Nyc Cautiously Reopens in Phases

JULY 2020 www.taxiliverytimes.com Vol.21 No. 7

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An Insider’s Look at Both NYC TLC Regulated Industries NYC CAUTIOUSLY REOPENS IN PHASES

LA CIUDAD DE NUEVA YORK INICIA UNA CAUTA REAPERTURA EN FASES

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Si bien la ciudad de Nueva York fue inicialmente el epicentro de la pandemia, debido en gran parte a una respuesta nacional débil y mal coordinada y al hecho de que es un Although New York City was initially the epicenter of the pandemic – due centro de conexión con tres aeropuertos principales, me complace informar que el mayor in large part to a poorly-coordinated, anemic national response and the fact it’s número de casos nuevos en un solo día cayó de 6,377 el 6 de abril a 85 nuevos casos el 23 a travel hub with three major airports – I’m happy to report the highest number de junio. of new cases on a single day dropped from 6,377 on April 6, down to 85 new cases A pesar de entrar en la segunda fase del proceso de reapertura el 22 de junio, la ten- on June 23. dencia parece mantenerse mientras redacto esto, una semana después. Cuando lean esto, Despite entering Phase 2 of the reopening process on June 22, the trend probablemente la tercera fase de reapertura haya comenzado (estaba programada para el seems to be holding as I type this a week later. As you read it, the third phase 6 de julio). of re-opening will likely have begun (it was scheduled for July 6). Lamentablemente, gran parte del país no aprendió del ejemplo de la ciudad de Nueva Unfortunately, much of the nation did not learn from NYC’s example, and York, y el 24 de junio, Estados Unidos registró 38,672 resultados positivos de COVID-19 on June 24, the United States hit 38,672 positive COVID-19 tests, surpassing (lo que superó el récord de 36,001 casos, alcanzado el 25 de abril) por la aparición repentina the record of 36,001 cases, set on April 25 – as new “hotspots,” have popped up de nuevos “focos”, que se produjo debido a que algunos negocios reabrieron demasiado pronto from businesses reopening too soon and/or people actively resisting recommen- y algunas personas se resistieron activamente a seguir las recomendaciones de los profe- dations by medical professionals to social distance and wear masks in public sionales médicos de mantener la distancia social y usar mascarillas en espacios públicos. spaces. Por suerte, la ciudad de Nueva York parece estar avanzando con la debida precaución. Fortunately, NYC seems to be proceeding with the appropriate caution. As Por muy difícil que pueda parecer avanzar tan lento, es esencial, si queremos que el proceso painful as it may be to move so slowly, it’s essential if we want the city to con- de reapertura de la ciudad continúe según lo programado. tinue reopening on schedule. El hecho de que las bases tradicionales de Livery y Black Car todavía existan en la The fact that traditional Livery and Black Car bases still exist in NYC is ciudad de Nueva York es, de por sí, prácticamente un milagro, si consideramos los devas- practically a miracle in itself, considering the devastating blows they’ve absorbed tadores golpes que han absorbido desde 2008, entre la Gran Recesión, la proliferación de since 2008 – between The Great Recession, the proliferation of app-based com- empresas basadas en aplicaciones y ahora la pandemia de COVID-19. Estoy seguro de que panies and now the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m sure everyone is chomping at the todos están ansiosos por abrir todo por completo, pero la paciencia en este momento es par- bit to open everything up, but patience at this moment is particularly important, ticularmente importante, como hemos visto con los nuevos focos en todo el país. as we’ve seen with the new hotspots across the country. Curiosamente, un regreso a lo que sin duda será una “nueva normalidad” trae consigo Oddly, a return to what will undoubtedly be a “new normal” brings with it lo que podría ser una oportunidad única para las bases tradicionales de vehículos de what just might be a unique opportunity for traditional For-Hire Vehicle (FHV) alquiler. (Al menos, eso espero, de todos modos). Voy a explicarlo: Una semana antes de la bases. (At least, I hope so, anyway.) I’ll explain: A week prior to Phase 2, cus- segunda fase, los clientes ya estaban llamando, preguntando sobre los protocolos para desin- tomers were already calling around, inquiring about protocols for disinfecting fectar los vehículos y mantener seguros a los pasajeros. Muchos incluso preguntaban sobre vehicles and keeping passengers safe. Quite a few even asked about partitions. paneles divisorios. Mientras que empresas como Uber pueden ofrecer la comodidad de un While companies like Uber can offer the convenience of a ride in literally min- viaje en literalmente minutos, después de haber acumulado decenas de miles de automóviles utes, having amassed tens of thousands of cars in their fleets, traditional FHV en sus flotas, en un momento como este, las bases tradicionales de vehículos de alquiler bases have some marked advantages over app-based behemoths at a time like tienen algunas ventajas notables sobre los gigantes corporativos basados en aplicaciones: this – namely proven track records and tangible connections with the drivers en concreto, sólida experiencia en registros de seguimiento y conexiones tangibles con los they use, developed over the course of years (in some instances decades). In the conductores que emplean, desarrolladas en el transcurso de los años (en algunos casos, dé- new normal, these features just might be more appealing than the crapshoot of cadas). En la nueva normalidad, estas características podrían ser más atractivas que lo im- a car that arrives in five minutes, from a company that rarely, if ever, commu- predecible de un automóvil que llega en cinco minutos, de una empresa que rara vez, si es nicates with its driver pool. que alguna vez, se comunica con sus conductores. Perhaps the most significant portion of Phase 2 – other than the list of busi- Quizás la parte más importante de la segunda fase, además de la lista de empresas nesses that were able to reopen – was the fact that outdoor dining was allowed que pudieron iniciar la reapertura, fue el hecho de que se permitió salir a cenar al aire libre at restaurants, along with the reopening of businesses that sell/lease/rent vehi- en los restaurantes y que se reabrieran las empresas que venden o alquilan vehículos. En cles. In Phase 3, gatherings of up to 25 people (up from 10) will be allowed. la tercera fase, se permitirá realizar reuniones de hasta 25 personas (en lugar de 10) y cenar A lot of people will likely need rides as summer continues to draw people dentro. out of their homes, and I’d like to hope they will see the benefit of using tradi- Mientras el verano siga invitando a las personas a que salgan de sus casas, es probable tional bases. que muchos necesiten transporte, y espero que noten las ventajas de usar las bases tradi- As a driver, this is no time to drop your guard. In fact, it’s more important cionales. than ever to abide by all recommended safety and cleaning protocols, as well Como conductor, advierto que este no es momento de descuidarse. De hecho, es más providing disposable masks, gloves and hand sanitizer to your clients. This is importante que nunca cumplir con todos los protocolos recomendados de seguridad y what will give passengers the confidence to visit that newly re-opened restaurant limpieza, además de proporcionar mascarillas desechables, guantes y desinfectante para or store, and you could be their means of getting there. manos a los clientes. Esto es lo que dará a los pasajeros la confianza de visitar aquel restau- Stay cautious, stay well, stay strong… rante o aquella tienda que acaba de reabrir, y ustedes podrían ser el medio de transporte que elijan para llegar hasta allí. Sean cautos, cuídense y manténganse fuertes.

Editor’s Notes ...... 4 &

Taxi Dave ...... 6 An Insider’s Look at Both NYC TLC Regulated Industries

Taxi News ...... 7 EDITOR/PUBLISHER: Neil Weiss TRANSLATIONS: Email: [email protected] The Language Center and NYC TLC Livery News...... 9 714 Crestbrook Ave. Cherry Hill, N.J. 08003 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Tel: 800-723-9119/856-751-0656 Matthew Daus, Esq. Directory ...... 11 Fax: 856-751-0657 Larry Fisher Bill Heinzen Features...... 12 ADV. SALES MGR./ Bertram Merling ART & DESIGN: David Pollack Michele Norton: 856-262-2368 Steven J. Shanker, Esq. Commissioner’s Corner By Aloysee Heredia Jarmoszu ..15 Michael Spevack, Esq. The Fishbowl By Larry Fisher ...... 16 Copyright © 2020 by TAXI & LIVERY TIMES. All rights reserved. Neither this newspaper nor any part therof may be reproduced, copied, or transmitted Defensive Driving By Bertram Merling ...... 17 in any form, without the express written permission of the publishers. The copyright is extended to the design and text created for advertisements. This ITAR Outlook By Matthew W. Dausk ...... 18 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 the writer and are not necessarily in accordance with the views of TAXI & LIV- The Taxi Attorney By Michael Spevack ...... 24 ERY TIMES. This Publication reserves the right to limit or refuse advertising IN THIS ISSUE it deems objectionable. TAXI & LIVERY TIMES is published monthly at a sub- News ...... 25 scription rate of $48 per year. JULY 2020 • TAXI & LIVERY TIMES • 5 6 • TAXI & LIVERY TIMES • JULY 2020 TAXI DAVE REMEMBER WHEN?

BY “TAXI DAVE” POLLACK

Remember when Michelle Obama – 85% of those overdraft fees were paid not travel to Florida. I guess the joke is wore a dress without sleeves and the Re- by 9% of account holders. Before covid-19, on you, DeSantis… and it’s a sad joke at publican spin machine made it seem as 9% of all checking account holders could that. though she disrespected all the former not make ends meet (MAGA?). Cuomo stated it best by publicly em- first ladies? I guess grabbing p*ssy and In the same way many of you came to barrassing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, having a 1st lady who had been a nude me, sometimes in tears, stating that the saying: “You played politics with this model became appropriate to them in No- NYPD was pulling you over for NO REA- virus and you lost.” vember of 2016. (BTW: I’m not judging SON and issuing bogus summonses, Now, everyone… Wear a freaking Melania’s employment choices – we all racism against all nonwhite Americans mask, damn it. have to make a living – just the hypocrisy must cease or we are no better than the Currently, Floridians are being diag- of some politicians.) slave owners themselves, still the core nosed with Covis-19 in record numbers – The spin-doctors the Republicans use reason the south hates the north. their curve is turning into a death sen- change the conversation away from what My point here is that in New York tence that will be worse than New York. is truly important to America – like LIFE City, the Progressive capital of America, Look at our curve now. Our cases have & DEATH. Today we have thousands of the stench of racism from some of those plummeted, thanks to people heeding Americans dying EVERY DAY from in power Right NOW can be smelled all warnings about wearing masks and social Covid-19, yet statues are what seems the way to Washington, DC. Of course, distancing. most important today in the White the White House seems to embrace the Since when did wearing masks be- House? KKK, Nazis and tea partiers, if you follow come political? I want to live; I wear a At this most critical time, the White my drift. mask; it is that simple. Some people take House Coronavirus Task Force met for What a clusterf*ck this nation has it personally when it comes to wearing a the first time in two months, sending a turned into, unless of course you are mask and here is why: You can’t mess message dismissing the life & death, dire wealthy and don’t care about anything with a persons’ denial or they go bonkers. straits America is in right now. Republi- except your family and your money. Not long ago, Trump told America cans would rather change the conversa- If not for the video of George Floyd that the “very encouraging, very powerful tion away from what is important and being murdered, many Americans would game-changer” Hydroxychloroquine gave talk about looters, instead of the core rea- never have experienced the rampant us hope. “Why not,” he said. It was a fan- sons for demonstrations across our coun- racism that rages across our country tasy, leaving 63 million doses of crap that try. right now, which has been the Black doesn’t work stuck with federal govern- Not since Vietnam has this country American reality for hundreds of years. ment. (MAGA?) seen such protests about the abuses of Maybe using America’s military And don’t get me started on the boun- human life, murders going unchecked against protesters will make for a good ties on American soldiers in Afghanistan and equal rights for all Americans – all reality show. The White House can call it, provided by Russia. during one of the toughest times in Amer- “America Tough,” as they brainwash all Now we know about H4, a new swine ican history, with Covid-19 in plague pro- listeners into believing every demonstra- flu that can be contagious to humans… portions and 40 million Americans filing tion is a bunch of anti-American looters. Hello, McFly, are you listening? We need for unemployment. Mind you, that is FYI: I marched against Vietnam and a leader, not one who is playing president without the 12 million low-income people for Taxi Driver rights, among other im- for TV ratings. who missed out on federal stimulus, portant issues in my lifetime.. To my Russian friends who love while billions of dollars when to multi-na- Getting back to Covid-19 for a mo- Trump, god bless you. I guess all the po- tional billion-dollar companies. ment, when the initial epicenters were litical prisoners sent to Siberia are now According to the Institute for Policy New York and New Jersey, the Republi- getting suntans with record high temper- Studies, since March 18, America’s bil- can machine decided to bash what they atures across the globe. The damage can lionaires earned over $600 billion dollars call BLUE STATES at every opportunity, be undone but we need leadership that at the exact same time 43 million Ameri- even though Republicans live and vote in cares about American equal rights, lead- cans applied for unemployment. Is this those states as well. If you were driving ership that cares for our non-wealthy what making America great again is all from New York to Florida just two Americans, leadership that helps stop a about? months ago, the Governor of Florida pandemic with national guidance, leader- We do have some billionaires with a poised Florida State Troopers on Inter- ship that cares about the environment, conscience – like Reed Hastings, the CEO state 95 pulling over ANY vehicle with li- leadership that doesn’t divide our own cit- of Netflix – who is donating $120 million cense plates from New York, New Jersey izens, leadership that would never to historically black colleges, hoping to re- and Connecticut and had them turn back threaten military force against Ameri- verse the generations of inequality in our in order to avoid spreading Covid-19 to cans, leadership that cares about our chil- country. Floridians. dren’s and grandchildren’s natural Here is a stat for ya to digest: Ameri- Florida opened their beaches, bars environment and leadership who has can banks took in $11.7 billion dollars in and restaurants as their Governor stated more than worries about Michelle overdraft fees last year (before Covid-19) that New Yorkers (especially us) should Obama’s sleeves.

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]. He encourages people with comments or questions to reach out to him, and each month we publish those letters, comments and photos. JULY 2020 • TAXI & LIVERY TIMES • 7 TAXI NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF LAGUARDIA AIRPORT’S NEW TERMINAL B LaGuardia Airport opened its long- highlights include: tronic signs divide the lines with sep- awaited, new shared-use Terminal B • The parking garage and For-Hire Ve- arate lanes for TSA PreCheck, fami- building in June, which now handles all hicle (FHV) pick-up structure is di- lies, and limited-mobility flyers. The arriving and departing passengers trav- rectly connected to the terminal, so TSA checkpoint is equipped with Cre- eling by American, United, Southwest passengers don’t have to brave the el- dential Authorization Technology, so and Air Canada airlines. The facility is ements. The garage also features a passengers need only give their I.D. to the centerpiece of the airport's $5.1 bil- special FHV pick-up area where driv- the officer and not a boarding pass. lion massive renovation project. Con- ers can be met without having to go • Smart airport signage around the air- struction began on the terminal in 2016 outside. port not only displays flight informa- and even still, the project is only 80% • The spacious departure level features tion but provides passengers guidance complete. a four-lane roadway level with the on whether they can head to the gate The developers used the renovation as curb, allowing for easy access for cars or wait in the lounge area. The signs an opportunity to rebuild LaGuardia not and limited-mobility passengers. also tell passengers how long of a just to suit the needs of the traveling pub- • Only one security checkpoint handles walk it is to the gate from where they lic but to upend any negative prior no- all of the screening for the terminal are standing. tions of the airport. Some of the but 16 lanes allow faster service. Elec- Source: Business Insider THE CURRENT PLAN TO PHASE IN NEW YORK CITY’S REOPENING After blanket shutdown orders were livery throughout the pandemic. as of July 2, the last stage of the reopen- implemented in New York in March – NYC was the last region allowed to ing outlined by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. closing stores, shuttering offices and cur- move into Phase 2 on June 22, which al- In broad terms, officials have signaled tailing business at restaurants and bars lowed several indoor businesses to re- that businesses that provide the arts, en- – things are finally starting to open back open, but with limits on capacity, strict tertainment and recreation, as well as up. State officials set up a gradual process cleaning requirements and mandatory so- schools, will be allowed to open in this to restart the state’s economy and ease re- cial distancing. phase. But with no part of the state in it strictions, allowing regions that have ef- The nonessential businesses that re- yet, officials have not been specific about fectively kept the virus contained to opened in this phase included: what will be allowed. reopen sectors of the economy in four • Outdoor dining at restaurants Some of the businesses that have not phases. • Hair salons and barber shops, with been allowed to reopen during the first It’s important to note that ALL their waiting areas closed three phases of the process include: phases of the reopening require New • Offices • Event venues for large gatherings Yorkers to adhere to social distancing • Real estate firms, inspections and in- • Gyms and fitness centers guidelines, including wearing masks/face person showings • Casinos coverings in crowded public spaces, on • In-store retail (Malls may not open, • Movie theaters public transportation and in Taxis or but individual stores can provide • Amusement parks, aquariums, zoos, FHVs. curbside pickup and anchor tenants arcades, bowling alleys and other en- The entire state hit the health and can open for in-store shopping.) tertainment centers safety benchmarks required to enter • Vehicle sales, leases and rentals Phase 1, starting the reopening process – • Retail rental, repair services and State officials have also made deter- with NYC being the last region to enter cleaning services minations about how and when various the phase, on June 8. This means that the • Commercial building management other specific activities can proceed. following “nonessential” businesses were Among the highlights: allowed to resume operation: Seven regions of Upstate and Central • Veterinarians and dentists are al- • All construction sites, with safety New York were cleared to continue to lowed to open statewide. equipment and temperature checks Phase 3, which allows gatherings of up to • Hospitals and group homes – but not required 25 people (up from 10). The additional nursing homes – can accept visitors • Manufacturers nonessential businesses allowed to at their discretion, as long as proper • Nonessential retail stores, for deliv- restart in this phase include: health and safety measures are in ery, curbside and in-store pickup • Personal care services such as nail sa- place. • Wholesalers lons, spa services and tanning salons • State parks, campgrounds and RV • Outdoor businesses like drive-in • Some “low-risk” youth sports were parks are open; marinas and boat- movies, landscaping and gardening scheduled to restart on July 6 yards are open for personal use; state • Indoor dining at restaurants and bars beaches are open with certain restric- Some businesses had been operating with up to 50% capacity and tables tions. during the state’s shutdown orders, in- spaced at least six feet away from • Outdoor school graduations of up to cluding some construction work deemed each other was set to go into effect 150 people with social distancing essential and some manufacturers, par- July 6, but has been delayed were allowed beginning June 26. ticularly those that made protective gear • Summer day camps were able to open and medical equipment. Restaurants and No region of the state had been June 29. bars have been offering takeout and de- cleared by state officials to enter Phase 4 Source: The New York Times 8 • TAXI & LIVERY TIMES • JULY 2020 TAXI NEWS CITY’S SURFACE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY BOARD OUTLINES PLANS AS CITY REOPENS IN PHASES

According to the Black Car Assis- banning shared rides is lifted, as implement pick-up and drop-off tance Corporation, the City’s recently- well as providing guidance on open zones for Taxis and FHVs. formed Surface Transportation windows for airflow and limiting re- • The TLC is recommending the City Advisory Council, has used input from circulated air. evaluate existing Taxi and FHV industry leaders, experts and advo- • The TLC is recommending the City stands and advocate for using tax- cates to develop a list of recommenda- work with Port Authority to ensure free commuter benefits for Taxis tions meant to provide input for the airport facilities are safe and clean and FHVs. City’s re-opening plans. The plans and advocating for Access-a-Ride • The TLC is recommending the City focus on driver/passenger safety, com- and e-pilot expansion. develop and standardize data ex- munication to the public and limiting • The TLC is recommending a tempo- changes across modes in NYC. congestion fees and surcharges for in- rary restriction on any passengers dustries regulated by the NYC Taxi & sitting in the front row. Trip Surcharge and Fees Limousine Commission (TLC). • The TLC will advocate Below is the final list of recommen- Communication to for a temporary pause or redistrib- dations that were discussed. It is still Drivers and the Public ution of the congestion surcharge to unclear when and in exactly what form • The TLC is recommending imple- benefit drivers. they will take before they are officially menting PSAs discouraging per- • The TLC will advocate announced, but they were recently fi- sonal car use and promoting for change in Taxi and FHV conges- nalized and the recommendations will transportation alternatives. tion surcharge borders. soon be formally submitted to the full Through this PSA, Taxis and FHVs • The TLC will advocate Surface Transportation Advisory Coun- will be marketed as “the safe” ride for the delay, cancellation, or redis- cil, which includes members of City option. tribution of the Port Authority Air- Council and the TLC. • The TLC is recommending the City port fee. provide outreach and training for • The TLC will advocate Ensuring Driver TLC licensees on new safety and for standardizing fees for all trips and Passenger Safety cleaning protocols and then update for people with disabilities. This • The TLC is advising that the Coun- the outreach and training for driv- was clarified to mean that some cil requires continuing mask re- ers on sharing the road safely. trips qualify for the congestion sur- quirements for passengers and TLC • The TLC is recommending the City charge and others do not, depend- drivers, noting exemptions for peo- inform drivers of COVID-19 testing ing on the means of the accessibility ple with disabilities who are unable availability. request. to wear masks. The TLC has not decided how to enforce refusals based Congestion and Curb Management In a recent Facebook post, Cira An- on a passenger not wearing a mask. • The TLC is recommending the City geles, Spokeswoman for the Livery • The TLC is advising that the City solicit input from the TLC industry Base Owners, wrote: “[As] the State of distribute PPE kits to drivers. when developing citywide conges- New York continues the re-opening • The TLC is advising entering into tion mitigation strategies and eval- process, [I am] honored to have been partnerships with car washes for uate the feasibility of a appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio to deep cleaning of vehicles. park-and-ride program. serve as a voice in the Transportation • The TLC recommended continuing • The TLC is recommending the City sector – to continue recognizing the temporarily approved partitions in evaluate viability for allowing Taxis work of the men and women of the Liv- FHVs and will work to expand the and FHVs to use bus lanes and ad- ery Industry, LBO and their businesses list of approved installers. vocate for full implementation of – as we all recuperate from the devas- • The TLC is recommending the City congestion pricing. tating effects of COVID 19.” Implement shared-ride passenger • The TLC is recommending the City limits when the executive order expand multi-use loading zones and Source: BCAC

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 JULY 2020 • TAXI & LIVERY TIMES • 9 TAXI NEWS CDC NAMES WORST THING YOU CAN DO IN SOMEONE ELSE’S CAR Business for Taxis and For-hire Vehi- else’s car is actually sitting in the passengers seated in the back keep the windows cles (FHVs) has plummeted due to ger seat. open. An open window means more ven- COVID-19, but many companies are still “Tell the passenger to sit in the back tilation, which can reduce airborne respi- up and running, albeit with certain limi- seat; do not let passengers sit in the ratory droplets. tations. As more states lift lockdown or- front,” the CDC warns FHV, taxi and The CDC also asks passengers to ders, people will begin venturing out and limo companies and drivers. Though pas- wear protective cloth face coverings when congregating with family and friends, sengers may not be able to maintain six riding in someone else’s car, and to cover which means they will also likely begin feet of distance, placing them behind the their mouth and nose with tissues if they hiring cars again. front passenger seat keeps the driver cough or sneeze. During this time, precautions to pre- safer and allows for installation of a pro- If any passengers “intentionally vent the spread of COVID-19 must still tective partition. If you are getting into a spread their germs” in an FHV or taxi, be made, according to the Centers for larger vehicle, such as a van, minivan or the CDC advises drivers to immediately Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – SUV, the CDC asks that passengers sit report them to management. which announced that the worst thing in the farthest seats from the driver’s you can do when getting in someone seat. It is also recommended that passen- Source: Best Life LIVERY NEWS FHV DRIVER CARJACKED NEAR CONDUCTOR DE TAXI INVOLUCRADO EN SECUESTRO DE AUTOMÓVIL CERCA DE LA AUTOPISTA DE STATEN ISLAND STATEN ISLAND EXPRESSWAY La policía solicita la ayuda del público para identificar a dos per- Police are seeking help from the public to identify two persons sonas. Se buscan para ser interrogadas en relación con un robo, que in- sought for questioning in connection with a robbery where a Liv- volucró el secuestro de automóvil de un taxista, en Mariners Harbor. Según la policía, el robo ocurrió a alrededor de las 12:38 a. m. del 4 de ery driver’s car was stolen in Mariners Harbor. The robbery oc- junio, frente a 700 South Ave., cerca de la autopista de Staten Island. curred at about 12:38am on June 4, in front of 700 South Ave. La víctima, el taxista, recogió a cuatro pasajeros; poco después, una near the Staten Island Expressway, according to police. discusión entre el conductor y los pasajeros se intensificó cuando uno The Livery driver victim picked up four passengers, and de los pasajeros usó un cuchillo para cortarle las manos al conductor, shortly thereafter, a verbal dispute between the driver and pas- afirmó la policía. Los cuatro sospechosos, presuntamente responsables sengers escalated when one of the passengers used a knife to cut de robarle a la víctima el Ford Explorer rojo de cuatro puertas modelo the driver’s hands, police said. The four suspects then allegedly 2014, matrícula HXK5656, condujeron hacia el oeste por Goethals Road stole the victim’s 2014 red, four-door Ford Explorer with license North. plate HXK5656, and drove westbound on Goethals Road North. La víctima sufrió laceraciones en ambas manos y fue transportada The victim suffered lacerations to both hands and was trans- a Richmond University Medical Center en West Brighton, explicó la ported to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton, policía. Se obtuvieron fotos de dos de las personas buscadas para ser inter- police said. rogadas de las cámaras de vigilancia de una estación de servicio cer- Photos of two persons sought for questioning obtained from cana, que luego se publicaron en la cuenta de Twitter del Distrito surveillance cameras inside a nearby gas station were posted on policial 121. Se pueden ver aquí: the 121st Precinct Twitter feed. They can be viewed here: https://www.silive.com/news/2020/06/cops-seek-tips-via-social-media- https://www.silive.com/news/2020/06/cops-seek-tips-via-social- in-carjacking-near-staten-island-expressway.html media-in-carjacking-near-staten-island-expressway.html Se solicita a las personas con información que se comuniquen con People with information are encouraged to contact the NYPD’s la línea directa de Crime Stoppers de NYPD al 1-800-577-8477 (TIPS). Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-8477 (TIPS) or for Spanish, Si habla español, llame al 1-888-577-4782 (PISTA). The public can also submit their tips by 1-888-577-4782 (PISTA). Para enviar datos, también es posible in- logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or by texting their tips gresar al sitio web de Crime Stoppers o enviar un mensaje de texto al to 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. All calls are strictly 274637 (CRIMES) con la palabra TIP577. Todas las llamadas son es- trictamente confidenciales. confidential. Fuente: SI Live Source: SI Live ROBBER RIPS DOWN PARTITION IN LADRÓN DERRIBA LA BARRERA DIVISORIA EN LIVERY CAR, GRABS CASH UN TAXI Y SUSTRAE DINERO EN EFECTIVO A Livery cab driver was robbed in the Bronx in the early Un taxista fue víctima de un robo en el Bronx, en la madrugada del 13 de junio. El responsable es un pasajero que logró derribar la barrera morning hours of June 13, by a passenger who ripped down a de plástico instalada para evitar la propagación del coronavirus, explicó plastic barrier installed to prevent the spread of coronavirus, la policía. police said. Los policías afirmaron que el ladrón puso una especie de objeto Cops said the robber stuck some sort of metal object against metálico contra el cuello del taxista, después de derribar la barrera, cuando the cabbie’s neck after tearing down the barrier while the pair el auto se detuvo en Timpson Place, cerca de E. 149th St., a alrededor de were stopped on Timpson Place near E. 149th St. about 5:30am. las 5:30 a. m. The crook ran off with around $100 he grabbed from the car’s El ladrón huyó con USD100 aproximadamente, que sustrajo de la con- sola central del automóvil. Las imágenes de vigilancia publicadas por la center console. Surveillance images released by police show the policía muestran al sospechoso con una sudadera con capucha negra y gris, suspect wearing a black-and-gray hoodie with blue shorts and pantalones cortos azules y tenis deportivas blanco y negro. black-and-white sneakers. Se solicita a cualquier persona que tenga información que llame a Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers Crime Stoppers al (800) 577-TIPS. Todas las llamadas serán confiden- (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential. ciales. Source: The Daily News Fuente: The Daily News 10 • TAXI & LIVERY TIMES • JULY 2020 LIVERY NEWS WAYS TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNITY FORMAS DE AUMENTAR SU INMUNIDAD AND IMPROVE YOUR RESISTANCE Y MEJORAR SU RESISTENCIA As we remember our nation’s military heroes on Memorial Day, our thoughts also turn toward enjoying summer and fun Al honrar a los héroes militares de nuestra nación en el Me- outdoor activities. This year, Memorial Day commemorations morial Day, nuestros pensamientos también se vuelven hacia dis- will be somewhat subdued as New Jersey and our nation slowly frutar el verano y divertidas actividades al aire libre. Este año, las begin to open due to the COVID-19 pandemic. conmemoraciones del Memorial Day serán algo moderadas a me- As you and your family enjoy the Memorial Day weekend, dida que Nueva Jersey y nuestra nación comiencen a abrirse lenta- here are some ways you can boost your immunity to promote mente debido a la pandemia de COVID-19. health. The below strategies are not specific to preventing A medida que usted y su familia disfrutan el fin de semana del COVID-19 infection, but meant to help you boost your immune Memorial Day, aquí hay algunas formas en que pueden aumentar system overall. For protection against COVID-19, you should su inmunidad para promover la salud. Las siguientes estrategias continue to monitor CDC guidelines, wash your hands fre- no son específicas para prevenir la infección por COVID-19, pero quently, practice physical distancing, and wear a facemask están destinadas a ayudarlo a fortalecer su sistema inmunológico en general. Para protegerse contra COVID-19, debe continuar mon- when around others. itoreando las pautas de los CDC y lavarse las manos con frecuen- Exercise - Moderate exercise can give your immune system cia, practicar distanciamiento físico y usar una máscara facial a boost by reducing inflammation and helping your immune cuando esté cerca de otros. cells regenerate regularly. This can lead to a more effective im- Ejercicio - El ejercicio moderado puede estimular su sistema mune response. inmunológico al reducir la inflamación y ayudar a que sus células “As long as we still have the ability to safely go outside, any- inmunes se regeneren regularmente. Esto puede conducir a una one can easily exercise,” says David B. Gealt, DO, Assistant Di- respuesta inmune más efectiva. rector of Sports Medicine and Director of the Sports Concussion “Mientras tengamos la capacidad de salir de manera segura, Program at Cooper University Health Care. “Examples of mod- cualquiera puede hacer ejercicio fácilmente”, dice David B. Gealt, erate exercise include brisk walking, steady bicycling, light jog- DO, Subdirector de Medicina del Deporte y Director del Programa ging, swimming, and light hiking. Most people should aim for de Conmoción Deportiva de Cooper University Health Care. “Ejem- plos de ejercicio moderado incluyen caminar rápido, andar en bici- at least 150 minutes of activity per week.” cleta estable, trotar ligero, nadar y caminar ligero. La mayoría de Additionally, exercise can increase the production of endor- las personas deben aspirar a al menos 150 minutos de actividad phins, which are known to help produce positive feelings and por semana ” reduce stress. Además, el ejercicio puede aumentar la producción de endorfi- Make Healthy Food Choices - If you find yourself at a nas, que son conocidas por ayudar a producir sentimientos posi- physically-distanced cookout this weekend, pile your plate high tivos y reducir el estrés. with immune boosting foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Haga Elecciones de Alimentos Saludables - Si te encuen- “Choosing plant based foods can give your immune system tras en una comida al aire libre físicamente distanciada este fin de an upper hand against harmful pathogens,” says Linda Gold- semana, llena tu plato con alimentos estimulantes del sistema in- smith, RD, Oncology Dietitian at MD Anderson Cancer Center munológico, como frutas y verduras. at Cooper. “A variety of vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole “Elegir alimentos a base de plantas puede darle a su sistema inmunológico una ventaja contra los patógenos nocivos”, dice Linda grains will increase your intake of Vitamin C, beta carotene, Goldsmith, RD, dietista en oncología en el MD Anderson Cancer and zinc. Berries, red and yellow peppers, hummus, and green Center en Cooper. “Una variedad de verduras, frutas, legumbres leafy vegetable are all packed with these immune boosting nu- y granos enteros aumentará su consumo de vitamina C, betac- trients.” aroteno y zinc. Las bayas, los pimientos rojos y amarillos, el hum- Other ways to boost your immune system through food in- mus y los vegetales de hoja verde están repletos de estos nutrientes clude limiting your sugar intake and eating plenty of protein. que estimulan el sistema inmune” Get Enough Sleep - Sleep and immunity are closely tied. Otras formas de estimular su sistema inmunológico a través Without sleep, your immune system won’t have the strength it de los alimentos incluyen limitar su consumo de azúcar y comer needs to fight off illness. muchas proteínas. “Most adults need about 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night,” says Dormir lo Suficiente - El sueño y la inmunidad están es- Kimberly Rozengarten, DO, Internal Medicine Physician and trechamente vinculados. Sin dormir, su sistema inmunológico no tendrá la fuerza que necesita para combatir enfermedades. Medical Director of the Multispecialty Center at Cooper Uni- “La mayoría de los adultos necesitan entre 7 y 9 horas de sueño versity Health Care. “To improve your sleep, try to stick to a por noche”, dice Kimberly Rozengarten, DO, Médico de Medicina regular bedtime schedule, stay active during the day, skip caf- Interna y Directora Médica, Centro de Especialidades Múltiples feine and alcohol near bedtime, and schedule time to unwind at en Cooper University Health Care. “Para mejorar su sueño, trate the end of the day.” de seguir un horario regular para acostarse, mantenerse activo du- If you find yourself having trouble sleeping due to anxiety, rante el día, omitir la cafeína y el alcohol cerca de la hora de try limiting news consumption throughout the day, and turn acostarse y programar un tiempo para relajarse al final del día”. your screens off an hour before bed. Thinking about what you Si tiene problemas para dormir debido a la ansiedad, intente have just read or seen can disrupt your sleep. limitar el consumo de noticias durante todo el día y apague las pan- Enjoy the Sunshine - After months stuck inside, enjoying tallas una hora antes de acostarse. Pensar en lo que acaba de leer time in the sun can be healthy. Vitamin D is sometimes called o ver puede interrumpir su sueño. Disfrute la Luz del Sol - Después de meses atrapados en el the “sunshine vitamin” because your body produces vitamin D interior, disfrutar del tiempo al sol puede ser saludable. La vitam- naturally when it’s directly exposed to sunlight. Getting a suf- ina D a veces se llama la “vitamina del sol” porque su cuerpo pro- ficient amount of vitamin D is important for normal growth and duce vitamina D de forma natural cuando se expone directamente development of bones and teeth, as well as improved resistance a la luz solar. Obtener una cantidad suficiente de vitamina D es against certain diseases. For longer periods in the sun, remem- importante para el crecimiento y desarrollo normal de huesos y di- ber to protect your skin with sunscreen. entes, así como para mejorar la resistencia contra ciertas enfer- While there are no guarantees that these steps can prevent medades. Durante períodos más largos al sol, recuerde proteger su us from catching a virus like the coronavirus or the flu, a strong piel con protector solar. immune system should be a vital part of our wellness routine. Si bien no hay garantías de que estos pasos puedan evitar que Source: Cooper Health contraigamos un virus como el coronavirus o la gripe, un sistema inmunitario fuerte debería ser una parte vital de nuestra rutina de bienestar. 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Third Generation Brokerage, Inc. 12 • TAXI & LIVERY TIMES • JULY 2020 FEATURES AN ESSENTIAL CORONAVIRUS TIP YOU MAY HAVE MISSED By now, people know they need to take is a vital concern. Coughing, sneezing and Public Health and Portland State Univer- simple steps to reduce their risk of coron- even simply talking can release aerosols sity. “With each new cough, the concentra- avirus infection – from wiping down coun- into the air that can infect others. Others tion builds up with no significant dilution ters to properly washing your hands. But can infect you through the same actions. happening. But even cracking one window here is one protective step you might have Since so many people with the virus, open just three inches can keep this at overlooked: cracking opening the window named SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respira- bay.” when you ride in a car. The Centers for tory syndrome coronavirus 2), are asymp- If you cannot open a window, choose Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is tomatic, you can be unaware of the danger the ventilation mode that does not recir- recommending to passengers that use that lurks all around you. culate air and instead brings in fresh air Taxis or For-hire Vehicles (FHVs) to ask USA Today asked three experts ques- from outside. the driver to improve the ventilation in tions on the topic, and it was noted that a Experts also say that wearing a mask the vehicle by opening the windows or set- family car interior usually has about 100 when you are in a car with other people ting the air ventilation/air conditioning to cubic feet of space, making it impossible to can help. Such a face covering is a MUST non-recirculation mode. This CDC tip also social distance from other people. So, in Taxis or a FHVs, they say. applies to personal vehicles – whether you opening a window is the next best thing. Also: Remember to wash your hands or are a passenger in the vehicle of a friend “When the windows are closed, SARS- use hand sanitizer ASAP after exiting the or family member, or you are the driver. CoV-2 (in fine aerosol particles) accumu- vehicle, as your hands may have come into Since COVID-19 can be transmitted by lates in the car cabin,” explained experts contact with a contaminated surface. respiratory droplets, the air you breathe from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Source: Money Talks News STARTING A CAR THAT HAS BEEN KEPT IN STORAGE Cars that have sat idle for long peri- properties as it ages. well. With the car up on a jack, rotate ods of time need to be handled with the Prepare for Ignition. If the car has each wheel by hand with someone work- proper care and patience or you risk been sitting for over 90 days, you should ing the pedal. Each wheel should brake doing permanent damage. Whether a car remove the spark plugs and introduce a solidly and release cleanly. Your inspec- has been sitting for three months or three special lubricant into the cylinders. Your tion should include making sure the fric- years, certain steps must be taken before spark plugs fire in a specific order, so you tion linings, drums and rotors look in you can just fire it up and head down the should label each plug wire before remov- good order. Calipers and wheel cylinders road. Before jumping in, do some basic ing them. Be advised that new plug wires are subject to corrosion, as well as leak- checks, which include looking for leaks, can be expensive, so make sure you pull age, so check those, too. corroded fittings, rotted hoses or compro- them out by grasping them at a point Don’t forget to check your running mised seals. Also, check for leaks in the that’s closest to the engine. Inspect the lights. With an assistant, activate turn power-steering system, engine, transmis- car’s spark plugs and replace them if they signals, headlights, brake lights and high sion, rear axle and brakes. look corroded, white or oily. beams to ensure they are functional. Re- Replace Fluids. The length of time With the spark plugs removed, turn place any blown fuses and recheck. the car has been sitting will determine the engine over with the key several Now You’re Ready to Roll. A 20- what fluids should be drained and re- times to allow the oil you put into the minute drive close to home will loosen placed. If your car has only been in hiber- cylinders to lubricate the cylinder walls everything up and evaporate all the mois- nation for several months, just do a and to prime the oil and fuel pumps prior ture in the exhaust and engine. It will complete oil and filter change, then drain to ignition. You should keep cranking the also give you a chance to listen for rattles any gas in the tank and carburetor float engine until the oil pressure gauge reads and engine misses, while keeping an eye bowls. Then flush the fuel lines, and normal or your oil pressure light goes out on the car’s gauges for abnormal engine drain, flush, and replace the radiator before returning the spark plugs and temperatures, battery charge and oil coolant. Check all other fluids to make leads back to their correct position. pressure. sure they are filled to the required levels Before You Leave the Garage. Once you get back home, make a list and fill your tires with the appropriate Don’t take the car out just yet. Don’t even of what you uncovered on the trip, like amount of air. rev the engine – just let it idle and warm knocking engine, brakes pulling to one Check the Battery. Hopefully, be- up. With the car running, return the air side, stiff steering, etc. Also, re-check fore the car was parked for the long term, filter cover, check the transmission fluid your fluids and look for any new leaks its battery was disconnected, removed, level, and check underneath the car for that the “loosening up” could have cre- and stored safely away from moisture. leaking fluids. Then turn off the engine ated. Only once you’ve addressed all is- Then all you would have to do is clean the and check all the hoses for dry rot and sues should you take the car out for battery posts and terminals with a bak- look for belts that are cracked or in need longer trips. ing soda and water solution, give it a good of tightening. This may seem like a lot of work just charge and reinstall it. Give the suspension a good lube job to get a car running, but if you want the If on the other hand, the car had been and look for worn or loose ball joints, de- engine to give you years of hassle-free sitting for years with the battery left in teriorated bushings, rusted shafts, leaks service, a little elbow grease now will place, you should buy a new battery and at the shocks and missing or broken save a big headache later. install it with new cables. The copper in bump stops. the battery cables loses its conductive Thoroughly check your brakes as Source: LiveAbout.com

“LIKE” TAXI & LIVERY TIMES FOR BREAKING NEWS STORIES JULY 2020 • TAXI & LIVERY TIMES • 13 FEATURE WHO WAS THERE FOR YOU WHEN YOU NEEDED THEM THE MOST: FHV DRIVERS

BY STEVEN J. SHANKER, ESQ.

The importance of reliable public calls from FHV drivers who had to place • Partitions. Some riders will feel transportation may be easily overlooked their vehicles in storage because they more comfortable with a partition be- by a majority of car-owning households simply could not afford to pay their com- tween them and the driver. Coinci- throughout the country, but the COVID- mercial FHV insurance. dentally, a partition in a livery may 19 pandemic has forced many cities to FHV drivers have put everything on eliminate the need for the trouble significantly consider the need for alter- the line to protect our City and deserve light and the in-vehicle camera sys- native modes of transportation. The crit- far better than what the government has tem. ical need for transportation during the provided in the past… which is virtually • No shared rides. Before COVID-19, pandemic is why cities across the world nothing. shared rides were encouraged by city have been adapting their transit services If City leaders want to reward these leaders to help reduce congestion. and launching new ones to address the essential workers for carrying New York- Post COVID-19, many people may rapidly changing needs of communities — ers through this pandemic, while also not be so willing to jump back into from changes that help essential employ- placing their own lives at risk, then the shared rides to save a few dollars per ees get to work more easily to utilizing city must be committed to reforming the trip. For-Hire Vehicle (FHV) drivers for the FHV industry in a manner that will en- delivery of vital goods. sure not just the recovery of the City, but I have always known the NYC FHV After COVID-19 has passed, I hope the recovery of the entire FHV industry. industry can rise to any occasion, and the the leaders of New York City’s govern- City government needs to be more cre- latest challenge posed by the novel coro- ment and the NYC Taxi and Limousine ative and less restrictive, not only for the navirus is no exception. We are in the Commission (TLC) do not forget who was short term but for the longer term, so midst of a serious public health crisis, but there when they were called for duty to FHV drivers and small base owners can somehow these are always the moments help: FHV drivers. remain viable. when the city comes together. FHV operators were deemed essential Listening to the leaders of the FHV I want to be clear: for the millions of workers from day one, and as such have industry and allowing them to utilize New Yorkers who still need to get around been ready and willing to provide trans- available means to remain viable are es- the city, FHVs remains a safe and effi- portation to other essential workers, such sential. Creating a livery-only license cient way to do so. We would not be able as those who work at hospitals and clin- would surely help the livery industry re- to make it through this pandemic without ics, as well as first responders. The im- cover without jeopardizing the City’s de- our tireless workforce of essential work- portance of this service cannot be sire to reduce congestion. Giving FHV ers, and that includes FHV drivers – the overstated. industry stakeholders some room to men and women who literally keep this Initially, NYC residents were and still breathe from the overly burdensome and city moving. remain wary of using public transporta- sometimes outdated regulations promul- I am so grateful to them as they have tion. Some do, but others rely on FHV gated by the TLC would not hurt, so long not faltered once through it all, balancing services. By virtue of providing trans- as it is not detrimental to the public or vi- new and intensified protocols for disin- portation during this pandemic, FHV tality of the City’s transportation system. fecting their vehicles, dealing with a drivers have placed themselves at risk. FHV transportation will be critical to scared public, all while adapting to a dra- They’ve done so, not just because they the recovery of NYC, post-COVID-19. The matic drop in ridership and hence, a dra- need money to survive, but because they government leaders and its regulators matic drop in their income. have always stepped up to the proverbial must focus on creating a concrete plan The NYC FHV industry is truly the plate when the City needed them. that outlines investment, innovation and lifeblood of this city. It is times like these, The real question is: What will the regulations required to transform NYC’s when people are afraid to get on the sub- City of New York do for FHV drivers FHV transportation network into a mod- way, that illustrate the importance of when this pandemic is over? ern, efficient and equitable system that FHV transportation in city life. We will COVID-19 has caused the FHV indus- our City needs and its participants de- get through this together. It will surely try in NYC to essentially shut down due serve. The City must allow innovation in be a challenge, but New Yorkers have to the massive drop in ridership. For the transportation and permit solutions that proven time and again they can handle taxi, livery and black car companies, this will allow NYC to reimagine transit for anything. I just hope that when this is all economic devastation comes after years the future, to enhance mobility for all over the leaders of the City government of painful decline. While people will even- New Yorkers and to enable small livery do not for get that FHV drivers and re- tually start to travel again, many of the and other related business to stay alive. lated busi nesses were here when the City ridership of the FHV industry is likely to As we reopen and rebuild, we have to needed them the most. The least they can remain sheltered-at-home, even in the consider what the “new normal” will look do after COVID-19 passes would be to near future. like: Here are some of my predictions: make the FHV industry fair and equi- There is a serious humanitarian crisis • Masks may be here to stay. The table for all stakeholders. which can develop from this economic culture of mask-wearing is going to devastation. FHV drivers are now facing have to linger with us for an extended food insecurity and the inability to pay period of time. Steven J. Shanker, Esq. is Gen- rent. It breaks my heart when I hear of • Higher cleaning standards. Riders eral Counsel to the Livery Round- yet another livery base shutting down be- will want FHVs cleaned much more table, Inc. and the New York cause they simply cannot afford to oper- frequently than they may historically Independent Livery Driver Benefit ate anymore. I’ve also received many have been. Fund. 14 • TAXI & LIVERY TIMES • JULY 2020 CONFIDENTIAL HELPLINE If you or someone you know is suffering from depres- Hindi sion, 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. JULY 2020 • TAXI & LIVERY TIMES • 15 COMMISSIONER’S CORNER

BY ALOYSEE HEREDIA JARMOSZUK

Greetings, I hope this message finds you well and safe. In this update, I share the latest updates on the Espero que este mensaje les encuentre bien y a salvo. En City’s phased reopening, LaGuardia Airport, COVID-19 esta entrega, comparto las últimas actualizaciones sobre la precautions, TLC Food Delivery, and the Driver Re- reapertura por fases de la Ciudad, el Aeropuerto LaGuardia, las source Center. precauciones para COVID-19, la entrega de alimentos del programa TLC Food Delivery y el Centro de Recursos para Conduc- tores. PHASE 3 New York City is preparing to enter the Phase 3 FASE 3 stage of reopening on July 6. Phase 3 openings include La Ciudad de Nueva York se prepara para entrar en la fase personal care services, such as salons and spas. This fol- 3 de reapertura el 6 de julio. Las aperturas en la fase 3 incluyen lows Phase 2 in New York State, which included vehicle servicios de cuidado personal, como salones y spas. Esto sigue el sales, leases, and rentals, as well as offices, in-store re- patrón de la Fase 2 en el Estado de Nueva York, que incluyó ven- tail, and outdoor dining. For the latest citywide infor- tas de vehículos, arrendamientos y alquileres, así como oficinas, mation, please visit www1.nyc.gov. tiendas al por menor y restaurantes al aire libre. Para obtener la información más reciente en toda la ciudad, visite LAGUARDIA AIRPORT www1.nyc.gov. As of Saturday, June 13, 2020, Yellow Taxi Drivers AEROPUERTO LAGUARDIA can pick-up passengers at the New Taxi Stand at the A partir del sábado 13 de junio de 2020, los taxistas amar- Arrivals Level of LaGuardia Airport’s new Terminal B illos pueden recoger a los pasajeros en la nueva parada de taxis after being dispatched from P7. Passengers no longer en el nivel de llegadas de la nueva Terminal B del aeropuerto need to take a shuttle. de LaGuardia después de ser enviados desde P7. Los pasajeros ya no necesitan tomar un servicio de transporte. COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS TLC Licensees have always been essential workers. PRECAUCIONES CONTRA COVID-19 During the COVID-19 pandemic, our Licensees have Los licenciatarios de TLC siempre han sido trabajadores es- been nothing short of heroic. TLC Licensed Drivers have enciales. Durante la pandemia COVID-19, nuestros conductores delivered close to 42 million meals to date, helping han sido nada menos que héroes. Los conductores con licencia many New Yorkers shelter in place. Our Drivers also de TLC han entregado cerca de 42 millones de comidas hasta la fecha, ayudando a muchos neoyorquinos a refugiarse en su lugar. provided for-hire transportation to medical and essen- Nuestros conductores también proporcionaron transporte de tial workers citywide. Many of our Licensees also con- alquiler a trabajadores médicos y esenciales en toda la ciudad. tinue to do their part to help NYC flatten the curve. Muchos de nuestros licenciatarios también continúan haciendo As NYC progresses to reopening, it is still very im- su parte para ayudar a NYC a aplanar la curva. portant for everyone to continue to help stop the spread A medida que la Ciudad de Nueva York avanza hacia la of COVID-19. reapertura, sigue siendo muy importante que todos continúen ayudando a detener la propagación de COVID-19. How You Can Prevent the Spread of COVID-19: Cómo puede usted prevenir la propagación de COVID-19: • Stay home if sick, keep physical distance, keep Quédese en casa si está enfermo, mantenga la distancia your hands clean and wear a face covering. física, mantenga las manos limpias y use un cubrebocas.. Todos los neoyorquinos deberían hacerse pruebas de diag- • All New Yorkers should get a COVID-19 diagnostic nóstico y anticuerpos COVID-19, ya sea que tengan síntomas o and antibody tests, whether they have symptoms tengan un mayor riesgo. Las pruebas son gratuitas. Busque un or are at increased risk. Tests are free. Look for a sitio de pruebas cerca de su casa. testing site near your home. CENTRO DE RECURSOS DEL CONDUCTOR El Centro de Recursos para Conductores de TLC ofrece una DRIVER RESOURCE CENTER amplia gama de servicios. Los servicios de asesoramiento fi- The TLC Driver Resource Center offers a wide range nanciero y asistencia legal en el Centro de Recursos para Con- of services. Financial counseling and legal assistance ductores son operados por La Oficina de Empoderamiento services at the Driver Resource Center are operated by Financiero del Departamento de Protección a Consumidores y Department of Consumer and Worker Protection’s Of- Trabajadores y se ofrecen en colaboración con Neighborhood Trust Financial Partners y el Grupo de Asistencia Legal de fice of Financial Empowerment and are offered in col- Nueva York. laboration with Neighborhood Trust Financial Partners Cómo funciona: los licenciatarios pueden programar citas in- and New York Legal Assistance Group. dividuales con un asesor financiero para administrar el dinero y How it works: Licensees can schedule one-on-one ap- crear un plan de gastos, desarrollar una estrategia para mini- pointments with a financial counselor to manage money mizar la deuda, redactar cartas a los acreedores para reducir los and create a spending plan, develop a strategy to mini- pagos o suspender los pagos debido a dificultades, mize debt, draft letters to creditors to lower payments mantener las finanzas personales y empresariales sepa- or suspend payments due to hardship, keep personal radas, acceder a recursos de emergencia locales, estatales y fed- and business finances separate, access local, state and erales, y mucho más. federal emergency resources, and much more. Programe una cita hoy. Schedule an appointment today.

Aloysee Heredia Jarmoszuk is the recently-appointed Commissioner/Chairwoman of the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission. 16 • TAXI & LIVERY TIMES • JULY 2020 THE FISHBOWL

BY LARRY FISHER NUMBERS

I used to be a huge baseball • 9/11 was the date of unpro- crime was “jogging while black.” fan, partly due to my fascination voked attacks at the World Still, the police murder of Bre- with statistics and numbers. Most Trade Center and Pentagon onna Taylor in Louisville, Ken- of the statistics were held to be sa- • 130,000+ US deaths from tucky is one that we should all cred before the steroid age de- Coronavirus (as of July 3) take a good look at. The police stroyed the beauty of those broke into her apartment under a long-held records. Any baseball fan Recently, we have a different “no-knock” search warrant. Bre- would immediately recognize the set of numbers to grapple with. onna’s boyfriend had a licensed import of these numbers. • 41 shots were fired by police at weapon that he fired at whoever • 714 was Babe Ruth’s home run Amadou Diallo as he was was breaking into her apartment total reaching for his wallet in an act of self-defense. The fact • 511 was Cy Young’s win total • 8 minutes 46 seconds was the that the target of the search war- • 56 was Joe DiMaggio’s hitting length of time a policeman left rant was already under arrest streak his knee on the neck of George makes this a complete waste of life, • 42 was Jackie Robinson’s uni- Floyd one filled with a promising future. form number • $20 was the amount of a coun- Ms. Taylor was an EMT first re- terfeit bill Floyd allegedly tried sponder, with dreams of becoming In American history, there are to pass a nurse. also numbers that have significance. It is obvious that the current • 1861-1865 were the years of And that last fact, $20, sticks spate of deadly incidents against the Lincoln Presidency and the in my craw the most. How is it re- African Americans – Arbery, Tay- Civil War motely possible that a man loses lor and Floyd – are the main cause • 1918 was the date of the last his life over $20? How is it that a of the protests that have become a pandemic, known as the transaction with police escalates to daily occurrence with diverse eth- “Spanish Flu” the point of excessive force and nic and racial participation. People • 1929 was the year beginning death over $20? This is clearly my are fed up. Governor Cuomo has The Great Depression white privilege talking because I repeatedly used a Latin phrase in • 1968 was the year America cannot conceive of this ever hap- his plea to New Yorkers to come to- came apart at the seams from pening to me. gether, wear masks and take care multiple assassinations, anti- As bad as the George Floyd of each other during the Coron- war protests and reactions to murder was, its malevolence was avirus Pandemic. Maybe that’s the both only apparent due to the advent of most important message in this • “.38 caliber killer” was the cell phones and their video record- stressful time, even in the current name given by the New York ing function. The murder of Ah- age of political polarization. E tabloids to “Son of Sam” killer, maud Arbery was horrible in its pluribus unum, which translated David Berkowitz prior to his naked portrayal of vigilantes, bias from the Latin, means “out of identification and presumption of guilt. His many, one.”

Larry Fisher entered the NYC transportation industry in 1982 as a yellow taxi driver, and has also worked as a black car driver. In 1987, he became a lender for Progressive Credit Union, then took the position of lending supervisor in 2003 for Melrose Credit Union – which he held until he retired in 2016. Currently, Mr. Fisher is a consultant for his own firm, LAF Consulting Services Corp. He can be reached at: [email protected].

If you or someone you know is suffering from depression, there is a free, confidential helpline CONFIDENTIAL called NYC Well that is always available and accessible in 200 languages. You can call 1-888-NY- CWell, or text “WELL” to 65173. However, if you HELPLINE are ever in immediate danger of harming yourself or others, please call 911. JULY 2020 • TAXI & LIVERY TIMES • 17 DEFENSIVE DRIVING SUMMER IS HERE

BY BERTRAM MERLING LOSS CONTROL COORDINATOR, HEREFORD INSURANCE COMPANY

As the City reopen in phases, peo- chance of getting involved in a road cles with out-of-state license ple are eager to spend more time out- rage incident. plates; their drivers may not be fa- doors to enjoy the warmer weather. • An air-conditioned vehicle reduces miliar with the street or area Hotter weather means you should irritability and exhaustion for you, where they are driving. perform some important, regular pre- too. You’ll be able to work your • Be mindful that everything you do ventative maintenance on your vehi- shift much more comfortably and while operating your vehicle may cle, and also watch out for more less stressfully. be recorded by pedestrians and or pedestrians. We thew in some addi- • Be courteous to all the tourists. other vehicle occupants. Remem- tional tips that should be followed They rely on you for helpful hints ber, the general public has easy ac- year-round. and information, while providing a cess to register complaints. tremendous boost to the New York • Anyone is a potential passenger, so Summer Vehicle Maintenance City economy. do everything you can during your • Inspect your radiator if your vehi- work shift to present a positive image cle is more than a year old. High Technology of yourself and the industry you rep- • Change fan belts and always check Demands Safe Driving resent. your fluids. We live and work in a world rich • Replace or remove your winter with technology and instant replays. Horn Usage thermostat. Industry scrutiny has been made eas- • Do not use your horn unless it’s ier with cell phone cameras, GPS and necessary. Unnecessary use of Summer Driving Season other technological advances that de- your horn may distract other driv- • Be especially alert for children, at mand drivers consider the following: ers and cause an accident. There is all hours of the day. • All Taxis, Black Cars, Liveries and only one reason to use your horn: • Keep your air conditioning on. other FHVs are instantly identifi- to warn other drivers of imminent Your passengers will expect a cool able by license plates, medallion danger. vehicle. Do not wait for a passen- numbers and base ID stickers. • Do not use your horn as a display ger to request air conditioning; it • Many streets are equipped with po- of anger or frustration. Such horn will take longer for your vehicle to lice surveillance cameras to record use may lead to an unnecessary reach a comfortable temperature traffic and pedestrian activity. case of road rage. than the average time a passenger • Industry drivers are representa- • Be aware that pedestrians or mo- spends in your vehicle. tives of Medallion Management torists may be frightened by exces- • Air conditioning is primarily for Companies and FHV Bases, as sive horn use, causing them to the comfort of your passengers. well as being ambassadors for the overreact, panic and take abrupt or While the cost of fuel will increase city. Take special pride and always unsafe actions. as you use your air conditioner present yourself in a safe and pro- • Please note that senior citizens more, the average gratuities fessional manner. may not hear your horn. should increase at a rate that more • Be courteous to your peers, all • Excessive or unnecessary horn use than offsets the increased cost. other motorists, pedestrians and is against the law and can result in • Driving a comfortable vehicle in bicyclists. a summons and points on your li- the summer will reduce your • Go out of your way to yield to vehi- cense.

Bertram Merling is the Loss Control Coordinator for Hereford Insurance Company. He welcomes your questions and comments, and can be reached 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! 18 • TAXI & LIVERY TIMES • JULY 2020 IATR OUTLOOK THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE TRANSPORTATION ECOSYSTEM:

AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE ON MOBILITY TRENDS BY PROFESSOR MATTHEW W. DAUS, ESQ. Since the World Health Organization for- home” for office workers; schools were closed; 20% to 35% in the week of March 15, but then mally declared the coronavirus pandemic on sports and large events were canceled, and stagnated at 35% for three weeks, as of April 10 March 11, 2020, nations, regions and localities re- tourism instantly evaporated. (see diagram 1). But did transportation behaviors sponded with a variety of government-ordered In the United States, many governors ex- change during this period? measures to “stop the spread” of COVID-19. As a empted taxis and for-hire vehicles from the lock- Public Transit: Around the world, public result, there has been an unprecedented eco- downs because their work was deemed transit systems experienced a near-collapse in nomic slowdown that has traced the path of the “essential.” Louisiana was a notable exception. ridership since the outbreak of the pandemic. COVID-19 cases across the globe, which now Although for-hire service continued in New York This is only logical, in light of fear over the risk stands at 8.6 million cases reported in 213 coun- City, Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered the cessation of infection on crowded trains and buses. A study tries and territories, and 461,000 deaths recorded of shared rides to promote social distancing. The conducted by MIT concluded that New York City worldwide as of June 19. NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission and other subways and buses were a “major disseminator” The transportation industry – with very few regulators took steps to encourage the use of par- of the coronavirus. By April 15, ridership in major exceptions – has experienced unparalleled effects titions, including relaxing restrictions on the par- cities around the world were down by 70-90% as a result of work-from-home orders, event can- tition requirements. Even though public transit from pre-crisis levels (see diagram 2). The precip- cellations, school closures and restrictions on continued to operate and for hire ground trans- itous drop in fare revenue is further exacerbated travel. In this article, I will review the govern- portation was technically still operating, the ef- by the lack of funding streams and the fact that ment actions taken and the impact of the COVID- fects on the various modes of transportation were mass transit will not rebound nearly as fast as 19 pandemic on the transportation network swift and remarkable. other modes of transportation. ridership for all modes. Mobility Trends, Ridership Reductions & Driving: With at least one-half of the world As we follow the easing of the government re- Modal Shift: As soon as COVID-19 cases first population under some form of lockdown by early strictions, there are new policies being imple- began to appear in significant numbers in a state March, traffic congestion and collisions plum- mented to allow for the “new normal” of or county (i.e., early to mid-March), social dis- meted in most cities. The vehicle miles traveled reopening with continued concerns about the tancing measures were quickly adopted without (VMT) in most coastal cities by March were re- spread of COVID-19. Some of these changes may mandatory government orders. According to data duced significantly compared to the average VMT be temporary, but there are clear indicators I will from the Maryland Transportation Institute, at of January 2020. New York City reported drastic address of what the future holds for transporta- the onset of COVID-19, the percentage of people reductions in traffic crashes by the end of March. tion providers for the remainder of 2020 and be- staying home nationwide rapidly increased from Taxicabs: In New York City, ridership yond. plunged by 94% from the first week of Diagram 1 March to the week of May 4. Afraid of con- The Mobility Impacts of tracting the virus (sadly, at least 50 driv- Pandemic Related Policies ers have died from the virus), roughly 83% Travel Bans, Stay-at-Home Order & of drivers stopped working altogether. In Social Distancing: Beginning with Presi- the UK, some taxi drivers said they had dent Trump’s order to limit travel from cut their working hours by more than half China on January 31, and the subsequent while others had given up work alto- orders to restrict travel to the United gether. In Sydney, Australia more than States from new “hot spots” in Europe (on half of the city’s 5,572 cabs deregistered. March 13) and Brazil (on May 26), gov- For-Hire and Executive Sedans: Sim- ernment officials have taken unprece- ilar to taxis, ride-hailing services (Uber, dented steps in 2020 to address the new Didi, Ola etc.), ridesharing (Via) were also threat from COVID-19 and to minimize affected adversely. Uber’s ridership was the spread of the coronavirus – especially down 70%, along with other app-based as public health officials were issuing services such as Bolt, Careem, Ola and predictions of the numbers of potential fa- Grab. As movement becomes restricted, talities if preventative steps were not ride-hailing services were asked to pause taken. pooling for social distancing reasons. With After the initial lockdown in Wuhan, work-from home restrictions and business China, similar measures were followed in travel and tourism eviscerated, the reduc- late February and early March in Italy, tions in ridership for the traditional for- South Korea, and Iran as the interna- hire industry neared 90% or more. tional spread of the coronavirus was Bus and Motorcoach: Due to school tracked. The government mandates in- closures, school bus transportation clude the shutdown of commerce and providers effectively stopped working. schools with travel restrictions and stay- Most charter and tour companies closed at-home orders. their doors, commuter operations mostly By early March, the documented stopped running and scheduled service cases in Washington State and California operations were operating at approxi- led to public officials ordering similar mately 15% of capacity. The industry ex- measures. With President Trump’s na- perienced a fallout between 80% to 90% of tional declaration of an emergency on cancelled trips and very few future book- March 13, all states acted over the follow- ings. ing weeks to lockdown their populations Rentals: As a result of the rapid de- and to enact some version of a “pause” on cline in air travel and tourism, car rental economic and social activities. The vast companies reported immediate reductions majority of the 213 nations and territo- in business upon the lockdowns being ini- ries with COVID-19 cases have instituted tiated. The major companies reported some form of lockdown. business operations immediately reduced With the concept of “social distanc- Diagram 2 by more than one-third in mid-March, and ing” added to the vocabulary of billions of that loss deepened depending on the ex- people across the globe, government offi- tent of the lockdown. cials then enacted steps to best ensure Micromobility: In the early part of the minimization of social contact. Orders April, e-scooters such as Bird, JUMP and to “stay-at-home” became “work-from- Lime were suspended in numerous juris- JULY 2020 • TAXI & LIVERY TIMES • 19 dictions across the globe as the fight against the novel coronavirus spread. In Atlanta, for example, the dockless vehicle industry was not deemed as an essential business. Biking: In New York City, Citi Bike saw a 67% surge in demand in early March compared to last year. Around the world, London, Milan, Berlin, and many other major cities have seen ridership in- creases. According to data reported for March 2020 – the period of time that the economic and travel shutdown was announced and then took effect – sales of basic adult bikes were up 121% in the U.S.

The Reopening: Policy & Mobility Impacts What New Policies and Requirements Have Been Put in Place? As of early June, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have entered into some phase of reopening. This had already begun to happen in those parts of the globe that “flattened the curve,” like Europe, Asia and Australia. The reopening has resulted in government regulators issuing guidance and requirements that provide a keen idea of what the “new normal” will be now and in the short-term. For public and private transportation providers, social distancing is critical. Even though New York City entered Phase 2 of its reopening on Monday, June 22, shared rides remain prohibited. As another example, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a set of recommendations that detailed a plan for reopening America, and recommended that schools create distance between children on school buses (e.g., seat children one child per row, skip rows) when possible. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently expanded guidance and is recommending that employers have a “Return to Work Safety Plan to address a whole host of issues related to COVID-19, which includes policies and procedures to ensure social distancing, promote hygiene, mandate the availability, distribution and use of personal protective equipment (PPE), provide for employee screening before leaving for work and upon arriving at the workplace, and ensure contact tracing. CDC has also recommended the use of approved cleaning products from “List N” of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administra- tion (OSHA) has also issued guidance for rideshare, taxi and for-hire workers, which includes recommendations that there should be limits on the number of passengers transported at a single time, and the installation of plexiglass partitions between driver and passenger compartments when possible. Failing to implement such a Plan and enforcing OSHA and public health requirements can lead to administrative actions and litigation. On May 19, OSHA announced it is increasing in-person inspections at all types of workplaces, and that OSHA staff will continue to prioritize COVID-19 inspections, and will utilize all enforcement tools. Re-Opening Mobility Trends. As cities around the world are easing lockdown measures, traffic on roads and highways has begun to return to normal. Mobility data from Apple Maps, based on requests for di- rections/routes from several OECD countries, supports this conclusion. As shown in the charts below (Source: Apple Maps), the recovery of public transit is trailing behind driving, particularly in North America and the UK. In Sweden, the amount of driving seems to have sur- passed pre-pandemic level by leaps and bounds. All told, in early June, daily global emissions were only 5% below 2019 levels, compared to a reduction of 17% in April.

Continued on page 20 20 • TAXI & LIVERY TIMES • JULY 2020 Continued from page 19 Will driving increase dramatically as a result The Future of Transportation: of the pandemic? According to a recent poll, Life Beyond the Pandemic Expected Short-Term Modal Shifts 31.5% of New Yorkers plan to use transit less by To make future predictions is always a risky When social distancing rules are relaxed and walking, biking or driving when the lockdown is proposition, but we can look at a number of his- personal mobility resumes in the immediate lifted. A survey conducted by the University of torical incidents that similarly induced mass fear months following the gradual re-opening of busi- Toronto of more than 2,700 Toronto Transit Com- to make analogous predictions of potential nesses, transportation can begin its return to pre- mission riders revealed 87% of respondents say changes to travel behaviors (Note: Superstorm pandemic levels. Psychological factors such as they do not plan on using public transit until a Sandy isn’t included since it was a singular event fear and heightened perception of risks, along COVID-19 vaccine is made available. Addition- with no lasting impact expected). The first that with societal factors – such as political and eco- ally, a survey by Sydney University found 84% of comes to mind is September 11, 2001. The Bu- nomic forces – may shape travel behavior. At this respondents considered car travel their most reau of Transportation Statistics analyzed the ef- point, it is hard to speculate how long these fac- comfortable option, with 42% finding buses the fects of that event on transportation patterns and tors may last into the future. least comfortable, followed by trains at 33%. In found the following trends following 9/11. In the aftermath of significant ridership de- another survey, Australians would prefer to suf- • There was a strong statistical relationship clines, transit agencies have seen a massive refer through traffic jams during their daily office between the events of 9/11 and aviation duction in farebox and sales tax revenues. Their commute than risk catching or spreading and highway travel, but not rail travel ability to rebound will be largely dependent on COVID-19 on public transport. More recently, re- • People switched from air travel to highway government funding to make up for lost revenue searchers at Vanderbilt University predict a travel over the six-month period after 9/1l and sustain jobs. In the U.S., Congress has in- sweeping modal shift to single-occupancy vehicle • Highway travel dropped quickly immedi- cluded $25 billion for transit as part of the his- commuting, resulting in the risk of extreme traf- ately after 9/11 but then leveled off in the toric $2 trillion stimulus package, but an fic in large metro areas. As London cautiously re- following four months estimate puts the annual loss of transit agencies opens, a poll finds 70% of surveyed Londoners are • Vehicle Miles Traveled dropped for one at $26 billion to $40 billion due to lost fare rev- anxious about commuting via public transit. month in September 2001, but did not enue and additional coronavirus-related costs. Over the past few months, tens of millions of show any unexpected deviations in the 11 If service is slow to rebound to pre-outbreak workers have been forced into telecommuting. In months between September 2001 and Sep- levels, the public may lose confidence in public the U.S., big tech companies such as Facebook, tember 2002 transit systems. As a result, the use of personal Google, and Microsoft plan to continue major vehicles, rental cars, taxis and for-hire vehicles work-from-home strategies well into 2021. Some The other salient event that we can refer to may see a better rebound as commuters, tourists companies such as Twitter and Square are allow- is the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and travelers seek to travel in a manner that bet- ing their employees to work from home perma- (SARS) epidemic. Based on figures from the ter ensures social distances. This could be espe- nently. In a May working paper from M.I.T., World Tourism Organization (WTO), it reduced cially true if additional health and safety survey results indicate that 50% of those who international passenger traffic by 2.6% in the measures like partitions, disinfecting of the vehi- were employed before the pandemic are now first four months of 2003. With respect to transit, cles, and use of PPE by the drivers is accepted by working remotely; this is a significant increase 75% of respondents in five European and three riders. from the 15% who reported working remotely in Asian countries affected reported that they would In addition, bikeshare and e-scooter use may the days before the pandemic, and 5.3% working avoid public transportation. During the peak of grow in the same manner as the pre-pandemic, remotely in 2018. the epidemic in March 2003, there was an imme- especially in the near future with the warmer Telecommuting might remain the norm for diate 50% decrease in daily ridership of Taiwan’s summer weather in the northern hemisphere. As many industries that can function that way. Post underground transit system, but it rebounded to one example, New York City does not allow e- crisis, few may want to return to the commute pre-SARS ridership levels within three months. scooters to operate. However, in the wake of the grind if they don’t have to, be it on the subway or All said, there are notable differences in con- pandemic, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson highway. sidering the severity, impact and time period of has indicated that he will be advancing legisla- Researchers at the University Transporta- 9/11, the 2003 SARS outbreak and the current tion to allow for e-scooters for New Yorkers seek- tion Research Center (UTRC) at The City College COVID-19 outbreak. Nonetheless, if these prior ing to travel and maintain social distancing. of New York have observed a shift towards bicy- two events were to provide any hints on mobility cle sharing systems and non-mass transit options trends in the aftermath of great catastrophes, it Potential Long-Term Modal in New York City. Prior to the reopening of the would be one of eventual recovery. That said, full, Shifts & Business Impacts city, a short-term shift in mobility patterns seems or even partial recovery is predicated on the abil- Systems need time and resources to return to have emerged, including: ity of transportation providers to regain the trust to pre-outbreak levels of service offerings, but • A decrease in shared modes such as public and loyalty of riders who have shifted to alterna- some services may never fully rebound. For ex- transit and trains tive forms of transportation. ample, it remains to be seen whether drivers for • An increase in non-shared modes of travel In the aftermath of 9/11, policy changes in the smartphone app ride-hailing services return such as private cars and bicycle sharing transit such as employee training, public aware- to their profession. For taxicabs, executive systems ness and emergency preparedness helped in- sedans, and motorcoach operators, the reductions • An increase in freight volume due to on- crease public confidence and charted the recovery in worker commuting patterns, business travel line shopping in ridership. The other complication lies in the and tourism will likely continue for some time. • A reduction in travel due to stay-at-home fact that most, if not all, transit agencies are cur- Lingering fears of shared transportation modes orders rently strapped for cash due to the dramatic drop may direct people to other modes. Those who al- in fare revenues over the past few months. ready own vehicles may begin to drive for local trips they would have otherwise taken on transit, or longer-distance trips for which they would have otherwise flown. The short-term modal shifts can lead to long-term changes in travel behavior. There have been positive externalities to the crisis – such as reductions in traffic congestion, air pollution and accidents. In the midst of this crisis, we may see renewed efforts to enact sustainable policies and strategies, but as business returns, pandemic fears could increase congestion and serve as a counter-balance to any such efforts. Below are some predictions for what could happen in many of the affected industries and travel modes. Black Cars, Luxury Limousines & Trans- portation Network Companies (TNCs): There may be permanent shrinkage of the for-hire vehicle industry’s demand and supply, which may precipitate an increase in bankruptcies, mergers and acquisitions, and the eventual right-sizing of

Source: UTRC JULY 2020 • TAXI & LIVERY TIMES • 21

Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) – the pandemic recovery agenda to close off more shut down during the pandemic, but is likely to such as Uber and Lyft – that was already taking streets to vehicles and reclaim streets for these grow significantly in the long-term as drivers place due to driver unrest and pro-labor policies new sustainable and socially distant modes. Of cannot afford any longer to buy, lease or finance and legislation. course, once streets are reimagined, policymakers their own vehicles to work. First of all, TNCs already had much of the will likely use this opportunity that they have Parking Garages: The short-term car travel black car and limousine industry on the brink of been waiting for to attempt to destroy car culture scenario will lead to a resurgence of parking lot financial ruin even before the pandemic. in cities once and for all. or garage revenue, at least in urban environ- Telecommuting may have a permanent impact on Bus Industries: The impact on the bus indus- ments, but not necessarily at airports. The com- business travel for luxury limousines and black try is likely to be permanent. For in-person edu- petition for curb space that will be caused by cars, further compounding the damage. Also, cor- cational instruction, the new social distancing short-term vehicle congestion, closed streets and porate policies may encourage business travel by requirements for school bus operators may lead other urban policies may lead not just to more car for regional travel instead of airplane; and to an increase in their fleet operations, as well as garage usage, but the possibility such garages this trend could continue well beyond the pan- additional routes and buses given that school dis- can be used to stage or park for-hire vehicles demic if proven to be cost effective. Well financed tricts and private schools may implement stag- waiting to pick-up reserved passengers, or be a and fewer companies will survive and service gered education schedules. The need for larger hub for e-scooters, e-bikes and e-mopeds, instead quality levels, safety and prices are likely to in- and more diverse school bus fleets is likely, with of the streets. crease over the long haul. smaller vehicles and more buses (or more bus We are still in the midst of one of the most Taxicabs & Car Services (Liveries): Taxicabs contractors per school district). A similar fate or critical junctures of redefining transportation. and local car services have been decimated for change may take place with respect to Motor- This is rare moment for us to alter the mobility years by TNCs, yet, the advantageous pricing, coach commuting and travel. landscape and possibly make it more equitable, customer neighborhood convenience of liveries, Personal car travel may replace intercity accessible, sustainable and resilient. Even before and the safe partition environment, will position services permanently, if parking policies are not the pandemic, our transportation system was al- these services well during the pandemic recovery. onerous, congestion pricing is not implemented, ready in transition, moving from privately-owned Taxicabs and liveries delivering packages and and public and private parking garages do not to on-demand/shared, from fossil fuel-powered to food may continue to do so, and taxicabs are well substantially raise rates. electric, and from disparate to integrated. positioned to handle an expected increase in Also, tour bus operators may need to diver- Through the unexpected and global extent of the paratransit, non-emergency medical transport sify their operations or expand the size of their pandemic in 2020, we have a blank canvas to and/or wheelchair accessible service, an area of fleets. All of these bus industries, like the black start all over again. growth and increased reliance for outsourcing by car and limousine industries, will face bankrupt- The future does begin now. We can fix all the public transit agencies. cies, mergers and acquisitions as the profitability negative externalities of transportation by reduc- Taxicabs have also been used during the pan- of such operations was not exorbitant before the ing congestion, pollution and crashes, and estab- demic while the subways are being cleaned and pandemic. lishing integrated services that are sustainable it is likely this could continue in a subsidized ini- Congestion Pricing: In addition to the above to operate and maintain. The timeline for inno- tiative. Local community car services and taxi- predictions, I do believe that the increased con- vation can now be sped-up. Transportation policy cabs may see a resurgence that could be gestion resulting from the short-term comeback, is at a fork in the road due to the pandemic, and sustained long-term; especially if first and last coupled with massive public transit agency public officials and private industry can choose mile public transit integration policies and part- deficits, will lead to the adoption of congestion the familiar path down the road of yesteryear nerships proliferate during the pandemic recov- pricing in most major cities, at least in the U.S. with silo thinking, or the yellow brick road to the ery and become a way of life long afterwards. The existing MTA or congestions surcharges for unknown, experimenting with different business This latter development, of course, sets the stage taxicabs and for-hire vehicles in NYC will stay, models and multi-modal integration. for a more expeditious implementation of Mobil- and passenger cars and trucks will shortly follow, I hope we take the road to Transportation ity-as-a-Service multi-modal integrated apps and with other U.S. cities following NYC’s lead. Oz! platforms. Vehicle Rental Industry: The private car Micromobility: Micromobility that encour- rental industry has been decimated during the ages social distancing, such as e-scooters, e- pandemic, and its recovery will be slow, as short- Professor Matthew W. Daus, Esq. is President, moped sharing, bike-sharing and electric bikes term rentals may pick-up during the summer for International Association of Transportation may find a post-outbreak economy hospitable for domestic travel by non-car owners, and car shar- Regulators (http://iatr.global/); Transporta- their business models. The legalization of some ing may receive somewhat of a resurgence. This tion Technology Chair, City University of New of these previously controversial modes is likely gain will likely be offset by losses in air travel re- York, Transportation Research Center at The to be expedited, and pedicab usage for freight de- lated rentals at airports, which will take a while City College of New York livery and passenger travel could very well in- to recover. (http://www.utrc2.org/); and Partner and crease (with local passengers, not just tourists). The for-hire vehicle rental industry, compa- Chairman, Windels Marx Transportation Prac- Also, local transportation or traffic departments nies that rent cars to Uber, Lyft and other drivers tice Group (http://windelsmarx.com). He can be reached at [email protected] or in urban environments are likely to set and push to engage in passenger and goods transport, was 212.237.1106.

“LIKE” 24/7 TAXI & LIVERY TIMES FOR

BREAKING Newark Airport • BLDG # 349 100 Lindbergh Rd. • Newark, NJ 07114 Ph. 973-642-2886 • Fax. 973-623-2886 NEWS! www.newarkairportcarwash.com 22 • TAXI & LIVERY TIMES • JULY 2020 THE TAXI ATTORNEY BY MICHAEL SPEVACK

Hello everybody… This month I you must keep on top of it and follow TLC and TVB. want to talk about the TLC and traffic the instructions in the summons. TLC I hope that you are well and staying violation bureau (TVB) courts, which is closed to the public now but there is safe and taking it easy on the roads if are courts that adjudicate TLC and a crew of attorneys for TLC dealing you are out there trying to earn some NYPD tickets. Due to the pandemic, with TLC summonses to handle mo- money. It is important to take the ap- these courts are currently closed to the torist responses to them. If you have propriate precautions such as wearing public as I write this article (at the be- questions or need help with a TLC a mask and using a partition and con- ginning of June 2020). summons, I have been able to settle stantly sterilizing your vehicle and It is important to know that NYPD and remove points for motorists who keep it safe at all times. Please be care- and TLC inspectors are continuing to receive such a summons. Please con- ful and please call me for legal help if enforce the rules of the road in New tact me or a lawyer or representative you need it. York City and that means that tickets of your choosing. Thank you for reading my article. are still being issued to motorists even Regarding TLC and TVB courts, Until next month and always, be though courts are currently closed. If lawyers like myself are able to liaison well… you receive a ticket now from NYPD or in many instances with parts of the TLC it is important to respond to them. courts and are able to prevent prob- For tickets issued and returnable in lems for motorists and drivers such as traffic court in NYC, TVB, you must go yourself. Remember to read the ticket online and answer the summonses or and letter from TLC or DMV/TVB that Michael Spevack is a 1992 graduate of mail them back within 15 days of re- you receive and respond accordingly. NYU School of Law and has been a ceiving the summons from the police. Contact me or your favorite lawyer or lawyer in good standing in New York If you fail to respond to such a sum- representative if you need help re- State since 1993. He has been helping for-hire vehicle drivers in New York City mons, it could lead to a suspension of sponding. It is important that you pay since 1995, when he opened his own law your driver’s license. If you have ques- attention to tickets that you receive firm dedicated to “helping individuals, tions about how to respond to such a now, and you are not excused from re- not large corporations.” Mr. Spevack can summons, do not hesitate to contact me sponding just because things are con- be reached at 212.754.1011; he also wel- or a lawyer or representative of your fusing now, and courts are generally comes visitors to his office at: choosing. The important point is that closed to the public. Always make sure 97-77 Queens Blvd, Suite 1120, you must deal with it. that you receive your mail and always Rego Park, NY 11374. If you receive a TLC summons now open and respond to your mail from

DMV & TLC Summonses Michael Spevack “LIKE” Attorney-at-Law TAXI & LIVERY TIMES You Can Receive the Finest Representation At Reasonable Fees! All TLC & DMV Problems

Customer Complaints • Moving Violations Wills • Buying Or Selling A Business House Closings • Personal Injury Cases & Other Legal Work 212-754-1011

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97-77 Queens Blvd., Suite 1120 Rego Park, NY 11374 FOR • p 212-754-1011 BREAKING www.traffic-summons.com I can help you with TLC NEWS! and in Criminal Court. JULY 2020 • TAXI & LIVERY TIMES • 23 NEWS EXPERTS PREDICT THE SURVEY: 1/3 OF AMERICANS HAVE “NEW NORMAL” ENGAGED IN RISKY CLEANING FOR BUSINESS TRAVEL BEHAVIORS DURING THE PANDEMIC A new report titled “After the Virus,” which imagines life five years from now, notes that, just as 9/11 spawned the Transporta- About a third of Americans surveyed by the US tion Security Agency (TSA) and completely changed the flying Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have used experience, the COVID-19 pandemic will prompt new health some kind of risky cleaning practice in an attempt to screening guidelines for travel. Like the TSA, a pre-approval sys- stop the spread of Covid-19, the CDC announced in tem will likely be established so people can enroll at home via June. People have put bleach in their food; others have telemedicine and take a scan hours before their travel time to gargled or inhaled it. Some even washed their bodies certify they’re not carrying an infectious disease, according to the with household cleaning and disinfectant products. report, authored by the Cognizant’s Center for the Future of None of this cleaning behavior is recommended by Work. the CDC. But this gap in understanding how to safely Other experts imagine a “new normal” where long airport se- clean and handle cleaning products during the Covid- curity lines, crowded restaurants and a chaotic boarding process 19 pandemic may explain why there’s been a sharp in- will vanish. crease in the number of calls to poison centers during The US Travel Association recently released new guidelines the pandemic. for travel and hotels, including enhanced hygiene and cleaning The new research, published in a weekly CDC measures, limiting physical contact between staff and customers, health report in June, was based on an online panel and installing barriers to ensure safe distances. survey of 502 adults in May. People said they were Joseph Landes, chief revenue officer of cloud provider Nerdio, cleaning more frequently because of the pandemic, but who used to travel for business several times a week, agrees that only about half said they really knew how to clean and “business travel is changed forever… not because of masks, dis- disinfect their home safely. Of those surveyed, that ac- tancing, or less comfortable boarding processes, but because the knowledged they used high-risk cleaning practices to pandemic will force people to rethink if each trip is necessary.” prevent the spread of Covid-19, more were likely to re- “After being forced to rely on virtual meetings, many people port health problems related to cleaning. are surprised at how effective they can be. We think that this The biggest problem area was people’s limited un- will keep business travel at lower levels for at least the next six derstanding about how to prepare cleaning solutions. to nine months,” noted Ken Robinson at Motus, who also pre- Only 23% knew, for instance, to use only room temper- dicted that confidence in travel will recover fairly rapidly. ature water to dilute bleach solutions. “Once travel opens up, biodata will likely become the new fin- People were better about using gloves and other gerprint/iris scan for travelers,” said Alex Heid, chief research protective equipment. About 71% said they knew and development officer at security ratings platform provider Se- gloves were recommended for use with some cleaning curityScorecard. materials and 68% said they knew they should wash Currently, this technology is offered as a convenience from their hands after using cleaning products. Most knew private companies, “as opposed to a mandatory procedure from to keep cleaners out of the reach of children, but only a government,” Heid said, adding it could very well change and 54% knew that hand sanitizers should be kept in a become the norm. There are already instances where biometric place that children couldn’t get to. data is required by the US government, such as in the case of The CDC recommends always reading the instruc- passport photographs, which are scanned for biometrics when tions on cleaning products. When cleaning, wear gloves being processed, he said. or other protective gear. DO NOT mix cleaning chemi- For many businesses, travel is required – it’s a big part of cals. how they function. Heid expects these types of businesses to be The CDC also said it will be important to continue back to 70% of their previous travel levels in six months and back education campaigns to help people better understand to 85% within a year. But he cautioned that “between likely how to safely clean while they are home. higher flight prices in the long run and the economic blowback Source: CNN from the pandemic, it’s hard to imagine even enthusiastic sce- narios in which travel – even for businesses that aren’t working when not traveling – returns.” Source: Tech Republic Yellow Taxi Drivers Wanted! • FT/PT – Days/Nights/Doubles - Flexible Schedule 24/7 • Great Location at Subway in Chelsea, Manhattan • Prius V Hybrids, Great on Gas $300 a week for car • 1st week $200 Call Today! 917.374.8538 or email [email protected]

Newark Airport • BLDG # 349 100 Lindbergh Rd. • Newark, NJ 07114 Ph. 973-642-2886 • Fax. 973-623-2886 NYCTAXINEWS.COM www.newarkairportcarwash.com 24 • TAXI & LIVERY TIMES • JULY 2020 NEWS MAYOR ANNOUNCES PROJECTS TO SPEED BUSES DURING REOPENING New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio total of 55,000 daily riders and serves will continue to Northern Boulevard. announced in June nine major bus lane as a vital connection to 10 subway DOT, in collaboration with MTA, projects meant to improve safety, reli- lines, the HUB, and Lincoln Medical also announced that it will implement ability and the speed of public transit Center. bus priority improvements on seven options as New York City continues its 2) The 14th St. Busway, Manhat- additional corridors in 2020, including phased reopening. The new busways tan: The 14th St. Busway pilot has suc- bus lane or busway treatments at the and dedicated bus lanes will increase cessfully increased bus speeds by as following locations: bus speeds and reliability along major much as 24% and ridership by as much corridors in all five boroughs and ad- as 30%. The City will make this pilot Busways: dress concerns over the growth in ve- project permanent. The project, which • Main Street in Queens hicular traffic. serves approximately 28,000 daily rid- • Jamaica Avenue in Queens Following an October pilot pro- ers of the M14, combines blocks of ex- • 5th Avenue in Manhattan gram, the 14th Street busway will be clusive access and standard bus lanes • Jay Street in Brooklyn made permanent and bus lanes ex- to provide bus priority from 9th Ave. to • 181st Street in Manhattan tended eastward. The City will also 1st Ave. DOT will add 0.8 miles of new add a bus and truck priority treatment bus lane from 1st Ave. to Avenue C. Bus lane projects: along Flushing’s Main Street in 3) Main Street, Flushing: DOT is • 14th Street in Manhattan Queens, and new bus lanes to serve adding a busway to a .3-mile north- (from 1st Avenue to Avenue C) critical transit connections along 149th bound stretch of Main Street, where it • 149th Street in the Bronx Street in the Bronx. meets the terminus of the 7 train. The • Merrick Boulevard in Queens Projects that began in June in- street currently features bus and truck • Hylan Boulevard in Staten Island clude: priority treatments in the southbound 1) 149th Street, Bronx: DOT is im- direction that have resulted in a 23% DOT has stated that it will engage plementing offset bus lanes for most of increase in bus speeds between 2017 with stakeholders on an ongoing basis the 2.7-mile corridor from Southern and 2018. The enhancement will run to address issues in affected communi- Boulevard to River Avenue. 149th along Main Street and Kissena Boule- ties. Street carries four bus routes with a vard as it connects to Main Street and Source: City of New York LGA REACTIVATES DELTA AIRLINES TERMINAL D AND CONCOURSE G On July 1, Delta Airlines reactivated the east frontage of Terminal D. How- activation and guide customer flow. Terminal D and Concourse G at La ever, MTA bus and on-airport shuttle Traffic flow will be closely monitored, in Guardia Airport. This returns Delta to bus operations will remain on the case changes need to be made in the fu- operating flights to/from Terminals C & frontage of Terminal C. The Terminal D ture. D with associated customer services on bus shelter is now closed with possible Please refer any questions to the its respective frontages. removal in the future. Port Authority Operations Staff at 718- In association with this reactivation, Appropriate signs and wayfinding 533-3700. yellow cab taxi service will resume on will be installed to compliment this re- Source: Port Authority NY/NJ BODY RECOVERED OF MAN WHO JUMPED OFF VERRAZANO BRIDGE The body of a 36-year-old man who ters off Brooklyn (near Bayview Avenue began, according to an NYPD spokesman. abandoned a 2016 Toyota Camry with and W 36 Street), a law enforcement The NYPD previously said the 36-year-old Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) source said. man was seen parking the vehicle mid- plates before jumping off the Verrazzano- After initially responding to the scene span on the bridge seconds before jump- Narrows Bridge in the early morning at about 4:20 a.m., a search of the waters ing. hours of June 22 was recovered in the wa- and coastlines below by emergency crews Source: SI Live

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Established in 1917, The Transportation Alliance is a nonprofit trade association that represents the owners and managers of taxicab, livery, luxury, NEMT, paratransit and bus companies. TTA members operate more than 100,000 passenger vehicles and transport more than 900 million passengers annually. JULY 2020 • TAXI & LIVERY TIMES • 27 NEWS

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