lee, NJ, a few weeks prior to Azor-Ortiz’s w Se habla español arrest. According to court records, Camilo-Nolasco entered a e Black Car • Car Service • Luxury Limo • Taxi guilty plea in his case in December and was sentenced in March n Vehículos Black Car • Servicios de automóviles • Limusinas de lujo • Taxi to up to 10 years in prison. e Corporate Insurance for Black Car & Car Services According to trial testimony: During the wiretap investiga - R R Seguro corporativo para vehículos y servicios de automóviles tion, Drug Enforcement Administration agents intercepted phone u Insurance for Vans & Mini Vans calls and text messages between Camilo-Nolasco and an alleged o Seguro para camionetas y minivans drug dealer in Reading about the meth delivery. Reading police Y

Home • Auto • Business were waiting at the drop-off point about 6:30pm on Feb. 10, 2018, Hogares • Automóviles • Empresas DMV Approved 6 Hour e e when Azor-Ortiz arrived and parked his taxi. r We specialize in all Defensive Driving Course A DEA agent and a police officer approached Azor-Ortiz and o types of TLC insurance Available on Premises f f Nos especializamos en todo tipo de seguros ordered him out of the vehicle. Authorities then searched the cab para la Comisión de taxis y limusinas (TLC) e El Departamento de Vehículos Motorizados and found a bag of women’s clothing and hair products in the FH-1’s Issued Same Day (DMV) aprobó un curso de manejo defensivo B El certificado de seguro para vehículos de de 6 horas disponible en la empresa trunk that had three pounds of crystal meth hidden in the bot - transporte público se emite el mismo día. tom. s TLC Messenger Service Available* Workers’ Compensation for (*fees apply) Nigrini argued that Azor-Ortiz was an unknowing and un - U Ambulettes, Car Services & Limos Servicio de mensajería TLC disponible* Indemnización de trabajadores para ambulancias, (*se aplican tarifas) willing courier for the drug dealers. He said Camilo-Nolasco h servicios de automóviles y limusinas needed a way to keep his drug business operating after he got t Limits of liability: $1 million INSURE YOUR GREEN TAXI HERE i & $1.5 million Available ASEGURE SU TAXI VERDE AQUÍ busted, so he asked former brother-in-law, Azor-Ortiz, to deliver Límite de responsabilidad: $1 millón

W a bag of clothes to Reading. Assistant District Attorney Daniel P. y $1.5 millones disponibles CALL ROYAL BAY INSURANCE Troy argued that the calls between Camilo-Nolasco and Azor- New Jersey Limousine Consulte con nosotros antes de renovar su póliza de seguros k Insurance available Ortiz showed the delivery was about something more than cloth - c Limusinas de Nueva Jersey 718.383.3030 ing, and that Camilo-Nolasco wouldn’t just hand off that much

e Seguro disponible *Coverage provided through: American Transit Ins. Co., One Metro Tech, Brooklyn, NY 11201; Hereford Ins Co., 36-01 43 Ave, LIC NY 11101; Global Liberty Ins Co of NY, 68 S. Service Road, Melville, meth to somebody who had no idea what was going on.

h NY 11747; Fiduciary Ins Co of America, 4507 Davis Street, LIC, NY 11101; Maya Assurance Co., 45-18 Court Square - Suite 502, LIC, NY 11101; Eveready, 59 Maiden Lane, New York, NY 10038. FREE! INDOOR ON SITE PARKING • ¡GRATUITO! ESTACIONAMIENTO EN EL LUGAR BAJO TECHO Source: Reading Eagle C TAXI & LIVERY TIMES JUNE 2019 • • 15 LIVERY NEWS POLICE SMASH CAR WINDOWS TO LA POLICÍA ROMPE LAS VENTANILLAS DE UN AUTO PARA LIBERAR A UNA MUJER TOMADA COMO REHÉN FREE WOMAN TAKEN HOSTAGE Una mujer tuvo que soportar un viaje desenfrenado luego de ser presuntamente retenida contra su voluntad en lo que ella pensó que A woman was forced to endure a wild ride after she was al - era un vehículo de alquiler. La policía informó que el 22 de abril, el legedly held against her will in what she thought was a Livery conductor Calvin Alexander, de 30 años, fue sacado de la carretera vehicle. Police say 30-year-old driver Calvin Alexander was cerca del túnel Hugh Carey, tras identificarse las placas de licencia pulled over near the Hugh Carey tunnel April 22, after they spot - robadas del auto. ted the car’s stolen license plates. La minivan Chrysler Town & Country 2007 blanca, conducida The white 2007 Chrysler Town & Country, operated by por Alexander, tenía una licencia de Pensilvania registrada para Alexander, had a Pennsylvania license plate registered to a dif - otro vehículo. Una vez que el vehículo se detuvo, la pasajera del ferent vehicle. After the stop, the woman passenger in the back asiento trasero dijo que creyó que Alexander era un conductor pro - seat said she thought Alexander was a professional driver until fesional hasta que anuló las cerraduras para que ella no pudiera he overrode the locks to prevent her from leaving the car. salir. According to police, during the stop Alexander rolled up his Según la policía, cuando Alexander se detuvo al costado de la vehicle’s windows, locked the doors, moved over to the front pas - carretera, subió las ventanillas del vehículo, trabó las puertas, se senger seat and refused to leave the vehicle when told he was pasó al asiento delantero del acompañante y, cuando se le informó que estaba bajo arresto, se negó a salir. Para ingresar al vehículo, being arrested. Officers had to smash the driver’s side window los oficiales debieron romper la ventanilla del lado del conductor. to get access into the vehicle. Alexander alegó que trabajaba para un servicio de automóviles Alexander claimed to be working for a Brooklyn-based car con sede en Brooklyn, pero no tenía la debida licencia ni un registro service, but he didn’t have the proper license or a TLC registra - de la Comisión de Taxis y Limusinas (Taxi and Limousine Commis - tion and the name of the company he mentioned did not actually sion, TLC ), y el nombre de la empresa que mencionó era falso. exist. La policía informó que el conductor está acusado de posesión ile - Police said the driver is being charged with unlawful posses - gal de marihuana, privación ilegítima de la libertad en segundo sion of marijuana, second-degree unlawful imprisonment, crim - grado, posesión ilegal de propiedad robada en quinto grado, re - inal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree, resisting sistencia al arresto y obstrucción de la administración gubernamen - arrest and obstructing governmental administration. The TLC tal. La TLC afirma que el auto fue despachado por una empresa says the car was dispatched by a company called Columbia Street llamada Columbia Street Limo ubicada en Red Hook, a la cual está Limo in Red Hook. The TLC is investigating the company to find investigando para determinar, en principio, cómo fue que se envió out how the car was dispatched in the first place. el vehículo. Sources: CBS New York , ABC7 New York Fuentes: CBS New York , ABC7 New York NATIONAL RELATIONS BOARD LA JUNTA NACIONAL DE RELACIONES LABORALES DICTAMINA QUE LOS RULES UBER DRIVERS CONDUCTORES DE UBER NO SON EMPLEADOS

ARE NOT EMPLOYEES Los conductores de Uber dijeron haber anticipado (y predicho) la de - cisión de la Junta Nacional de Relaciones Laborales ( National Labor Re - Uber drivers say they have been anticipating (and predicting) lations Board, NLRB ) que les niega reconocimiento como empleados. La the National Labor Relations Board’s decision denying them recog - NLRB publicó el memorando informativo el 14 de mayo, casi un mes de - nition as employees. The NLRB released the advisory memo on spués de que fuera emitido originalmente. La Junta concluye que los con - May 14, nearly a month after it was originally issued. It concludes ductores de Uber son contratistas independientes y no empleados, una that Uber drivers are independent contractors and not employees clasificación que implica que no tienen derecho a formar un sindicato o – a classification that means they have no right to form a union or participar de una negociación colectiva. bargain collectively. El memorando, emitido por el despacho del abogado general de la The memo, which comes from the NLRB’s general counsel’s of - NLRB, sirve como recomendación para disposiciones en casos futuros, fice, serves as a recommendation for rulings in future cases, but pero no afectará muchas demandas actuales. El anuncio de la decisión will not impact many existing lawsuits. The announcement of the surge inmediatamente después de una jornada nacional de acción que decision comes on the heels of a national day of action by Uber and los conductores de Uber y Lyft llevaron a cabo en mayo y, algunos re - marcaron, sospechosamente cercana a la desalentadora oferta pública Lyft drivers in May – and, some remarked, suspiciously close to inicial de Uber. Uber’s disappointing initial public offering. Si bien la disposición puede ser desalentadora para los defensores While the ruling may be disappointing to driver advocates, sev - de los conductores, varios grupos de conductores de todo el país que tra - eral app-based driver groups around the country say they are nei - bajan con aplicaciones aseguran que no están ni desanimados ni desmor - ther daunted nor disheartened as they continue to pursue policies alizados mientras siguen abogando por políticas que regulen las to regulate driver working conditions at the state and municipal condiciones laborales de los conductores a nivel estatal y municipal. levels. “La NLRB no es un lugar donde esperamos que se protejan nuestros “The NLRB is not a place where we expect to have our rights derechos, dada la postura del gobierno de Trump” respecto de los sindi - protected, given the Trump administration’s position” on labor catos, le dijo a NPR Nicole Moore, vocera de Rideshare Drivers United unions, Nicole Moore, a spokeswoman for Rideshare Drivers United (Conductores de Viajes Compartidos Unidos) de Los Ángeles, en conso - in Los Angeles told NPR, echoing a sentiment shared by other re - nancia con la opinión de otros defensores regionales. “El hecho de que no podamos ser un sindicato no implica que no podamos actuar como tal”. gional advocates. “Just because we can’t be a union doesn’t mean Moore señaló que el memorando informativo de la NLRB tiene un we can’t act like a union.” alcance limitado: a los conductores de Uber, y por extensión a los de Lyft Moore noted the NLRB’s advisory is narrow in scope: it prevents y a otros conductores que trabajan con aplicaciones les prohíbe agremi - drivers for Uber, and by extension Lyft and other app-based drivers, arse, pero no aborda temas relacionados con la remuneración mínima o from unionizing, but it does not touch on issues around minimum con los límites del horario de trabajo. Grupos de conductores de todo el pay or working hour limits. Driver groups across the country, in - país, inspirados por los avances en Nueva York y California, dejaron de spired by gains in New York and California, have shifted their focus concentrarse en logar un cambio a nivel federal para impulsarlo a nivel from pursuing change at the federal level to the state and city level. estatal o municipal. En la ciudad de Nueva York, la Comisión de taxis y In NYC, the Taxi and Limousine Commission voted in December limusinas (Taxi and Limousine Commission, TLC) votó en diciembre en to establish a base rate of $17.22 per hour, making it the first city favor de fijar una tarifa básica de $17,22 por hora, lo que la convierte en in the country to set a minimum pay rate for app-based drivers. la primera ciudad del país en fijar una remuneración mínima para los Source: NPR conductores que trabajan con aplicaciones. Fuente: NPR TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 16 • • JUNE 2019 LIVERY NEWS LIVERY DRIVER APUÑALAN A CONDUCTOR DE VEHÍCULO DE ALQUILER EN LA ESPALDA STABBED IN THE BACK DURANTE ROBO EN EL BRONX Oficiales informaron que el conductor de un vehículo de DURING BRONX ROBBERY alquiler recibió una puñalada en la espalda cuando un pasajero trató de asaltarlo en el Bronx. En mayo, la policía difundió una A Livery driver was stabbed in the back as a passenger imagen de vigilancia del violento asaltante que perpetró el tried to rob him in the Bronx, officials said. In May, police ataque del 13 de abril, con la esperanza de que alguien pudiera released a surveillance image of the violent mugger in the reconocerlo. April 13 attack in the hope someone recognizes him. Se puede ver una foto del presunto agresor en: A photo of the alleged assailant can be viewed at: https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-cops-hunt- https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-cops-hunt- guy-stabbed-cab-driver-20190508-odjkqpznc5cbrg4p42ddwjq4uq- guy-stabbed-cab-driver-20190508-odjkqpznc5cbrg4p42ddwjq4uq- story.html. story.html. Según las autoridades, el conductor de 37 años declaró que According to authorities, the driver, 37, said his at - su agresor saltó a la parte trasera del auto cerca de la esquina tacker jumped into the back of his car near the corner of de las avenidas Third y Tremont Ave., en Tremont, alrededor de las 10:30 a. m., y le pidió que lo llevara a una dirección en Noble Third and Tremont Aves. in Tremont about 10:30am, and Ave. Al llegar a destino, el sospechoso le exigió que le entregara asked to be taken to an address on Noble Ave. As they su dinero. Cuando el conductor se rehusó, el sospechoso le mostró reached their destination, the suspect demanded the dri - un cuchillo y se lo clavó en la espalda. Acto seguido, el atacante ver’s money. When he refused, the suspect flashed a knife salió velozmente del vehículo y corrió a un edificio cercano. and jammed it into his back. The assailant then jumped El conductor, que no sufrió heridas de gravedad, fue out of the vehicle and ran into a nearby building. trasladado a un hospital de la zona para recibir tratamiento, in - The driver, who wasn’t seriously injured, was taken to formó la policía. an area hospital for treatment, police said. Describen al asaltante como un hombre de unos 20 años, de The thief is described as about 20, between 5-foot-9 and entre 5 pies y 9 pulgadas y 5 pies y 11 pulgadas, y contextura 5-foot-11, with a thin build. delgada. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is Se solicita a cualquier persona que tenga información acerca urged to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. de su paradero que llame a Crime Stoppers del Departamento de Source: Daily News Policía de Nueva York al (800) 577-TIPS. Fuente: Daily News ACCESSIBLE DISPATCH AMPLÍAN EL ENVÍO DE SERVICIOS CON FOR WHEELCHAIR SERVICE ACCESO PARA SILLAS DE RUEDAS EN IN NYC EXPANDED LA CIUDAD DE NUEVA YORK La ciudad de Nueva York está ampliando su Programa de New York City is expanding its Accessible Dispatch despacho de vehículos accesibles, con lo cual se brindará a los usuarios de sillas de ruedas mejor acceso a un transporte con - program, giving wheelchair users better access to conven - veniente y sin contratiempos. Antes de enero de 2018, el servicio, ient, hassle-free transportation. The service, which allows que los usuarios pueden solicitar mediante una llamada o un users to call, text or book the service online, was available mensaje de texto o bien reservar a través de Internet, solo estaba only in Manhattan prior to January 2018. By expanding disponible en Manhattan. Al ampliarlo, la Comisión de Taxis y the service, the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) Limusinas (Taxi & Limousine Commission, TLC) de la ciudad said it wants to offer people in wheelchairs and motorized de Nueva York explicó que quiere ofrecer a las personas en sillas scooters more equitable access to transportation. de ruedas y escúteres a motor un acceso más equitativo al trans - porte. With the service now in place, people with disabilities La implementación del servicio permite a personas de los in all five boroughs of NYC can access the city like never cinco distritos de la ciudad de Nueva York que tengan una dis - before, enabling them to make last-minute appointments capacidad acceder a la ciudad como nunca antes, programar and giving them additional options for transportation in citas a último momento y contar con opciones adicionales de case of an emergency. transporte en caso de emergencia. The Accessible Dispatch program was launched in Sep - El Programa de despacho accesible se lanzó en septiembre tember 2012 as a 24/7 program, with the goal of connecting de 2012 como un recurso disponible las 24 horas, los siete días de la semana, con el objetivo de conectar a los neoyorquinos New Yorkers who use wheelchairs and other mobility aids usuarios de sillas de ruedas y otros medios auxiliares de movil - to accessible taxis at no extra cost. At the time of launch, idad con taxis accesibles sin costo extra. Al momento del lanza - there were 233 accessible yellow cabs. Today, there are miento, el servicio disponía de 233 taxis amarillos. Actualmente, more than 2,800 wheelchair-accessible yellow and green hay más de 2800 taxis amarillos y verdes con acceso para sillas cabs. The TLC said it hopes to double that number in the de ruedas. La TLC dijo que confía en duplicar esa cifra en un fu - near future. turo cercano. Source: Newz Hook Fuente: Newz Hook

READ TAXI & LIVERY TIMES ONLINE AT www.TAXILIVERYTIMES.com TAXI & LIVERY TIMES JUNE 2019 • • 17 FEATURE THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING A HEALTHY BLOOD PRESSURE

Many drivers may be at a greater risk like and let them track your blood pres - once annually. Ask your primary care for high blood pressure than your average sure and other health measurements over provider how often you should visit to take worker, due to the stressful nature of their time. care of your specific health needs. jobs, a lack of physical activity and notori - Adults should have at least one gen - If you already have a primary care ously poor dietary habits while on the eral check-up each year with their primary provider, you can call the provider’s office road. High blood pressure, also called hy - care provider. At a typical general check- to schedule a general check-up. If you do pertension, occurs when the force of blood up, your provider will measure values not have a primary care provider and you flowing through the arteries is too high. such as your blood pressure, cholesterol, have health insurance, you can call your When left untreated, high blood pressure hemoglobin A1C (which measures your insurance company to find available can lead to heart attacks, strokes, kidney blood sugar over time), and Body Mass providers near you. You can see a primary problems, eye issues, among other health Index (BMI), which is calculated using care provider at low cost, even if you do not issues. your height and weight. The provider may have insurance, at New York Health+ Those who have high blood pressure also recommend cancer screenings or Hospital centers or at federally qualified often do not experience obvious signs or other blood tests depending on your age health centers throughout the city. symptoms, so they might not realize they and other risk factors. By taking care of your health today, are walking around with these serious dangers. It is ESSENTIAL to get your blood pressure checked regularly to know where you stand, so you can help avoid these deadly issues. Do you have high blood pressure? The best place to get your blood pres - sure checked is at your primary care provider’s office – a healthcare profes - sional like a doctor or nurse practitioner. You can also get your blood pressure checked at free or low-cost locations in your community, such as certain pharma - cies and health clinics. If you are diagnosed by a doctor with high blood pressure, it is important to take your medication as prescribed, even if you “feel fine.” Reach out to your doctor if you have questions about your treatment. Eating a healthy, low-salt, high-cal - cium diet, exercising more often, and re - ducing alcohol and tobacco consumption can also help control high blood pressure.

Get the care that you need! If your provider discovers that your you are driving towards a long, healthy fu - A visit to your primary care provider blood pressure readings are high or that ture tomorrow. Don’t wait; schedule a gen - can help prevent and manage high blood any of your values are abnormal, they can eral check-up to get your blood pressure pressure, so it is best to find a primary put together a treatment plan to help you checked! care provider you feel comfortable with. control your health through medications Please call The Taxi Network, a community Don’t be shy about asking questions to and lifestyle changes. program for taxi drivers, at 917-280-3286 for learn more about your health. Every pri - Adults who have high blood pressure more information and help getting primary care mary care provider has a different s tyle – sh ould vis it thei r prim ary care provide r and health insurance. keep looking until you find one that you every two to three months, rather than

&

An Insider’s Look at Both NYC TLC Regulated Industries FOR BREAKING NEWS! TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 18 • • JUNE 2019 FEATURE PROTECTING YOUR CAR’S INTERIOR

Over the course of a typical day, Weather Resistant people get in and out your vehicle – You can’t discount the impact yourself included. That means weather has on your vehicle either. smudges on the windows, scratches Muddy or sandy shoes can quickly on the dash, dirt on the floor and make a mess of an interior. If you food in the seat crevices, leaving you spend a lot of time ducking in and out to wonder what happened to what of the elements, you might want to was your spotless interior. grab some all-weather floor mats. They’re easy to clean and do a great A Quick Clean job of keeping the muck in one place. Luckily, it’s not that difficult to The sun’s rays can also wreak keep a car’s cabin from looking a lit - havoc on your car’s surfaces, causing tle too, well, lived in. First things vinyl to crack over time and materials first, get something to stuff your to fade. A simple solution is to regu - trash into. Just use a plastic bag or larly put a sunshade on the wind - a container you don’t use around the the surfaces of your car – some cleaning shield. They’re inexpensive and help house. You can even affix a temporary products contain alcohols that prema - to keep your interior looking new. hook to the door or seat to keep things turely dry and age the materials by re - Saving money on repair work and even neater. Every once and awhile, ducing the flexibility in the vinyl. Store cleaning comes more easily when you take it out and relish in the fact that you a small spray bottle of your homemade take the time to make preventative care haven’t spent an hour cleaning up. Keep - cleaning fluid and a rag under your seat a priority. Not only will these tricks ing trash off the floor also preserves your or in a storage bin for access when you’re make your car a nicer place to be, keep - carpets, which can get stained from any waiting for a client. This will also come ing grime out of your ride will cut down number of items. in handy when an emergency spill hap - on large maintenance costs in the future The idea of taking a rag to your dash pens. Lastly, keep your car smelling like and will help to retain its value over and leather seats is made easier if you roses (or at least a laundromat) by time. have them on-hand. The key here is to adding dryer sheets under the seats. Source: carcare.org just use a little bit of soapy water to wipe CONFIDENTIAL HELPLINE

If you or someone you know is suffering from depression, Hindi there is a free, confidential helpline called NYC Well that is always available and accessible in 200 languages. You can call 1-888-NYCWell, or text “WELL” to 65173. However, if you are ever in immediate danger of harming yourself or others, please call 911. Punjabi

Arabic

Russian Bengali

Spanish Chinese Si usted o alguien que usted conozca sufre depresión, existe una línea telefónica gratuita y confidencial llamada NYC Well que siempre está disponible y accesi - ble en 200 idiomas. Puede llamar al 1-888-NYCWell, o enviar un mensaje de texto con la palabra “WELL” al 65173. Sin embargo, si existe el riesgo inmediato de lastimarse o dañar a otros, llame al 911.

Urdu

French Si vous ou l'une de vos connaissances souffrez de dépression, sachez qu'il existe un service d'aide téléphonique gratuit et anonyme appelé NYC Well disponible à tout moment en 200 langues. Appelez le 1-888-NYCWell, ou envoyez « WELL » au 65173. Toutefois, si vous risquez de vous faire mal ou de faire mal aux autres dans l'immédiat, appelez le 911. TAXI & LIVERY TIMES JUNE 2019 • • 19 FEATURE THE SAFETY PING

BY STEVEN J. S HANKER , E SQ .

As everyone knows, hitchhiking pick her up. Unfortunately, it wasn’t. take further action to prevent similar means getting transportation by ask - Josephson simply and mistak - tragedies from recurring. Carmel’s ing individuals – usually strangers – enly got into the wrong car. Her dead app feature is called the “Safety for a ride. Hitchhikers use a variety body was found the next day in a Ping.” of signals to indicate they need a wooded area 90 miles away. The “Show Me My Car” screen of ride. Indicators can be physical ges - Unfortunately, events like the the Carmel app shows riders the tures or displays, including written death of Samantha Josephson are name of the driver, a picture of the signs not isolated. There have been dozens driver, the type of vehicle, a picture Hitchhiking is a historically com - of reports of attacks, particularly of the car, and the license plate num - mon practice worldwide; there are upon women, in the past few years. ber. With this new feature, the very few places in the world where These attacks turn a simple mix-up “Safety Ping,” before entering the ve - laws exist to restrict it. However, a into a nightmare, showing how easily hicle, riders can send a ping to the minority of countries have laws that bad actors can exploit the vulnerabil - driver scheduled to pick them up. restrict hitchhiking at certain loca - ities of a ride-sharing culture that so Once the driver accepts the ping, the tions. In the United States, for exam - many people trust to get them home driver is presented with a screen on ple, some local governments have safely. While these attacks represent his or her device showing the cus - laws outlawing hitchhiking for safety a small fraction of the millions of un - tomer’s name and confirmation that reasons. Fear of hitchhiking is eventful rides that riders enjoy every the driver received the safety ping. thought to have been spurred by day, Ms. Josephson’s murder has The customer is asked to get into the movies such as The Texas Chainsaw forced the public to weigh the risks of vehicle, only after the driver shows Massacre (1974) and a few real sto - climbing into a stranger’s back seat. the customer’s name on the driver’s ries of imperiled passengers. It has also led to legislative proposals device. Today, most of us do a form of and prompted TNCs and NYC bases Beyond what is created by the hitchhiking using our smartphones – to address renewed safety concerns bases and TNCs, the public must but instead of sticking out a thumb and take steps to reduce future at - stress their own situational aware - while walking along the side of the tacks. ness. For example, before entering a road to indicate we need a ride, we As a result of Samantha Joseph - vehicle, riders should always do the use a smartphone app and a vehicle son’s death, the New York State Leg - following: comes to pick us up. In most cases, islature recently introduced a bill to 1. Look for the make of the car as the vehicle that comes to pick us up require For-Hire Vehicles – including the vehicle approaches. Riders can is driven by a person who was specif - TNCs – that use a digital application usually identify the make by the em - ically matched/paired with the rider to solicit pre-arranged trips to imple - blem on the hood or the words on the via a third party. In New York City, ment a system of interactive elec - back of the vehicle. that third party is known as a base. tronic coupling, where the passenger 2. Confirm the model of the vehi - In New York State, that third party has the ability to “ping” the driver’s cle. The model of a vehicle can usu - is known as a Transportation Net - smartphone with a confirmation ally be found on the trunk. If work Company (TNC). message to ensure he or she can provided by the app, riders should While the transportation safely enter the correct vehicle. also use this time to confirm the color arranged via a base or TNC is com - In essence, it is a safety button. of the car. pletely legal, that does not stop some When a passenger presses the app, 3. Confirm the license plate num - predators who take advantage of peo - the driver’s phone will signal a con - ber . Many vehicles look the same, so ple who regularly hop into a car with - firmatory response indicating to the it is important to use the license out a second thought. Impostors passenger that the driver/passenger plate number as final confirmation search for night spots when people match has been confirmed and that that it’s the correct car before ap - have often been drinking, making the passenger may safely enter the proaching it. them extra vulnerable, as they part vehicle. Because so many individuals and with friends for the evening and Although this safety button is not businesses depend on for-hire trans - search the dark for an unfamiliar yet mandatory, Carmel Car and Lim - portation, providers of such service car. ousine Service – an iconic New York should have security measures in Phony decals and light-up signs car service for the past 35 years – place to help provide safe experiences saying with the name of a base or TNC rolled out a new safety feature on its for the riding public. While the are easy to buy. On March 29, 2019, a smartphone app to improve riders’ Carmel Safety Ping is an exclusive University of South Carolina student safety. Carmel has always been at Carmel invention, I encourage other named Samantha Josephson had the forefront of looking after the in - transportation companies to follow summoned a TNC ride and was wait - terests of its customers. After the suit. When it comes to riders’ safety, ing for that ride to come. Then Ms. high-profile murder of Samantha it is not about having an edge over Josephson mistakenly got into a car Josephson’s, Dr. Avik Kabessa, the competitors, it is all about the riders, thinking it was the TNC ride sent to CEO of Carmel, felt Carmel had to regardless of the company they use.

Steven J. Shanker, Esq. is General Counsel to the Livery Roundtable, Inc. and the New York Independent Livery Driver Benefit Fund. TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 20 • • JUNE 2019

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Introduction Figure 1 : These The congestion surcharge has been in place for well over images show trip three months now – since February 2, 2019. It is applicable to origins, Dec. 2018 taxi and for-hire vehicle (FHV) trips starting, ending or passing (clockwise from through Manhattan south of 96th street, but is limited to in - top left: medallion trastate trips. In this month’s article, we will evaluate the effi - taxi, Uber, Lyft cacy of the surcharge in reducing trip demand. and Via) Based on the most recent trip records from the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC), there has been no discernible decline in taxi and ride-hailing app ridership. In fact, there have been increases reported in the initial data. Specifi - cally, the number of trips for taxis and ride-hailing apps has in - creased between February and March 2019 – the first month the surcharge went into effect. It is also important to note – and a bit ironic, indeed – that the percentage of shared rides for Uber and Lyft has actually de - creased in the first month the congestion surcharge took effect. The only tangible outcome thus far from the implementation of the congestion surcharge has been the significant revenue col - lected to support the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Background As a recap, the congestion surcharge was implemented owing to the extremely high concentration of for-hire trip generators in Manhattan, despite the fact that the number of vehicles entering Manhattan has declined over time. Based on data obtained from the TLC, in December 2018, 88% of taxi pickups and 57% of ride- hailing pickups occurred below 96th Street (see heatmaps below). Of great concern is the fact that pool vehicle trips only con - stitute a small percentage of the total rides in the congestion sur - charge has had any real impact on congestion. charge zone, rarely exceeding 26% of all trips in 2018. Worst of The early answer is, quite unfortunately, no. In February and all, ride-hailing vehicles spend 42% of their time “cruising” with - March 2019, the average trips per day for both yellow cabs and out passengers. Overall, the trends toward more vehicle miles and ride-hailing vehicles for these two months have actually increased See Figure 1 less transit use have accelerated since 2017. based on our analysis. Currently, the most recent data available The Plan for traditional FHVs (the Livery, Black Car and Luxury Limo sec - tors) is from February 2019. Green cabs trips have decreased by The congestion surcharge was implemented in the 2018 New 6%, but since they operate largely outside the congestion sur - York State legislative session with the stated hope of reducing de - charge zone, this would have little or no impact on congestion in pendence on for-hire services – and to encourage New Yorkers to Manhattan. See Figure 2 use more public transit or pooled rides. The surcharge amount is $2.75 for each FHV trip, $2.50 per trip in a medallion taxicab, and $0.75 per passenger for rides in a pool vehicle. All revenue from the surcharge will be collected for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and is expected to generate $1 million per day in revenue, or $365 million in 2019, if it were to have started on January 1 as first planned. Based on this revenue projection and the initial findings that congestion has not been reduced, this surcharge plan has thus far demonstrated it is nothing more than an MTA tax. The Outcome Based on the data obtained from the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance (DTF), the total net revenue from the congestion surcharge in February 2019 was $34,356,664. This initial amount would produce projected annual revenue ex - ceeding $400 million for 2019, surpassing the year-end goal. Based on the data from the DTF, there were 5,740,070 total yellow cab trips subject to the surcharge in February 2019, which was approximately 82% of all taxi trips for the month. The total number of FHV trips subject to surcharge was 6,663,552 for February 2019, while the total pool vehicle trips subject to surcharge was 2,503,369 – roughly 12% of all ride- hailing trips. The most pressing question, however, is whether the sur - Figure 2 : This chart sets forth these trends in ridership. TAXI & LIVERY TIMES JUNE 2019 • • 23

The same trend is observable in these charts ( See Figure 3-4) for the number of unique vehicles/drivers. For yellow cabs and ride-hailing services, the numbers have in - creased, while green cabs have decreased. Note that the term “unique” refers to the number of vehicles/drivers that recorded at least one trip per month. The congestion surcharge offers a signifi - Figure 3 cant discount on pooled rides, and this should encourage more shared trips. Has this been effective? The early answer is, once again, no. As shown in this chart ( Figure 5) , the percent - age of shared trips has actually decreased by more than 3% post-surcharge. In sum, it is “business-as-usual” for traffic congestion in New York City. Based on the data available thus far, congestion is unlikely to be mitigated by the new law. The only goal achieved that has been met to date is the col - lection of the dedicated funding for the MTA. There are other data that may shed some light on the traffic conditions post-surcharge – namely vehicle miles traveled (collected by the TLC) and transit ridership and average bus speeds for routes within the congestion surcharge zone (collected by the MTA). Also, pursuant to Local Law 149 of 2018, since Jan - uary 2019, the TLC has begun to collect wait time data from ride-hailing vehicles affiliated with the four largest ride-hailing apps (cate - gorized as High-Volume For-Hire Services). None of this data is available at the time of this writing but will prove useful in ascertain - ing the impact of congestion surcharge. More Figure 4 to come…

Professor Matthew W. Daus, Esq. is President, International Association of Transportation Regulators ( http://iatr.global/ ); Transportation Technology Chair, City University of New York, Transportation Research Center at The City College of New York (http://www.utrc2.org/ ); and Partner and Chairman, Windels Marx Transportation Practice Group ( http://windelsmarx.com ). He can be reached at: [email protected] or 212.237.1106.

Figure 5 TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 24 • • JUNE 2019 COMMISSIONER’S CORNER By Bill Heinzen High-Volume For-Hire Service Driver Pay Protections Protecciones de pago para los conductores de vehículos de alquiler de alto vol - umen This February TLC’s new minimum driver pay standard went into effect for drivers working for high-volume for-hire services (i.e., El pasado febrero entró en vigencia la nueva norma de pago mínimo para los conductores con licencias de la Comisión de Taxis y Limusinas Uber, Lyft, Via and Juno). We are excited to announce that in the (Taxi and Limousine Commission, TLC) que trabajan para servicios de ve - first three months of the program, drivers were paid $152 million hículos de alquiler de alto volumen (es decir, Uber, Lyft, Via y Juno). Nos more than they would have been paid before the standard was in complace anunciar que en los primeros tres meses del programa, a los con - place. ductores se les pagó $152 millones más de lo que le hubieran ganado antes Under this standard, drivers must be paid a minimum amount de que se implementara la norma. per mile and minute they transport passengers. A City-commis - Bajo la nueva norma, a los conductores se les debe pagar una cantidad sioned analysis of conditions before these drivers had income pro - mínima por cada milla y minuto que transporten pasajeros. Un análisis comisionado por la Ciudad antes de que estos conductores tuvieran protec - tection found that, after covering their significant expenses, most of ción de ingresos descubrió que, después de cubrir sus gastos significativos, the 80,000 plus drivers working for a high-volume service were mak - la mayoría de los más de 80,000 conductores que trabajaban para un servi - ing below the equivalent of the New York State minimum wage. cio de alto volumen recibían menos del equivalente del salario mínimo del The additional earnings from the new pay standard are re - estado de Nueva York. sources drivers can take home to their families and spend in their Los ingresos adicionales son recursos que los conductores pueden uti - communities, which may already be having a positive ripple effect lizar con sus familias e invertir en sus comunidades, lo que ya puede estar on neighborhoods in New York City. When paid more, some drivers generando un efecto dominó positivo en los vecindarios de la ciudad de Nueva York. Cuando se les paga más, algunos conductores también tienen also have the opportunity to spend less time working and can prior - la oportunidad de pasar menos tiempo trabajando y pueden dedicar más itize more time with families, resting, school or other hobbies. tiempo a sus familias, al descanso, a la escuela y a otros pasatiempos. The TLC has identified that a small share of trips were under - La TLC identificó que las empresas no remuneraron de forma correcta paid by the companies during this time period and is requiring com - una pequeña parte de los viajes durante este período y requiere que las em - panies to (1) pay restitution to drivers who provided these trips, and presas (1) paguen una indemnización a los conductores que proporcionaron (2) prove to TLC that they have done so. If you believe you were not estos viajes y (2) demuestren a la TLC que lo hicieron. Si considera que no se le pagó de forma correcta por un viaje, no dude en comunicarse con nues - correctly paid for a ride, do not hesitate to get in touch with our tra Unidad de Protección al Conductor (Driver Protection Unit, DPU) en - Driver Protection Unit (DPU) at [email protected] or 718- viando un correo electrónico a [email protected] o llamando al 391-5539. TLC Driver Protection Unit 718-391-5539. An essential component of enforcing driver protections in TLC Unidad de Protección al Conductor de la TLC rules, ranging from the new driver pay standard to lease caps, is the Un factor imprescindible para hacer cumplir las protecciones del con - critical work of TLC’s Driver Protection Unit (DPU). The DPU in - ductor bajo las reglas de la TLC, que van desde la nueva norma de pago del vestigates and takes appropriate action on complaints filed by driv - conductor hasta los límites de alquiler, es el trabajo importante de la Unidad de Protección al Conductor de la TLC (TLC’s Driver Protection ers against other licensees, such as medallion owners, for-hire Unit, DPU). La DPU investiga y toma las medidas adecuadas sobre las que - vehicle owners, leasing companies, garages, base owners and tech - jas que presentan los conductores contra otros titulares de licencia, como nology service providers. los propietarios de medallones, propietarios de vehículos de alquiler, em - Staff in the DPU interview the driver, review our data, and re - presas de alquiler de vehículos, garajes, propietarios de bases y proveedores quest documents from the responding licensee. The TLC may pros - de servicios de tecnología. ecute the respondent by issuing a summons or they may work to El personal de la DPU entrevista al conductor, revisa nuestros datos y resolve the conflict by requiring the licensee to right the wrong and solicita los documentos al titular de la licencia que es entrevistado. La TLC puede iniciar acciones legales contra el entrevistado mediante la emisión make the complainant whole, with proof of compliance. de una citación o puede trabajar para resolver el conflicto al exigirle al tit - These complaints can be very serious, and run the gamut from ular de la licencia que corrija el error, haga que el reclamante cumpla con pay to lease overcharges, identity theft, fraud, and retaliation. Some todo y pruebe su cumplimiento. important cases the TLC has taken on include prosecuting a former Estas quejas pueden ser muy graves, y van desde el pago hasta los exce - licensee who stole other drivers’ identities to lease and operate taxis, dentes de alquiler, robo de identidad, fraude y represalias. Algunos casos as well as restitution to a driver from a garage that did not pay a importantes que ha asumido la TLC incluyen el procesamiento de un an - driver for several months. We also prosecuted a leasing company tiguo titular de licencia que robó las identidades de otros conductores para alquilar y operar taxis, así como la indemnización a that had fraudulently used a driver’s signature to extend a lease. un conductor de una compañía que no le pagó al conductor varios meses de Since 2012, the unit has helped drivers get back more than $3.2 mil - pago. También iniciamos acciones legales contra una empresa de alquiler lion in restitution from garages or others who have overcharged que utilizó de manera fraudulenta la firma de un conductor para extender them. The unit also regularly provides drivers’ rights trainings un contrato de alquiler. Desde 2012, la unidad ha ayudado a los conductores throughout the city and works closely with other agencies, such as a recuperar más de $3.2 millones en indemnización de compañías u otras the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Office of Financial Empower - personas que han cobrado excedentes. Asimismo, la unidad proporciona con regularidad capacitación sobre los derechos de los conductores en toda la ment, to meet the needs of drivers. ciudad y trabaja estrechamente con otras agencias, como la Oficina de Ca - Professional drivers contribute so much to our city by taking pacitación Financiera del Departamento de Asuntos del Consumidor, para New Yorkers where they need to go safely and efficiently – but they satisfacer las necesidades de los conductores. can be wronged by bad actors. We hope that by sharing information Los conductores profesionales contribuyen mucho con nuestra ciudad about what the TLC and other City agencies do, we can help drivers al llevar a los neoyorquinos a donde necesitan de manera segura y eficiente, get the support they need. pero personas con malas intenciones pueden perjudicarlos. Esperamos que al compartir información sobre lo que hacen la TLC y otras agencias de la Driver Income Hearing ciudad, podamos ayudar a los conductores a obtener la ayuda que necesi - tan. Thank you to all members of the public and the industry who participated in the TLC’s public hearing about driver income on Audiencia sobre los ingresos del conductor April 25. The Members of the Board of Commissioners, TLC staff, Gracias a todos los miembros del público y de la industria que partici - and members of the public watching in-person or on our Livestream paron en la audiencia pública de la TLC del 25 de abril sobre los ingresos appreciated that you took the time to share your experiences. We de los conductores. Los miembros de la Junta de Comisionados, el personal heard from many drivers that have felt a positive impact from the de la TLC y los miembros del público que presencian en persona o en nue - new minimum pay standard for high-volume for-hire service drivers; stro Livestream aprecian que se haya tomado el tiempo para compartir sobre sus experiencias. Sabemos de muchos conductores que han sentido however, we also heard about the continued challenges being faced un impacto positivo por la nueva norma de pago mínimo para los conduc - in many corners of the industries we regulate. The TLC is reviewing tores de servicio de vehículos de alquiler de alto volumen; sin embargo, tam - the feedback, ideas and concerns shared at the hearing so we can bién escuchamos sobre los desafíos continuos que enfrentan en muchos determine whether there are new policies we could develop to pro - ámbitos de las industrias que regulamos. La TLC está revisando los comen - mote a healthy industry and safe, quality service for everyone in tarios, ideas y preocupaciones que se compartieron en la audiencia a fin de New York City. que podamos determinar si existen nuevas políticas que podamos elaborar para promover una industria saludable y un servicio seguro y de calidad para todos en la ciudad de Nueva York. TAXI & LIVERY TIMES JUNE 2019 • • 25 THE FISHBOWL WHOSE FAULT IS IT ANYWAY? BY LARRY FISHER

In the aftermath of the 2008 massive economic implosion caused the virtues of Uber during their expansion in 2014-2015. They avidly by a real estate bubble, columnists and analysts tried to assign blame supported this industry disruption due to a variety of reasons. The to the various parties involved. Of course, there were the lenders, bias of the NY Times has been well documented for decades as they whose loose underwriting standards, accompanied by loan products have carped at the taxi medallion monopoly. It would not surprise that worked only in rising asset markets, garnered a fair amount of me one bit if Michael Bloomberg shared the Times point of view and responsibility. Stories of housekeepers with five rental properties became determined to do something about it, especially after the taxi were sensationalized across the print and electronic media. industry beat him in court over the hybrid vehicle and later the “Taxi Sometimes, the borrowers were held accountable. They were of Tomorrow.” characterized by some as knowing sophisticates who tried to ride the Finally, although there are some similarities to the real estate real estate train with easy money and low interest rates. Only when debacle of 2008 and its aftermath, the taxi industry has yet to stabi - those interest rates rose did these same sophisticates become un - lize and recover. Cities have not shown the renewed desire for a vi - knowing victims of predatory lending. Still, there were legitimate brant medallion system, yet. victims who were led like lambs to slaughter by aggressive brokers When they need revenue to fill their coffers, maybe then medal - eager to make a commission. lion sales and transfer taxes will cause elected leaders to turn to the Then there were the regulators – the FDIC, OCC, FSLIC, SEC, tried and true historical virtues of a medallion system that didn’t and NCUA – to name a few. If it is true that these governmental or flood the cities with traffic, that enabled thousands to have an asset quasi-governmental agencies were subject to political pressure by they could use as a retirement vehicle, or a borrowable asset. Congress or the Executive branch, then there clearly needs to be a In the meantime, as the current crop of medallion owners go revamp of their independence from any and all political squeezes. bankrupt or are in foreclosure, hedge funds are quietly gobbling up It’s been said that Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac were under the medallions waiting for the turn-around. The IPO’s of Uber and Lyft sway of Rep. Barney Frank and his socio-political goal of home own - are underwater as I write this, so maybe the hedge funds know some - ership for as many as possible. In a recent New York Times article, it thing many of us don’t – that the return of the medallion is in - is mentioned that NCUA was also influenced by Congress in its over - evitable. sight of the taxi credit unions. Larry Fisher entered the NYC transportation industry in 1982 as a yellow In 2008, Wall Street came under fire for its aggressive and some - taxi driver, and has also worked as a black car driver. In 1987, he became a times fraudulent approach to packaging sub-prime mortgages. Their lender for Progressive Credit Union, then took the position of lending super - regulators were late to the party and were likely not up to snuff on visor in 2003 for Melrose Credit Union – which he held until he retired in the complicated products Wall Street was creating ways to satisfy 2016. Currently, Mr. Fisher is a consultant for his own firm, LAF Consult - their customers’ thirst for yield on investments. ing Services Corp. He can be reached at: [email protected]. There were all kinds of responsible parties in the run up to the 2008 disaster. And therein lies the similarity to what the taxi indus - try has endured in recent years. According to the Times reporter, Brian Rosenthal, it was the lenders who created an artificial bubble and made millions on the backs of poor, unsuspecting immigrant bor - ATTENTION: rowers. But, according to a report in the Daily News , it was Uber that has devastated the incomes of taxi drivers and owners, and therefore BLACK CAR INSURANCE the diminution of the medallion value. Then there are the regulators, the Taxi and Limousine Commis - IS OUR SPECIALITY sion. It has come to light that the TLC was concerned that the medal - lion price was overinflated as far back as 10 years ago, but their Are You Over Paying? Check With Us!!! behavior consistently contributed to the bubble blowing up. They en - couraged medallion buying through ads and marketing events. They FH-1’s Issued Same Day posted bogus average prices on their website. They insisted that auc - tion bidders have commitment letters for 80% of the bid from regu - We shop with multiple carriers* lated lenders. But, to read Meera Joshi’s deposition in Singh et al vs Limits of liability: $1 million & City of NY, and TLC, you’d think she was living in a cave with her $1.5 million Available inability to recall, and her evasive answers. Furthermore, the medal - Flexible Payment Options lion had a hard cap that was only lifted when there was legislative approval. New Jersey Limousine To have allowed Uber to increase their fleet of cars to over 80,000 Insurance available is gross malpractice and negligence. Black Car • Car Service • Luxury Limo • Taxi The bank and credit union examiners were also behaving Insure your TLC strangely. Also, in the Times story, it is reported that the NCUA had concerns about medallion values dating back to 2010. Not until late Corporation with US 2012 was this ever communicated to me, and not by a supervisory Insurance for Vans & Mini Vans person, but by a field examiner… and I agreed. If this was truly a concern then, they should have held a high-level meeting telling us Workers’ Compensation of their concerns. By the time the NCUA and the NY State Dept of for Ambulettes, Car Financial Services started cracking down on medallion loans, it was Services & Limousines too late. Home • Auto • Business Their marching orders seemed to focus on other areas. For ex - ample, the Bank Secrecy act was a big deal to examiners in their ef - INSURE YOUR GREEN TAXI HERE forts to stop terrorism funding and money laundering. A story in the NY Times reports that Deutsche Bank had several instances of sus - Յժሿࣁ౯ժᦖӾ෈ 718-375-9000 Se habla pected transactions that rose to the level of filing Suspicious Activity español Reports to FinCen. According to the Times , these transactions be - 888-TAXI-INSURANCE longed to the Trump Foundation and Jared Kushner companies. The filings never got made to FinCen because executives at Deutsche A&Y Royal Insurance Brokerage 2308 Coney Island Avenue Bank quashed them. www.ayroyal.com Brooklyn, NY 11223 *Coverage provided through: American Transit Ins. Co., One Metro Tech, Brooklyn, NY 11201; Hereford Ins Co., 36-01 43 Ave, LIC NY The media has its role as well. All the local papers were extolling 11101; Global Liberty Ins Co of NY, 68 S. Service Road, Melville, NY 11747; Fiduciary Ins Co of America, 4507 Davis Street, LIC, NY 11101; Maya Assurance Co., 45-18 Court Square - Suite 502, LIC, NY 11101; Eveready, 59 Maiden Lane, New York, NY 10038. TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 26 • • JUNE 2019 DEFENSIVE DRIVING SUMMER DRIVING, JULY 4TH AND WHEELCHAIRS

BY BERTRAM MERLING

School lets out this month, and • During prom season, teenagers uses a wheelchair into your ve - early next month July 4th will be will be getting in and out of lim - hicle and make sure they prop - celebrated across the city. In this ousines to take photos. Please erly secure themselves in the column, we offer tips to help you use extra caution and be patient; vehicle. better navigate these challenges, allow them to enjoy their special • Ask wheelchair passengers along with some pointers on serving evening. whether they prefer to secure customers who require a wheel - • Be courteous to all tourists – their wheelchair in the vehicle chair. they rely on you for helpful (if you drive a WAV) or have it hints/information and provide a placed in the trunk. Summer Driving Season tremendous boost to New York • Travel at safe speeds and try to • Once school lets out, it’s essen - City’s economy. avoid making unnecessary or tial to be extra alert for children abrupt stops. Make the trip as at all hours of the day. Summer Vehicle Tips pleasant and comfortable as pos - • Air conditioning is for the pas - • Inspect your radiator if your ve - sible for your passengers. senger’s comfort, keep it on. hicle is more than a year old. • All ambulate and special access Your passengers will expect a • Change fan belts and always wheelchair taxis must secure cool vehicle. Do not wait for peo - check your fluids. the wheelchair and passenger ple to request it. By the time • Replace or remove your winter safely and securely prior to your car reaches a comfortable thermostat. starting a trip. temperature, many passengers • For additional information on will have already arrived at July 4th Holiday Wheelchair Safety, please visit their destination. • Please use extra caution on July the TLC website at • Remember: New York City’s 4, when there will likely be in - http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/htm buses and subways are air con - creased traffic and people at - l/home/home.shtml and search ditioned and offer their services tending holiday parties and for wheelchairs. at a lower cost than you. barbeques, who may be driving • While you will burn more fuel under the influence of alcohol IMPORTANT NOTE: NYC’s using your air conditioner, aver - and/or other illegal substances. Taxi/FHV industry has changed dra - age gratuities should increase at • If you attend a holiday party, matically in recent years. Competition a rate that will more than offset make sure you get your rest be - is tough and the long hours can be gru - the additional cost. fore and after the event. Driving eling. If you are a driver struggling • Driving a comfortable vehicle in while drowsy places drivers at with depression or thoughts of self- the summer reduces your the same risk as driving while harm, please know that you are loved chances of getting involved in a intoxicated. and appreciated by so many, including road-rage incident. your family and friends. You are not • A comfortable vehicle will allow Wheelchair Etiquette & Safety alone. If the struggle has become too you to work your normal shift • All NYC For-Hire Vehicles must much for you, help is available 24-hours without becoming irritable or ex - service passengers with wheel - a day at the NYCWELL hotline: hausted quicker than you would chairs. 888.692.9355. There is no shame in ask - without air conditioning. • Always assist a customer who ing for help.

Bertram Merling is the Loss Control Coordinator for Hereford Insurance Company. He welcomes your qu esti ons an d comm ents, a nd can be reach ed at 718.361.9191 ext. 7235, or via email at [email protected]

&

An Insider’s Look at Both NYC TLC Regulated Industries FOR BREAKING NEWS! TAXI & LIVERY TIMES JUNE 2019 • • 27 THE TAXI ATTORNEY

BY MICHAEL SPEVACK

Hello everybody… This month I want Have your paperwork in order to hand If an officer tells you to stop doing to talk about what to do if the police or to the officer or inspector when pulled something, do what you’re told. Whether TLC pull you over for a traffic summons. over. Do not call your lawyer right away, it is moving around or getting out of your If you hear a siren behind you or are as sometimes officers will issue you a cell vehicle or talking or whatever. Listen to told to pull your vehicle over, DO IT. Pull phone ticket if they see you reaching for the authority. DO NOT attempt to run your car over immediately and DO NOT your phone or device while in the actual away over a summons. try to drive away from an officer or TLC process of being stopped. Wait until after I know tickets can be costly and dan - inspector. ALWAYS BE CALM AND PO - the police are out of sight, after the stop, gerous to your driving career, but if you LITE when dealing with a police officer or to call your lawyer or representative. get stopped, it is time to prepare for court, TLC inspector. Be polite and use words like “yes sir,” not create more problems for yourself by I know that it can be difficult, and I “yes miss” or “yes or no officer” when talk - attempting to run from or scream at the know that police and to some extent TLC ing to the officer or inspector. Do not talk officer or inspector. It is not easy to get rid can be aggressive in issuing summonses too much to the officer or inspector as they of tickets these days, but the impact can these days, but TRY NOT TO ARGUE will be looking for you to admit you did be minimized by successfully using court with a police officer or TLC inspector who something wrong. to your advantage. This is the best way to issues you a summons. Also, in NYC, officers do not have to deal with the situation. Let me clearly state my philosophy, de - show you the laser or radar gun readout I hope this article has been useful, veloped over two decades defending taxi or a video tape of you committing an of - thank you for reading it. Until next and limousine drivers from tickets: BE fense. Do not scream. Do not curse. Do not month, be well… and I hope you are work - FORGETTABLE. DO NOT TRY TO TALK try to befriend the police or inspector. ing hard and making good money. OR JOKE OR FLIRT YOUR WAY OUT They are not your buddies. They are under OF A TICKET. The more you say to the of - orders to write tickets to people and they Michael Spevack is a 1992 graduate of ficer or inspector the more trouble you are are merely following orders. NYU School of Law and has been a lawyer likely to get into. Be nice. Be forgettable. Follow orders. in good standing in New York State since Let your lawyer or representative Don’t talk too much. 1993. He has been helping for-hire vehicle argue on your behalf in court later – often - After the stop, call your lawyer or rep - drivers in New York City since 1995, when he opened his own law firm dedicated to times many years later. In this regard, the resentative and tell him or her everything “helping individuals, not large corpora - officer will have calmed down and may you can remember about the stop. Tell the tions.” Mr. Spevack can be reached at have even forgotten the stop and why he lawyer if you think the cop made a mis - 212.754.1011; he also welcomes visitors to his or she wrote the ticket to you! That makes take, etc. It is better to let the lawyer or office at: 97-77 Queens Blvd, Suite 1120, it much easier to get the summons dis - rep argue for you than for you to argue Rego Park, NY 11374. missed in court later. with the police officer. FUN & GAMES

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Councilmember Ydanis Rodriguez held a press con - ference on the steps of City Hall in May, calling for Yel - low Cabs to receive an immediate exemption from the city’s Congestion Pricing surcharge, which recently went into effect on Taxi and FHV rides. Councilman Rodriguez pointed out that the Taxi industry is suffer - ing, after companies like Uber were able to come into the city, “with little in the way of a financial barrier to entry.” The tragic bankruptcies and foreclosures are well known, and only started after the “influx of Uber vehi - cles,” said the Councilman, who called the exemption a first step in the right direction. Councilman Fernando Cabrera agreed, and said he supports the Yellow Cab exemption on congestion pricing. “We already paid our congestion pricing fee in the price of the medallion,” argued one owner/driver at the rally, named Nino. A flier that was disseminated at the rally read: “The next step should be the reduction of the number of Ubers clogging the streets of the Central Business dis - trict, and a set of rules that don’t create an advantage for those who paid little to enter into the business.”

“Taxi Dave” Pollack (left) with NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, after a press conference about an innovative new Mental Health and Wellness Program for NYC’s For-Hire Vehicle (FHV) driv - ers, launched by The Black Car Fund (BCF) and Independent Drivers Guild (IDG) May 7. Williams seeks to end the stigma surrounding men - tal health care, particularly for men and communities of color. The new program offers a suite of free counseling and case management services and classes to address and prevent crisis situations” – available in Eng - lish, Spanish, Urdu, Bengali and Mandarin. TAXI & LIVERY TIMES JUNE 2019 • • 29

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In Albany, progressives are hoping a with an Assembly that is dominated by the bill if it reached the floor, according to long sought-after priority can become law older, more moderate members. Passage sources. None of them have co-sponsored before the end of the legislative session in in the Senate is still not assured, though the legislation or said much publicly about June – driver’s licenses for undocumented advocates believe they are closer than it. All won highly competitive general elec - immigrants. The Green Light bill, as it’s they have ever been to rounding up the tions in 2018 and will likely face well- known among advocates, would authorize votes needed. funded Republicans in 2020; all represent the New York State Department of Motor The Green Light bill has 25 co-spon - districts where Donald Trump has signif - Vehicles to issue driver’s licenses to nonci - sors in the Senate, which is still short of icant popularity. tizens. Twelve other states and the Dis - the 32 needed for passage. In May, the Suburban and rural Democrats have trict of Columbia do this already. For New York Immigration Coalition debuted long worried about backlash over support - undocumented immigrants who don’t a TV ad highlighting possible public safety ing driver’s licenses for people who aren’t have driver’s licenses but do drive for benefits of the bill. Advocates argue that in the country legally. Republican law - work, it would allow them to operate ve - undocumented immigrants currently driv - makers are criticizing the current legisla - hicles legally and also have a form of ID ing without licenses can become safer tion for prohibiting the DMV from for other official purposes. drivers if they are legally allowed to go to providing law enforcement agents with The Democrat-controlled state legisla - the DMV and pass a road test. identifying information like an address or ture is nearing the number of votes While conservatives have decried the social security number unless the agent needed to pass the legislation. The State bill as a government giveaway to nonciti - has a warrant or subpoena specifically re - Assembly is expected to move first, having zens, advocates have stressed practical ar - questing that information. reached the threshold needed to send the guments: more licensed drivers on the Another obstacle for the legislation bill to the Senate. Speaker Carl Heastie road and increased revenue for the state. had been Cuomo, who said he would sign supports it and has said “there’s enough The bill would affect as many as 265,000 a driver’s license bill if it hit his desk. support in our conference to move the pro - people and could generate $34 million in Cuomo’s public support had been far more posal forward.” Governor Andrew Cuomo annual revenue from gas and auto taxes muted than his fight for other measures also recently embraced the legislation, and fees, according to an analysis by the impacting immigrants, like the DREAM more so than he had in the past. left-leaning Fiscal Policy Institute and Act, a bill guaranteeing tuition assistance While the new dynamic in Albany has City Comptroller Scott Stringer. to undocumented immigrants that passed manifested itself as more ambitious and Privately, at least three Long Island the legislature earlier this year. progressive, the Senate is butting heads Democrats have said they would vote for Source: Gothamist

“LIKE” TAXI & LIVERY TIMES FOR BREAKING NEWS STORIES

BRAMER JOINS GROUPS TO CALL FOR TODDLER WITH GRANDMOTHER VICTIM EXCLUSIVE BIKE LANE, PEDESTRIAN OF HIT AND RUN IN QUEENS WALKWAY ON QUEENSBORO BRIDGE A two-year-old boy crossing the street with his grand - mother was struck by a taxi that fled the scene in Queens on the morning of April 24. Police say 20-year-old Ramanpreet On April 30th, Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer joined Singh was operating a 2010 Ford Escape when he hit the tod - Transportation Alternatives, Bike New York, the Court Square dler at the intersection of 28th Street and Queens Plaza South Civic Association, cycling advocates, and community members in Long Island City, just after 10:40am. to call on the NYC Department of Transportation to create sep - The boy, Mason Castillo, was walking to the daycare fa - arate, exclusive lanes for pedestrians and cyclists on the Queens - cility where his mother, Patricia Castillo, works. Mason was boro Bridge. Van Bramer endorses Transportation Alternatives’ rushed to New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Cen - campaign to convert the south outer roadway into an accessible ter with a fractured skull and a broken leg. He underwent a walkway and the north outer roadway into a dedicated bike lane. second surgery two days later to mend broken pieces of his “The Queensboro Bridge path is dangerously overcrowded skull and will need extensive rehab, but family members are and poses a safety hazard to the thousands of pedestrians and grateful he is alive. cyclists that rely on it to cross between Queens and Manhattan The family has set up a GoFundMe to help pay for medical each day. There needs to be separate, exclusive lanes for pedes - bills: https://www.gofundme.com/bpc6y9-mason039s-medical- trians and cyclists on the Queensboro Bridge. DOT cannot afford bills. to wait until upcoming work on the bridge is completed to start Authorities say Singh fled the scene, and detectives linked planning to make this infrastructure more sustainable and ac - his taxi to the crime. He was arrested at his Queens home on cessible,” said Van Bramer. the morning of April 26, and is charged with leaving the scene Queensboro Bridge, currently shared by bikes and pedestri - of an accident with a serious injury, failure to yield to a pedes - ans, would be converted to include an exclusive bike lane. The trian and failure to use due care resulting in a serious injury. South Outer Roadway, currently reserved for cars, would be con - He had just received his TLC license on March 11. His father verted into an exclusive pedestrian walkway that is ADA-com - reportedly owns the taxi he was driving. pliant and accessible to all. Source: ABC7 New York TAXI & LIVERY TIMES JUNE 2019 • • 33 Join Our Team at VITALVVIVITVITA Vital Transportation Inc. LOOKING FOR Base PROFESSIONAL License #B00789 DRIVERS WITH LATE MODEL CARS

As Proud Members of The Black Car Fund, Our Drivers Receive: • Workers’ Compensation insurance at NO • A $50,000 Driver Death Benefit, in the event a COST to them – with wage replacement and driver passes away while on the job. Loved ones medical benefits if they are injured on the job. are eligible for a $50,000 payment to help them Medical expenses, hospital fees and medication recover from the tragedy. costs related to an injury are also covered. • A FREE Vision Plan, entitling them to a full • $300 every three years for taking The Fund’s annual eye exam and a FREE pair of glasses. Defensive Driving course, which also helps • Access to a FREE Telemedicine Program that reduce points on your license and fulfills TLC provides them AND their families with free requirements. doctor’s consultations by telephone or video • $150 for completing The Black Car Fund conference, even if the health issue is not related Wellness, Safety and Education Program to a Workers’ Compensation claim. (STEP), which offers seminars on maintaining a • Access to the Black Car Fund’s Driver healthy lifestyle – both physically and mentally. Wellness program, which provides a suite of free Topics include Stress Reduction, Healthy Driving, counseling, case management services and classes Hands-Only CPR training, Transportation-on- to address and prevent crisis situations – available Patrol, Share the Road and AMBER Alert in English, Spanish, Urdu, Bengali, and Mandarin. Response Training.

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Taxi and For-hire Vehicle relief stands allow drivers to park their vehicles for up to one hour. This affords drivers the opportunity to leave their vehicles and take care of per - TAXI AND sonal needs. Taxi relief stands should not be confused with taxi stands, which are locations where drivers can wait in their cars to pick up passengers. DOT is not responsible for regulating taxis. Taxis are regulated by the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission. DOT regulates taxi relief stands. FOR-HIRE VEHICLE The type column indicates if the relief stand is for taxis alone, or for both taxis and For-Hire Vehicles (FHVs). Staten Island currently has no relief stands. The following information was found at www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/motorist/taxire - RELIEF STANDS lief.shtml ( as of July 24, 2018 ). We recommend checking back periodically, in the event changes are made to these lists.

MANHATTAN QUEENS

Tayxpi/eFH V s 1S0t rAeveet ( E. .. s.i d. e. ) ...... W. . C26r oSst s& SWtr 2e8e tSs t Tayxpi e 3S1t rSete (t W .. .s i.d .e )...... 3C4r Aovses &S t3r5e eAtvse Taxi/FHVs 11 Ave (E. side) ...... W 45 St & W 46 St Taxi 31 St (E. side) ...... 37 Ave & 36 Ave Taxi/FHVs 3 Ave (W. side) ...... E 14 St & E 15 St Taxi 31 St (E. side) ...... 38 Ave & 37 Ave Taxi/FHVs 3 Ave (W. side) ...... E 15 St & E 14 St Taxi 34 St (W. side) ...... 37 Ave & 38 Ave Taxi/FHVs 6 Ave (E. side) ...... Thompson St & Grand St Taxi/FHVs 35 St (S. side) ...... Starr Ave & Bradley Ave Taxi/FHVs 6 Ave (W. side) ...... W 22 St & W 23 St Taxi/FHVs 36 St (E. side) ...... Skillman Ave & 43 Ave Taxi/FHVs 6 Ave (W. side) ...... W 38 St & W 39 St Taxi 43 Ave (N. side) ...... 35 St & 36 St Taxi/FHVs 6 Ave (W. side) ...... W 39 St & W 40 St Taxi/FHVs 43 Ave (N. side) ...... 11 St & 12 St Taxi/FHVs 6 Ave (W. side) ...... W 55 St & W 56 St Taxi 44 Rd (S. side) ...... 21 St & 11 St Taxi/FHVs 8 Ave (W. side) ...... W 46 St & W 47 St Taxi/FHVs 43 Ave (N. side) ...... 36 St & 37 St Taxi 9 Ave (E. side) ...... W 30 St & W 29 St Taxi 49 St (W. side) ...... Newtown Rd & Northern Blvd Taxi Ave A (W. side) ...... E 2 St & E. Houston St Taxi/FHVs 45 Ave (S. side) ...... Jackson Ave & 23 St Taxi/FHVs Church St *E Rdway (W. side) ...... Franklin St & White St Taxi/FHVs 47 Ave (S. side) ...... 11 St & Vernon Blvd Taxi/FHVs E 116 St (S. side) ...... 3 Ave & 2 Ave Taxi 55 St (E. side) ...... Queens Blvd & Roosevelt Ave Taxi E 15 St (N. side) ...... Irving Place & Union Square E Taxi 64 St (W. side) ...... 34 Ave & 35 Ave Taxi E 23 St (N. side) ...... 1 Ave & 2 Ave Taxi/FHVs 61 St (E. side) ...... Roosevelt Ave & 39 Ave Taxi E 26 St (S. side) ...... 3 Ave & 2 Ave Taxi Queens Blvd (S. side) ...... 50 St & 51 St Taxi E 27 St (S. side) ...... Park Ave S & Madison Ave Taxi/FHVs Pearson St (W. side) ...... Jackson Ave & DeadEnd Taxi E 28 St (N. side) ...... Park Ave S & Lexington Ave Taxi Queens Blvd (N. side) ...... 55 St & 54 St Taxi/FHVs E 29 St (S. side) ...... Madison Ave & 5 Ave Taxi 37 Ave (N. side) ...... 32 St & 31 St Taxi E 32 St (N. side) ...... Madison Ave & Park Ave S Taxi/FHVs Van Dam St (W. side) ...... Queens Blvd & Skillman Ave Taxi E 77 St (S. side) ...... 1 Ave & 2 Ave Taxi E 78 St (N. side) ...... Lexington Ave & 3 Ave BRONX Taxi E 78 St (S. side) ...... Lexington Ave & 3 Ave Taxi E 86 St (N. side) ...... Henderson Pl & York Ave Tayxpi/eFH V s ES t2r3e3e St t. ( .S . s. i.d .e )...... C. a. r.p .e n. t.e .r .A .v .e .& . CWrhoistes P Slatirnese Rtsd Taxi E 87 St (S. side) ...... 1 Ave & 2 Ave Taxi Park Ave (E. side) ...... E 135 St & E 138 St Taxi/FHVs Grand St (N. side) ...... Forsyth St & Chrystie St Taxi Park Ave (W. side) ...... E 135 St & E 138 St Taxi/FHVs Madison Ave (W. side) ...... E 26 St & E 27 St Taxi/FHVs Pelham Pkwy S (S. side) ...... Wilson Ave & Eastchester Rd Taxi/FHVs Maiden Ln (S. side) ...... Front St & South St Taxi/FHVs W 231 St (N. side) ...... Albany Cr & Broadway Taxi Park Row (E. side) ...... Ann St & Beekman St Taxi/FHVs West Kingsbridge Rd (S. side) ...... Sedgwick Ave & Webb Ave Taxi/FHVs South St (W. side) ...... Wall St & Gouverneur Ln Taxi University Pl (E. side) ...... E 13 St & E 14 St BROOKLYN Taxi W 33 St (N. side) ...... 9 Ave & 10 Ave Taxi W 39 St (S. side) ...... 8 Ave & 9 Ave Tayxpi e 4S tArveee (t W .. .s .id .e .) ...... C . r.o . s.3s SSt t&re 6e tSs t Taxi W 41 St (N. side) ...... 10 Ave & 11 Ave Taxi/FHVs 4 Ave (E. side) ...... Prospect Ave Taxi W 55 St (S. side) ...... 10 Ave & 11 Ave Taxi N 6 St (N. side) ...... Berry St & Wythe Ave Taxi/FHVs W 181 St (S. side) ...... Pinehurst Ave & Fort Washington Ave Taxi New Utrecht Ave (N. side) ...... 55 St & 13 Ave Taxi/FHVs West St (E. side) ...... Laight St & Vestry St TAXI & LIVERY TIMES JUNE 2019 • • 35 NEWS CARMEL LAUNCHES NEW APP FEATURE TO IMPROVE CUSTOMER SAFETY Carmel Car and Limousine launched was her ride hail car. and is instructed to show the customer a new feature on its popular ride-hail “I was shaken by what happened to the screen with their name and ping ver - app in May, called the Safety Ping, Samantha and we immediately jumped ification. which is designed to improve customer on the #What'sMyName campaign, New York City’s Carmel Car and safety. The new feature helps ensure which encouraged customers to ask driv - Limousine, which provides service in an that customers get into the car assigned ers for their names before getting into a additional 360 cities worldwide, has a to pick them up, by using “Electronic- car,” says Kabessa. “Parallel to it, I in - strong safety record for both drivers and Coupling” that can only take place when structed our development team to work passengers. the right driver is answering the ping. on the Safety Ping feature.” “We constantly evolve to ensure our “People are distracted; and it’s even According to Kabessa, Carmel’s new affiliated drivers and customers have a worse late at night, after a long day,” ex - Safety Ping feature works as follows: great, safe experience with Carmel,” plains Avik Kabessa, Carmel’s CEO. Using the Carmel App ( www.Carmel - concludes Kabessa. “The Safety Ping “Ride Hail cars are often the same Limo.com/App ), the customer presses was developed with the hope that what shape, color, and perform trips for sev - the Safety Ping button on the Show Me happened to Samantha Josephson will eral companies, adding to passenger My Car screen, receives notification the not happen to other ride hail passen - confusion.” Ping was sent, and is advised to only gers. We invite other ride hail compa - The feature was added, following the enter the car after the driver shows nies to copy the safety ping feature.” tragic death of Samantha Josephson, them the driver app with customer’s For more information, visit who entered the wrong car, thinking it name on it. The driver receives the ping www.carmellimo.com . HUNDREDS OF NEW RECALLS

SPEED CAMERAS Manufacturer Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. April 8, 2019 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V277000 COMING TO NYC IN JULY Hydraulic Brakes May Fail: A short casting can cause a sud - den loss of brakes, increasing the risk of crash. The electronic By David Pollack parking brake and its emergency brake function are not affected and will still function. On July 11, an additional 610 speed cameras will be added Components SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC to New York City streets, bringing the total to 750. The speed Potential Number of Units Affected 12,645 cameras will be installed within a quarter mile of schools, not Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is re - just not on the block schools are located. All speed cameras calling certain 2018-2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake will be operational on weekdays between the hours of 6:00am master cylinder casting may be too short. and 10:00pm – not just during school hours. Remedy: Audi has notified owners, and dealers will inspect Speed Cameras will be installed on West End Avenue, 1st the brake master cylinder, replacing it as necessary, free of Avenue in Manhattan, Hylan Boulevard on Staten Island, charge. The recall began May 3, 2019. Owners may contact Audi Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, Grand Concourse in the Bronx customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall and Northern Boulevard in Queens. is 47O9. Manufacturer Ford Motor Company May 13, 2019 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V362000 Unintentional Rollaway Due to Detached Shift Cable: If the vehicle is exited without the transmission being in Park and without the parking brake being applied, the vehicle may unex - pectedly move, increasing the risk of a crash. NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V362000 Components POWER TRAIN Potential Number of Units Affected 259,182 Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Fusion vehicles equipped with 2.5-liter engines. The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission. The condition could allow the driver to move the shift lever to Park and remove the ignition key, while the transmission may not be in Park, with no warning message or audible chime. Remedy: The remedy for this recall is still under develop - ment. The recall is expected to begin May 28, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S16. Note: Owners are directed to use the parking brake until the recall remedy repairs can be made. This recall is an expansion of 18V471. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov . TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 36 • • JUNE 2019 NYC MOVIES UNDER THE STARS NYC PARKS MOVIES Queen of the Desert (1994), Tony Dapolito September 8: Creed II (2018), Field 42 UNDER THE STARS , Recreation Center, Manhattan FILMS ON THE GREEN, VARIOUS LOCATIONS June 22: Mary Poppins Returns (2018), VARIOUS LOCATIONS Mary Poppins Returns June 1: (2018), Corporal John A. Seravalli Playground, June 7: Where Do We Go Now? (2011), Carl Schurz Park, Manhattan Manhattan Washington Square Park, Manhattan June 4: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of June 27: Bohemian Rhapsody (2018), Tony Miniscule, Valley of the Lost Ants Grindelwald June 10: (2018), Samuel N. Benner - Dapolito Recreation Center, Manhattan (2013), McGolrick Park, Brooklyn son Playground, Manhattan June 29: If Beale Street Could Talk (2018), In Safe Hands Green Book June 14: (2018), Washing - June 6: (2018), Carmansville Martin Luther King Jr. Playground, ton Square Park, Manhattan Playground, Manhattan Manhattan June 21: Peppermint Soda (1977),Trans - June 6: A Star Is Born (2018), Tony ROOFTOP FILMS , VARIOUS LOCATIONS mitter Park, Brooklyn Dapolito Recreation Center, Manhattan Mustang Avengers: Infinity War Well Groomed June 28: (2015), Transmitter June 8: (2018), June 13: (2019), Fort Park, Brooklyn Wagner Playground, Manhattan Greene Park, Brooklyn Tomboy If Beale Street Could Talk The Sound of Silence July 5: (2011), Tompkins Square June 11: (2018), June 28: (2019), New Park, Manhattan Frederick Johnson Playground, Manhattan Design High School, Manhattan The Amazing Catfish Ant-Man and the Wasp Anbessa July 10: (2013), J. June 12: (2018), July 17: (2019), Socrates Sculp - Hood Wright Park, Manhattan Poor Richard’s Playground, Manhattan ture Park, Queens Aya of Yop City Drumline OUTDOOR MOVIE NIGHTS AT July 12: (2010), Tompkins June 13: (2002), Marcus Gar - Square Park, Manhattan vey Park, Manhattan RANDALL’S ISLAND PARK , July 19: Sequins (2004), Riverside Park June 13: To Wong Foo, Thanks for Every - FIELDS 81 AND 42 thing! Pier I, Manhattan (1995), Tony Dapolito Recreation June 8: Mary Poppins Returns (2018), Chocolat Center, Manhattan July 26: (1988), Riverside Park Field 81 Pier I, Manhattan June 15: A Dog’s Way Home (2019), Play - Black Panther June 15: (2018), Field 81 September 3: Olivia (1951), Columbia ground 89, Manhattan July 14: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse The Little Mermaid University, Manhattan June 15: (2018), (2018), Field 42 CINEMALIC , HUNTERS POINT PARK White Playground, Manhattan July 28: Tangled (2010), Field 81 SOUTH, QUEENS Aquaman June 19: (2018), Thomas Jeffer - August 11: Crazy Rich Asians (2018), Dirty Dancing son Park, Manhattan July 18: (1987) Field 42 August 15: Jaws (1975) June 20: BlacKkKlansman (2018), Wright Ralph Breaks the Internet August 18: September 7: Mary Poppins Returns Brothers Playground, Manhattan (2018), Field 81 June 20: The Adventures of Priscilla, (2018)

Third Generation Brokerage, Inc. TAXI & LIVERY TIMES JUNE 2019 • • 37 FUN THINGS TO DO 38 FAMILY-FRIENDLY, FUN THINGS TO DO IN NYC THIS SUMMER

If you’re in New York City with your 12. Find something wild among Maurice 24. Witness a series of Native American family, you’re probably looking for fun Sendak’s opera and ballet designs at the dance competitions at the Queens things to do. The following options will Morgan Library. June 14-October 6 County Farm Museum. July 26–28 provide you with endless hours of enter - (closed Mondays) tainment, education, outdoor fun and ad - 25. Celebrate Oaxacan music and folk - ventures that you can only find in NYC. 13. Taste cultural traditions on the lore at Socrates Sculpture Park’s Gue - Lower East Side at Egg Rolls, Egg laguetza Festival . July 28 Special Events Creams and Empanadas . June 16 26. Dance to the sounds of St. Vincent 1. Kayak for free on the East River. Or 14. Lend your family’s ears to park per - (the island, not the guitarist) as the Gar - the Hudson. Numerous piers and land - formances of the Bard. The ones in Car - ifuna Collective does a SummerStage ings in Manhattan , Brooklyn and roll Park (June), in Clinton Cove (June performance in Crotona Park. August 2 Queens offer the activity. Daily, all sum - 21, July 19, August 16 and September mer long 13) and those produced across the City 27. Bike, boulder and bop along the open by Hip to Hip Theatre Company (July road of Park Avenue during Manhat - 2. Sign up for a sail on the historic Pio - 24–August 25) are the most kid-friendly. tan’s Summer Streets . Did last year’s neer schooner online or at the South event also have a zip line and water Street Seaport Museum. The 1885 boat 15. Hear strange sounds in all sorts of slide? Indeed. August 3, 10 and 17. docks at Pier 16. May–September, obscure city corners for Make Music Wednesday–Sunday (mostly) New York . June 21 28. Applaud the paddlers, and their col - orful vessels, at the Hong Kong Dragon 3. Pay homage to a different kind of pio - 16. Catch Coco on the Hudson at Family Boat Festival . August 3 & 4 neer at the Museum of the City of New Movie Night . It’s an official event in this York’s Jackie Robinson exhibit . Through year’s WorldPride celebration. June 21 29. Keep good company when the Ailey September 15 II troupe dances at Celebrate Brooklyn . 17. Watch an international soccer dou - August 8 4. Tour the land of the lost on the Bronx bleheader at the Gold Cup (June 24) or Zoo’s Dinosaur Safari , a woodsy wagon see English Premier League powerhouse 30. Ace the test at Arthur Ashe Kids’ ride populated by animatronic di - Liverpool take on Sporting CP at Yan - Day , a warm-up for tennis’ US Open. nosaurs. Through November 3 kee Stadium (July 24). (It’s also fun to take the family to a day - time match during the tournament.) 5. Then do it again (this time inside) at 18. Be astounded by speed-eating the - Arthur Ashe Day: August 24; US Open: the T. rex exhibition , courtesy of the atrics and expanding stomachs at the August 26–September 8 American Museum of Natural History. Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Con - Through August 9, 2020 test . July 4 31. Witness wheels – or, possibly, wheel – in motion at the Unicycle Festival on 6. Eat street food at any of Smorgas - 19. Spark joy at the sight of fireworks, Governors Island August 29-September burg’s three outdoor locations. Through whether brought to you by Macy’s (July 1. October: Fridays, North Wing of the 4) or the Staten Island Yankees at the Everyday Classics Oculus; Saturdays, East River State conclusion of each home game (June 15 Park; Sundays, Prospect Park’s Breeze and 22; July 3, 19, 20 and 26; August 2, Hill 3, 16, 21, 23, 24 and 30). 32. Walk the length of the Brooklyn Bridge . 7. Ride the tram to Figment’s free art 20. Bring the brood to Pier 46 for screen - fair on Roosevelt Island. June 1–2 ings of Hudson RiverFlicks . A number of 33. Board a ferry for a free ride to Staten last year’s top kid hits will be shown. Island or Governors Island . 8. Take flight at the New York Hall of July 12–August 23 (Fridays) Science with the Above and Beyond ex - 34. Scream yourself silly for 2 minutes hibit. A party on July 20 (and plenty of 21. Get so promotional at a Brooklyn Cy - on the Coney Island Cyclone . other summer occasions ) commemorates clones game. Seinfeld Night (with Fusilli 35. Meet the monuments of Queens' 1969’s Apollo 11 mission. June 1-Sep - Jerry figurine), Marvel Superhero Night Flushing Meadows Corona Park . tember 8 (with Spider-Man bobblehead) and Mo Willems Day (free Pigeon cap) are all 36. Roam the lush grounds of the New 9. Let your voice be heard – even if it’s good choices. July 13, July 14 and Au - York Botanical Garden . still changing (all ages welcome) – dur - gust 10, respectively. ing karaoke nights at Summer on the 37. Amble along above the buildings of Hudson . Plenty of other options exist for 22. View a space movie near a space Chelsea on the High Line . the season-long festival. June 7, July 5, shuttle when First Man plays on the August 2 and September 6 deck of the Intrepid. You only get so 38. Splash around at one of NYC’s public many chances to make an aircraft car - beaches. Jacob Riis Park , Manhattan 10. Travel to a simpler time at the New rier your movie theater. July 19 Beach and Orchard Beach are a few of York Transit Museum’s Bus Festival . our favorites. May 25-September 2 June 9 23. Tune in to the “power” theme at the Rubin Museum’s summer block party . Source: NYCGo 11. See free art – and make some your - July 21 selves – on Fifth Avenue at the Museum Mile Festival . June 11 TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 38 • • JUNE 2019 TAXI & LIVERY TIMES JUNE 2019 • • 39 Taxifleet Management LLC. 54-11 Queens Blvd. • Woodside, NY 11377 718-779-5000

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