DECEMBER 2018 www.taxiliverytimes.com Vol.19 No. 12

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An Insider’s Look at Both NYC TLC Regulated Industries ROY KIM BECOMES EIGHTH VICTIM IN A YEAR OF SUICIDES

ROY KIM SE CONVIERTE EN LA OCTAVA VÍCTIMA EN UN AÑO DE SUICIDIOS

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PUBLISHER: David Pollack A DISGRUNTLED E-mail:[email protected] 11 Edge Water lane Haverstraw, NY 10927 UBER DRIVER Phone: 718-706-TAXI (8294) EDITOR: Neil Weiss Email: [email protected] FINDS FLAW IN APP 714 Crestbrook Ave. Cherry Hill, N.J. 08003 Tel: 800-723-9119/856-751-0656 BY DAVID POLLACK Fax: 856-751-0657

The following experience is real, as related to me by an UBER driver email: CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Matthew Daus, Esq. “I am writing to you, Taxi Dave, because I have nowhere else to turn. I have Larry Fisher had less than a week’s worth of shifts sitting behind the wheel and already Meera Joshi have found out that there is no one to speak with at UBER, and my experience Bertram Merling proves their technology has a major flaw that hurts UBER drivers, hurts Steven J. Shanker, Esq. UBER themselves, yet benefits certain passengers with free rides. Michael Spevack, Esq. “I started my driving day answering an UBER e-hail that was to begin in ADV. SALES MGR./ART & DESIGN: an extremely affluent neighborhood. I passed many mansions on my way to a Michele Norton: 856-262-2368 cul-de-sac with only two mega-million homes. When I arrived outside the gated driveway, no one was in sight, so I chose to pull into the long, cobble - TRANSLATIONS: stone driveway. My fare kept me waiting in front of his home, and when he fi - The Language Center and NYC TLC nally appeared, I swiped ‘pickup’ on my phone, which normally starts the Copyright © 2018 by TAXI & LIVERY TIMES. technological journey to my drop-off point using UBER’s GPS guidance sys - All rights reserved. Neither this newspaper nor tem. As my car pulled out of the driveway and into the cul-de-sac, and we any part therof may be reproduced, copied, or transmitted in any form, without the express started down the very first block, my iPhone (the only source of communication written permission of the publishers. The copy - between me and UBER) started rerouting me back to my passenger’s home to right is extended to the design and text created pick him up. I stopped the car and was trying to find a solution to my problem. for advertisements. This publication is not re - My passenger knew exactly what was happening because he said, ‘By the way, sponsible for errors in advertisement beyond there is no service in my driveway and very little on this street.’ the cost of the space occupied by the error. By - lined articles represent the sole opinion of the “Having faith in my UBER APPlication, I simply told my passenger that writer and are not necessarily in accordance when we get to his destination, he can swipe ‘picked up’ and all should be with the views of TAXI & LIVERY TIMES. This good. He agreed. When we arrived at his destination (a BMW dealership), I Publication reserves the right to limit or refuse realized there was no way to resolve this problem on my end, especially since advertising it deems objectionable. TAXI & LIV - UBER was giving me another fare. In fact, the only way to move forward to ERY TIMES is published monthly at a subscrip - my next fare, which I accepted, was to CANCEL the very trip I had already tion rate of $48 per year. finished. I told my passenger to help me and please swipe ‘picked up’ on his www.taxiliverytimes.com iPhone. His response was, ‘My wife handles all of this on her phone.’ I asked IN THIS ISSUE him to call her on the other cell phone he used during the fare, and make sure that I get paid. He simply said ‘yeah, I will take care of it.’ “It was at that moment I had to put all my faith in a stranger, hoping I Publisher’s Page ...... 4 didn’t get screwed out of my first fare of the day. Yet with no way for UBER to resolve this, unless of course I CANCELED my finished fare, I did cancel Dear Taxi Dave ...... 5 the finished trip. “Just to be crystal clear: I did send emails to UBER explaining the situa - Editor’s Notes ...... 6 tion. It is four days later and I have received no contact whatsoever. The only Taxi News ...... 7 result I believe I will see now is a wealthy 1%er screwing both a multi-billion- dollar company out of their percentage of my fare and the lowly driver, me, Livery News ...... 8 being screwed out of a fare I deserve to be paid for. The FLAW IN THE UBER OPERATING SYSTEM is simple, if there is no cell-service when picking up a Directory ...... 13 fare, the entire UBER model collapses when that fare is picked-up and the passenger is an intentional scammer as well. There is no protection for me. Fun & Games ...... 15 “How do I get paid for this fare? Do I drive an hour and file a THEFT OF SERVICES report against the passenger in his swanky village an hour away Features ...... 16 and waste more time than the fare is worth? Do I keep on waiting for UBER to contact me, wishing and hoping for a positive result? I have no choice, I IBTy AMRatt hOewu Wtl.o Doauk s, ...... Esq. 17 must mark it up to experience and let a little-guy, who is struggling to earn enough money to pay for medical insurance, get screwed by a 1%er and a com - CByo Mmeemra iJsoshii oner’s Corner ...... 23 pany that doesn’t really care about me or the obvious loophole in their inter - national operating system I have unveiled and experienced firsthand.” TBya LxHiB Tales ...... 24

Publisher’s Note: Has this happened to you? I want to know! Send an email TByh Lear rFy iFsishhebr owl ...... 25 with your experience to Taxi Dave at the [email protected]. Taxi & Livery Times: Taxi and FHV Relief Stands 26

DBye Bfeertnrasmi vMer liDng riving ...... 27

TByh Meic Thaaexl Si pAevtatcokr ney ...... 28 News ...... 30 Press Conferences ...... 34 & 37 TAXI & LIVERY TIMES DECEMBER 2018 • • 5 DEAR TAXI DAVE

Who’s Responsible Maybe this is just a tsunami blowing over and Cuomo-MTA) did their research and said, If a passenger gets injured getting in or out i t w i l l p a s s , a n d t h i n g s w i l l g e t b e tTtearx. i Solomon “Hmmm... looks like the market will bear an ad - of a wheelchair taxi because the vehicle is set –––––––––––––––––– —— ––––––––––––––––– ditional $2.50 per trip taxi surcharge! “So... too high, who’s fault is it? Is it mine for buying Grand Central Station even if some cabbies don’t want it, WE fer sher a wheelchair taxi? Or is it the city, for mandating DO!” m e t o b u y a w h e e l c h a i r t a x i ? Anonymous I heard on 1010 wins that the MTA is buying KABOOM! Bye-bye fare increase and hello –––––––––––––––––– —— ––––––––––––––––– Grand Central Station. If they have funds, why poor house! Nice going, GENIUSES! When will Memories of a Simpler Time do taxis still have the MTA $.50 surcharge? This some of you knuckleheads learn to keep your n e e d s t o b e e l i m in a t e d . Anonymous big mouths shut?! As a child I remember sitting in the front –––––––––––––––––– —— ––––––––––––––––– Which leads ME to conclude a few things passenger seat of my father’s LTD taxi. My fa - Wasted Space in New York City here... ther would drive around looking for fares as I 1) Are there a few “Uber et al” looked on. Many things I didn’t understand With major congestion, a spies roving among the yellow cab then, but I still have the visions and memories lack of taxi stands and $50 driver community and chatting it up of what it was like. parking garages, why does with OUR drivers at the hack stands The New York State ran the taxi industry CitiBike waste all of this space and the airport holding lots – simply then, there was no Taxi and Limousine Com - with a row of inoperable stands to fill their ears with BS and/or prop - mission yet. My father had a two-way radio dis - that runs the length of a football aganda. patch system in the car. My mom would be able –fi–e–ld–. –––––––––––––– —— ––––––––––––––––– 2) When will we get a fare in - to contact him on it. Sometimes my father crease now? Will we get ANOTHER $2.50 per would get a call for a pick up instead of a street trip... for US? That should be (legally and hail, he’d put the “on radio call” roof light on and morally) our money! go. 3) And... oh yes... Do ALL of our yellow cab Service was good and efficient. Taxi drivers cronies realize there are people in our industry were making more profit then. Gas was cheap, who work both sides of the street? Might be cost of living was cheap. The state never really time to start “outing” those “snakes in the interfered of made ridiculous laws, police grass”! weren’t pulling over taxis and issuing sum - WAKE UP PEOPLE! It’s time to DANCE! mons. However, it was a dangerous time, with Get on the floor and start getting in the game... lots of robberies. and fer crissakes, THINK before you strike! As I drive around now, like my father before BREAKING NEWS: The Nov. 19th meeting me, I drive in fear like my father, not because Come on ConEd about this mess at City Hall was a sham (imo). of crime, but because of politics. Afraid of how Are we really expecting the wackos who much income I will lose; whether it’s because Who would approve a permit for ConEd to screwed up our multi-billion-dollar yellow cab of traffic, surcharge, credit card (technology) not close down main streets in Chinatown during business to actually cure the ills that they cre - working, etc. the daytime. My guess is there is no permit! ated? Just another pathetic pity party... held The one good thing about crime being high Where is Con Ed’s Congestion Pricing Sur - A F T E R t h e e le c t i o n Ms..i.c ohfa celo Hur.s, eC. a reer Cabbie back then, politics didn’t interfere. The streets charge for causing a 45-minute ride to go –––––––––––––––––– —— ––––––––––––––––– got clean and government/ law enforcement got –a–ro–u––n–d– t–h–e– –b–lo–c–k–?– –– —— ––––––––––––––––– Too Little, Too Late? dirty. Taxi Fare Increase NOW I don’t know why yellow taxis are treated This bill doesn’t give us enough time to heal this way. There are some rotten apples in the Well, well, well... It looks like good ’ole Mike ourselves, the deadline is far too far away… basket – cab drivers that broke the law – but and Abe, Taxi Dave, Carolyn and a few OTHER pain and suffering is happening daily for taxis yellow taxi drivers are on the road 24/7/365. We career NYC cabbies... with an I.Q. over 55... o w n e r s . Michael Simon/medallion owner service this city with pride. Without yellow taxis, were on the right track when we said, “'WE it would be like having no Empire State Build - NEED A FARE INCREASE! NOW!” It’s only Editor's Note: The day we went to ing. We are an icon, a staple in this city. Yet been about SIX YEARS since the LAST one... press, November 27, Intro 1069 NYS is disrespecting yellow taxis by imple - So, TLC: Don’t wanna to rush ya, but YELLOW menting ridiculous laws like the congestion sur - CAB DRIVERS NEED A FARE INCREASE! became law. The For Hire Com - charge. Trouble was, apparently during that mittee voted 4-0 in favor of the Does Cuomo believe traffic is a result of yel - process, there were “more than a few” folks in law, which will create a Medallion low taxis? Are we to blame? our iconic industry who kept going around say - It’s our job to drive in the business district. ing, “Nooo! I’m afraid of Uuuuuuber!” To that I Debt Task Force, do a study and My whole day is spent there. Very sad time in say, B.S.! make recommendations to regain yellow taxi industry, I hope I’ll be able to make We are now in a weird situation where money. Change is needed in NYS politicians. everyone’s favorite pirate ship (known as the medallion values. k c a l l o P d i v a D t i d e r C o t o h P TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 6 • • DECEMBER 2018 EDITOR’S NOTES

BY NEIL WEISS EIGHT SUICIDES OCHO SUICIDIOS IN ONE YEAR EN UN AÑO En noviembre, nuestra industria celebró un aniversario trágico y doloroso. In November, our industry celebrated a grim and painful an - El mes pasado se cumplió un año del fallecimiento de Alfredo Perez, el primero niversary. It was one year ago last month that Alfredo Perez became de una lista de dueños de licencias o conductores de la ciudad de Nueva York reg - the first in a string of New York City TLC-regulated drivers and/or ulados por la TLC que trágicamente se quitaron la vida, debido a que la creciente medallion owners to tragically take their own lives, as the exploding popularidad de los servicios de transporte basados en aplicaciones desplomó los popularity of app-based transportation services caused taxi medal - valores de las licencias de taxis y a que un aluvión de nuevos conductores de ve - lion values to plummet and a deluge of new FHV drivers has con - hículos de alquiler generó una congestión vehicular sin precedentes y una abrupta tributed to historically bad traffic and dramatically-reduced caída de los ingresos. earnings. Un mes después de que Alfredo Perez se ahorcara, el conductor de vehículo A month after Mr. Perez hanged himself, Livery driver Danilo de alquiler Danilo Corporan Castillo, de 57 años, escribió una nota suicida en el Corporan Castillo, 57, wrote a suicide note on the back of a summons, reverso de una citación judicial, en la que culpaba a la “industria caótica” de sus problemas financieros, y se arrojó al vacío desde la ventana de su apartamento blaming the “disastrous industry” for his financial problems, and de Manhattan. jumped out the window of his Manhattan apartment. En febrero, Douglas Schifter, de 61 años, publicó una extensa nota en Face - In February, 61-year-old Douglas Schifter posted a lengthy note book, responsabilizando a los políticos, a los entes reguladores y a los servicios on Facebook, calling out politicians, regulators and app-based serv - basados en aplicaciones, como Uber, de diezmar “a la que alguna vez fue una in - ices like Uber for decimating a “once great industry,” then killed him - dustria floreciente”, y luego se mató de un tiro en un coche alquilado afuera del self with a shotgun in a rented car outside City Hall. Ayuntamiento. In March, cabbie Nicanor Ochisor, 65, paid his pending bills, left En marzo, el taxista Nicanor Ochisor, de 65 años, pagó las cuentas que debía, his jacket and phone on his dining room table, and hanged himself dejó la chaqueta y el teléfono en la mesa del comedor, y se ahorcó en el garaje de in the garage of his family home in Maspeth, Queens. su casa familiar en Maspeth, Queens. In May, the body of Yu Mein Chow, a Myanmar immigrant En mayo, se encontró el cuerpo de Yu Mein Chow, un inmigrante de Myan - mar al que sus amigos apodaban “Kenny”, flotando en el East River, no muy lejos known to friends as “Kenny,” was found floating in the East River, del puente de Brooklyn. Hacía poco había pedido un préstamo de $700,000 para not far from the Brooklyn Bridge. He had recently taken out a comprar una licencia. $700,000 loan to buy a medallion. En junio, el conductor de un taxi amarillo Abdul Saleh, de 59 años –corto de In June, cash-strapped yellow cab driver Abdul Saleh, 59, hanged fondos– se ahorcó con un cable eléctrico en su apartamento de Brooklyn. El inmi - himself with an electric cord in his Brooklyn apartment. The Yemeni grante yemení se estaba esforzando por pagar las cuotas del alquiler de su ve - immigrant had been struggling to make his vehicle lease payments. hículo. On September 26, Uber driver Fausto Luna, 58, jumped in front El 26 de septiembre, el conductor de Uber Fausto Luna, de 58 años, se arrojó of an A train because he felt trapped by the massive debt he was rap - a las vías del subterráneo A porque se sentía atrapado ante la enorme deuda que idly accumulating. vertiginosamente estaba acumulando. And now, right around the anniversary of Mr. Perez’s tragic end, Y ahora, a solo un año del trágico final de Alfredo Perez, el conductor Roy Kim, de 58 años, se convirtió en la octava víctima de suicidio vinculada a la in - driver Roy Kim, 58, became the eighth industry-related suicide, dustria, al ahorcarse con un cinturón en su casa de Bayside. Supuestamente, el when he hanged himself with a belt in his Bayside home. Mr. Kim Sr. Kim debía más $500,000 tras comprar una licencia de taxi amarillo por unos was reportedly more than $500,000 in debt after purchasing a yellow $580,000 en 2017, según la Comisión de Taxis y Limusinas ( Taxi and Limousine taxi medallion for around $580,000 in 2017, according to the NYC Commission, TLC ) de la ciudad de Nueva York. Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC). En una declaración de la Alianza de Trabajadores de Taxis de Nueva York In a statement from the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, Mr. (New York Taxi Workers Alliance, NYTWA ), Roy Kim fue descrito como un “hombre Kim was described as a “hardworking, quiet, and dignified man,” muy trabajador, callado y digno”, que “trabajaba seis días por semana, hasta 14 who “worked six days a week, up to 14 hours a day.” horas diarias”. To their credit, the Mayor, City Council and the TLC are finally Cabe mencionar que, finalmente, el alcalde, el Concejo Municipal y la TLC working on new laws and rules designed to offer aid to struggling están trabajando en nuevas leyes y normas destinadas a aliviar a los oprimidos conductores, entre las que se incluyen un tope temporario a la cantidad de ve - drivers, which has included a temporary cap on the number of FHVs hículos de alquiler y la decisión de suspender el cobro de casi $20 millones en and the decision to waive nearly $20 million in fees owed by taxi cab tasas adeudadas por los propietarios de taxis. Meera Joshi, presidenta de la TLC, owners. TLC Chairwoman Meera Joshi said in October that it’s pru - dijo en octubre que era prudente suspender el cobro de las tasas “en momentos dent to pause collection of the fees “at a time when every penny en que cada centavo cuenta” para los dueños de taxis. counts” for taxi owners. El concejal Mark Levine (demócrata, de Washington Heights) ha venido im - Councilman Mark Levine (D-Washington Heights) has been pulsando una legislación que ofrezca soluciones a más largo plazo para los propi - pushing for legislation to provide longer-term solutions for medallion etarios de licencias, y pidió la suspensión para aquellos taxistas que ya estuvieran owners and asked for the break for taxi drivers already on the brink, al borde de la ruina financiera. financially. “Es fundamental que tomemos medidas para ayudar a los conductores que “It’s critical that we take steps to help out the drivers who have han visto evaporarse sus ahorros de toda una vida por cuestiones de las que no son culpables", dijo Levine, cuyo proyecto de ley requeriría, además, que la TLC seen their life savings evaporate through no fault of their own,” said estudiara la deuda de los propietarios de licencias y de los conductores, y pro - Levine, whose bill would also require the TLC to conduct a study of pusiera los mecanismos de ayuda pertinentes. medallion owners’ and drivers’ debt, as well as proposing ways to Al igual que conducir un barco de gran envergadura, corregir el rumbo de help them out. una industria tan vasta no es algo que pueda hacerse de la noche a la mañana. Like steering a massive ship, righting the course of an industry Si bien las iniciativas para ayudar a quienes atraviesan problemas financieros y this large is not something that can be done quickly. While the efforts emocionales son admirables, estoy seguro de que la mayoría de las personas que to help people struggling financially and emotionally are admirable, circulan por la calle todavía no sienten el alivio que muchas de ellas esperan, de I’m sure that most people on the street aren’t yet feeling the relief modo que es esencial que todos nos cuidemos y ayudemos mutuamente. Si se en - that many would hope for – so it is essential that we all look out for cuentra abatido o angustiado o conoce a alguien que se empiece a sentir abrumado and help each other. If you are feeling low or distressed or know por la ansiedad o la depresión, NO ESPERE. Comuníquese de inmediato con NYC Well, para ello envíe el mensaje de texto “Well” al 65173, llame por teléfono al 1- someone who is becoming overwhelmed by anxiety or depression, 888-NYC-Well, o converse en línea con un consejero en https://nycwell.city - PLEASE DO NOT WAIT. Reach out immediately to NYC Well by ofnewyork.us/en/get-help-now/chat-with-a-counselor-now . Hay intérpretes texting “Well” to 65173, calling 1-888-NYC-Well, or chatting online disponibles para más de 200 idiomas, y un servicio de retransmisión para per - with a counselor at: https://nycwell.cityofnewyork.us/en/get-help- sonas sordas o con problemas auditivos. now/chat-with-a-counselor-now . Interpreters are available for more Hacemos llegar nuestras más sentidas condolencias a la familia y a los ami - than 200 languages, and there is relay service for callers who are gos de la víctima más reciente de nuestra industria, Roy Kim. deaf or hard of hearing. Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of our industry’s most recent casualty, Roy Kim. TAXI & LIVERY TIMES DECEMBER 2018 • • 7 TAXI NEWS UPDATE ON MEDALLION RENEWAL FEES AND VEHICLE INSPECTIONS In an attempt to improve capacity at thorized New York State inspection credited back to the taxi owner at the New York City Taxi and Limousine facility during the month an inspec - their next renewal. Commission’s (TLC’s) Woodside Inspection tion sticker expires. For example: If Facility and improve convenience for taxi the inspection sticker expires in the To find a convenient off-site DMV in - owners, the first taxi inspection in 2019 month of March of 2019, taxi owners spection facility, please visit the DMV’s will occur at an offsite DMV inspection fa - must have their taxicab inspected be - website at: https://process.dmv.ny.gov/Fa - cility at the taxi owner’s choosing. tween March 1, 2019 and March 31, cility Lookup/ . All taxis must still receive and pass 2019. Additionally, as a result of industry three vehicle inspections per year. • If a taxicab is scheduled to retire be - hardship, New York’s City Council is con - The first vehicle inspection in 2019 tween January 1, 2019 and April 30, sidering legislation to study the medallion WILL NOT occur at TLC’s Woodside In - 2019, taxi owners may continue oper - industry. TLC has withheld enforcement spection Facility. The second and third ve - ating their current vehicle until their against any medallion owner who has been hicle inspections in 2019 WILL occur at next inspection at TLC’s Woodside in - unable to pay their renewal fee and TLC TLC’s Woodside Inspection Facility, as spection facility. They must still take will continue withholding this enforcement usual. and pass a vehicle inspection during while City Council considers legislation. the month their inspection sticker ex - If you have any questions about where What this means: pires. or when your next safety and emissions in - • Between January 1, 2019 and April • Any payments that have already been spection will occur, please contact TLCex - 30, 2019, taxicabs must pass a safety made to the TLC for a January 2019 [email protected]. and emissions inspection at any au - through March 2019 inspection will be Source: TLC External Affairs NYC CABBIES SHOW THEIR STUFF NYC CABBIE RESCUES INJURED HAWK FROM IN “STEAMY” 2019 CALENDAR PARKWAY The 2019 edition of the New York City Alam recreating the boombox scene from Taxi Driver’s Calendar hit the market in the movie “Say Anything.” A New York City cab driver is being November and features the calendar’s first Philip, a creative director, and Shannon, hailed for saving an injured red-tailed multi-driver cover. The calendar – put to - a photographer came up with the idea for a hawk he found on the side of a major city gether by married couple Philip and Shan - pin-up calendar after Philip created a “gag” parkway. The Wild Bird Fund says the non Kirkman since 2013 – features 12 real calendar for his sister in-law featuring racy cabbie was driving on FDR Drive in the New York City cab drivers striking their photos of his oldest brother. early-morning hours of November 13, best poses. A portion of the calendar’s sales The New York City Taxi Drivers Calen - when he spotted the bird of prey sitting are donated to University Settlement each dar can be purchased online for $14.99 at on the side of the road. year. The calendar has raised nearly https://www.nyctaxicalendar.com . Univer - The Daily News reported that the $70,000 since its inception. sity Settlement helps more than 33,000 im - driver scooped up the bird into his car “When you think of New York they are migrant families in NYC find services such and held it with one hand while driving one of the iconic things that people experi - as education, housing and wellness pro - with the other hand. The unidentified cab ence here. The other thing is that they’re grams. Eleven of this year’s 12 models are driver drove the hawk to Brooklyn where rarely seen,” said Phillip Kirkman. “You immigrants from countries such as Côte he flagged down a police officer, who know you get in a cab and you don’t really d'Ivoire, Panama and Russia. transported the hawk to the Wild Bird Source: New York City Patch get the opportunity to see these individu - Fund. als.” The nonprofit wildlife rescue service As always, poses in this year's says the hawk is on the mend. The NYC calendar range from innocent to Taxi and Limousine Commission said it racy. The drivers aren’t pushed is attempting to track down the driver. into posing in any ways that make Source: New Jersey Herald them uncomfortable, the Kirkmans said. Poses are as varied as Novem - ber model Nazmul pouring sugar into a giant cup of coffee and Octo - ber model Greg getting ready to clamp down on his nipples with a set of jumper cables. Some of the most notable shots include the calendar’s first multi- driver cover – the aforementioned Greg, last year’s cover star Alex and Mr. January Bamba holding melting ice cream cones – Alex pos - ing with a 40-pound python and TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 8 • • DECEMBER 2018 TAXI NEWS TAXI COMPANY OWNER AND EMPLOYEES ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY DEFRAUDING MEDICAID Attorney General Barbara D. Under - tion manager for western New York, that ous charge, Khan and Pervez face between wood announced in November the arrests of he was the driver for various Medicaid re - 5 and 15 years in prison. Sadat Khan, 29, Kashif Pervez, 36, Marcus cipients’ transportation to and from their In separate felony complaints, Wego Mathis, 41, Chester Haugabook, 48, and medical appointments. Some of the recipi - Taxi Tours, Inc.’s drivers Marcus Mathis, William Medina, 35, all of Niagara Falls, for ents for which Wego billed were allegedly Chester Haugabook, and William Medina their roles in an alleged scheme to steal not picked up or dropped off; additionally, were charged with allegedly paying Medi - over $50,000 from Medicaid by paying off the false pick up addresses were located caid recipients to call MAS at their behest Medicaid recipients in order to fraudulently substantially farther away from the drop off to change their pickup location to a different bill for transport rides. The Attorney Gen - location than the Medicaid recipients’ ac - fraudulent address. The three drivers each eral’s ongoing investigation into Medicaid tual pickup addresses would have been. allegedly then caused Wego to fraudulently transit scams – dubbed “Operation Ghost By using false address information, bill Medicaid in excess of $7,500 for trans - Ride” – revealed that Wego Taxi Tours, Inc. Wego Taxi Tours, Inc. and Khan allegedly portation from the new pickup locations for submitted claims and received payment stole over $50,000 from Medicaid by billing medical appointments when, in fact, these from Medicaid for rides that were not pro - for and receiving higher monetary reim - transport rides were never provided. All vided as claimed. bursement for increased mileage than they three defendants were charged with one “When taxi companies falsely report would have been entitled to had they pro - count of Grand Larceny in the Third De - medical transports, New York taxpayers vided accurate address information. Wego’s gree, a class D felony, and one count of Med - end up footing the bill,” said Attorney Gen - corporate secretary Kashif Pervez was icaid Assistance Provider Prohibited eral Underwood. “My office will not tolerate charged as a co-defendant for allegedly en - Practices, a class E felony. If convicted of fraudulent practices that steal Medicaid re - gaging in the same fraudulent criminal the most serious charge, Mathis, Hauga - sources from vulnerable New Yorkers – and scheme of attesting to MAS that he drove book, and Medina face between about two we will continue to bring scammers to jus - recipients from fraudulent addresses. Khan and seven years in prison. tice.” and Pervez were each charged in Niagara The charges are merely accusations According to the felony complaint, Falls City Court with one count of Grand and the defendants are presumed innocent owner of Wego Taxi Tours, Inc. Sadat Khan Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C unless and until proven guilty in a court of allegedly obtained approval for Wego to bill felony, and one count of Offering a False In - law. Medicaid by falsely representing to Medical strument for Filing in the First Degree, a Answering Services (MAS), the transporta - class E felony. If convicted of the most seri - Source: LongIsland.com LIVERY NEWS LIVERY DRIVER ROBBED ROBAN A CONDUCTOR DE IN THE BRONX VEHÍCULO DE ALQUILER EN EL BRONX

A Livery driver was robbed by two men in the Bronx on La policía informó que el 14 de octubre dos hombres robaron Oct. 14, according to police. The 53-year-old Livery driver al conductor de un vehículo de alquiler en el Bronx. La víctima, was in the vicinity of East 174th Street and Hoe Avenue in de 53 años, se encontraba en las proximidades de East 174th Charlotte Gardens when two men approached him. One of Street y Hoe Avenue, en Charlotte Gardens, cuando se le acer - the unidentified men placed an unknown object against the caron dos hombres. Uno de los desconocidos le colocó un objeto no victim’s neck and demanded money, according to police. identificado contra el cuello y le exigió dinero. The assailants fled the scene with about $150, cops said. Según los oficiales, los agresores huyeron del lugar con unos No injuries were reported. $150. No se informaron lesiones. Video surveillance, which shows the two alleged robbers El video de vigilancia, que muestra a los dos presuntos fleeing, can be viewed here: ladrones dándose a la fuga, puede verse aquí: https://pix11.com/2018/11/01/livery-cab-driver-robbed-in- https://pix11.com/2018/11/01/livery-cab-driver-robbed-in-the- bronx-police/ the-bronx-police/ Si tiene información que pueda ser de ayuda para la policía, Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800- llame a Crime Stoppers al 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visite www.nypd - 577-TIPS (8477), visiting www.nypdcrimestoppers.com , or crimestoppers.com o envíe un mensaje de texto al 274637 (CRIMES), texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish- seguido de TIP577. Si es hispanohablante, puede llamar al 1-888-57- speaking callers can call 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). PISTA (74782). Source: PIX11 Fuente: PIX11

VISIT: WWW.TAXILIVERYTIMES.COM TAXI & LIVERY TIMES DECEMBER 2018 • • 9 LIVERY NEWS

CONDUCTORA DE VEHÍCULO DE ALQUILER LIVERY DRIVER SHOT IN BROOKLYN RECIBE DISPARO EN BROOKLYN A gunman stormed up to a Livery vehicle and shot the Un hombre armado corrió furioso hasta un vehículo de woman behind the wheel in Brooklyn in the early morning alquiler y le disparó a su conductora en Brooklyn en las primeras hours of November 2, authorities said. The 42-year-old woman horas de la mañana del 2 de noviembre, informaron las autori - was parked in her van near the corner of Cortelyou and Marl - dades. La mujer de 42 años estaba estacionada con su van cerca borough roads in Ditmas Park at about 2:45 a.m. when she de la esquina de las calles Cortelyou y Marlborough, en Ditmas was shot. Park, aproximadamente a las 2:45 a. m. cuando le dispararon. van The assailant quietly approached the woman’s van and Es agresor se acercó a la de la mujer sigilosamente y opened fire, hitting her in the shoulder, forearm and chest, ac - abrió fuego hiriéndola en el hombro, en el antebrazo y en el pecho. cording to police. The Livery driver was rushed to Maimondies La conductora del vehículo de alquiler fue trasladada de urgencia Medical Center, where she fortunately survived the shocking al Maimonides Medical Center, donde afortunadamente sobre - incident. Police searched the area for surveillance videos in vivió al impactante incidente. La policía registró la zona en busca de v ideos de vigila ncia que le permitieran identificar al autor de an attempt to identify the gunman. los disparos. Source: Daily News Fuente: Daily News

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Jericho Taxi Brokers 36-16 Skillman Avenue Long Island City, NY 11101 (718) 392-7000 TLC#R0001 LOMTO Generation Brokerage 435 West 45th Street New York, NY 10036 (212) 582-5721 MAIN OFFICE: 36-01 43rd Ave., Long Island City • 718-361-0033 TLC#R0018 MANHATTAN BROOKLYN ELMHURST Mystic Brokerage Inc. 330 McGuinness Blvd. 4861 Broadway 1043 Coney Isl. Ave 9703 23rd Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11222 @204 St., NY, NY 10034 Brooklyn, NY 11230 East Elmhurst, NY 11369 (718) 349-7610 212-567-4100 718-421-6677 718-396-3636 TLC#R0050 BRONX FLUSHING Pearland Transfer Corp. 805 Melrose Ave 135-23 Northern Blvd 36-01 43rd Avenue Bronx, NY 10451 Flushing, NY 11354 LIC, NY 11101 718-665-4750 718-888-9555 (718) 361-0033 TLC#R0020 TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 14 • • DECEMBER 2018 LIVERY NEWS NYC DRIVER CHARGED WITH HATE CRIME AFTER ALL CONDUCTOR DE LA CIUDAD DE NUEVA YORK FINALMENTE ES ACUSADO DE COMETER UN DELITO POR DISCRIMINACIÓN O XENOFOBIA A New York City For-hire Vehicle (FHV) driver accused in the vicious beating of a Jewish man in the middle of an inter - El conductor de un vehículo de alquiler ( For-hire Vehicle, FHV ) section was charged with a hate crime. Initially, police were de la ciudad de Nueva York sospechado de propinar una brutal not calling the incident a hate crime, but the charges changed golpiza a un hombre de origen judío en medio de una intersección after a public outcry and as more details became available. fue acusado de cometer un delito por discriminación o xenofobia. En The shocking attack was caught on video. un principio, la policía no había caratulado de esta forma el inci - A Brooklyn District Attorney’s office spokesperson told Fox dente, pero modificó los cargos tras una protesta pública y la apari - News that a “prosecutor announced in court [in October] that ción de más detalles. the grand jury returned an indictment and the top count is El terrible ataque fue captado en un video. Un vocero de la Oficina del Fiscal del Distrito le dijo a Fox News felony assault as a hate crime.” que “un fiscal anunció en tribunales [en octubre] que el gran jurado The hate crime charge – which initially was not one of the presentó una acusación cuyo principal cargo es un delito grave de counts facing 37-year-old suspect Farrukh Afzal – came after agresión por motivos de discriminación o xenofobia”. the attorney’s office faced pressure from the Jewish commu - El delito por discriminación o xenofobia –que en principio no fig - nity, The Yeshiva World reported. uraba entre los cargos contra el sospechoso de 37 años Farrukh “It is important that, in a high-profile case like this, the Afzal– se agregó tras la presión de la comunidad judía, informó The attacker is held accountable for his actions,” New York City Yeshiva World . Councilman Chaim Duetsch wrote on Twitter after the hate “Es importante que en un caso notorio como este, el agresor se crime charge was announced. haga responsable de sus acciones”, escribió en su cuenta de Twitter The victim, Lipa Schwartz, reportedly told a state assem - el concejal de la ciudad de Nueva York Chaim Duetsch luego de blyman in October the attacker was yelling the words “Allah” darse a conocer el cargo de delito por discriminación o xenofobia. La víctima, Lipa Schwartz, le habría dicho a un miembro de la and “Israel” while pummeling Schwartz in the heavily-Jewish asamblea legislativa del estado en octubre que el agresor gritó las Brooklyn neighborhood of Borough Park. palabras “Alá” e “Israel” mientras lo golpeaba en Borough Park, el “I’m out of the hospital with some minor bruises, but the distrito de Brooklyn caracterizado por una fuerte presencia judía. trauma of being attacked by someone who seemed to want re - “Salí del hospital con hematomas leves, pero el trauma de ser venge will stay with me forever,” Schwartz, 62, said in an in - atacado por alguien que parecía clamar venganza me acompañará terview with local news website Boropark24 . “I feared for my para siempre”, aseguró Schwartz, de 62 años, en una entrevista con - life. I knew it’s either I fight myself out of this, or I might be cedida Boropark24 , un sitio web de noticias. “Temí por mi vida. Sabía dead.” que o me defendía o podía terminar muerto”. It is not clear what provoked the attack. No está claro qué provocó la agresión. The reported hate crime charge for Afzal is in addition to El cargo de delito por discriminación o xenofobia contra Afzal se charges of attempted assault in the second degree, assault in suma a los de intento de agresión en segundo grado, agresión en ter - cer grado, amenazas y hostigamiento. Informes de los medios the third degree, menacing and harassment. Media reports consignan que, con anterioridad a este hecho, el agresor había sido say he previously has been arrested eight times. arrestado ocho veces. Source: Fox News Fuente: Fox News

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

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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.

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French Si vous ou l'une de vos connaissances souffrez de dépression, sachez qu'il existe un service d'aide téléphonique gratuit et anonyme appelé NYC Well disponible à tout moment en 200 langues. Appelez le 1-888-NYCWell, ou envoyez « WELL » au 65173. Toutefois, si vous risquez de vous faire mal ou de faire mal aux autres dans l'immédiat, appelez le 911. TAXI & LIVERY TIMES DECEMBER 2018 • • 15 LIVERY NEWS LGA MOVES HOLDING LOTS EL AEROPUERTO LAGUARDIA TRASLADA LOS ESTACIONAMIENTOS FOR UBER AND LYFT DE ESPERA PARA UBER Y LYFT The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey an - nounced that it would close Lot P4 at LaGuardia Airport ef - La Autoridad Portuaria de Nueva York y Nueva Jersey anunció que cerraría el estacionamiento P4 del aeropuerto LaGuardia a par - fective Wednesday, Oct. 10. The lot had served as the for-hire tir del miércoles 10 de octubre. Dicho estacionamiento se había vehicle waiting area for Terminals C and D. In its place, the usado como área de espera de vehículos de alquiler para las Termi - Port Authority said it will use the Citi Field Marina Lot start - nales C y D. En su lugar, la Autoridad Portuaria dijo que desde el ing Oct. 11. 11 de octubre usará el estacionamiento Citi Field Marina. Terminal pickups will continue to be allowed curbside at La Autoridad Portuaria informó que en las Terminales C y D Terminals C and D, the Port Authority said. Drivers using the se podrán seguir recogiendo pasajeros al borde de la acera. Ni los Terminal A and B hold lots will not be affected by the change. conductores que usen los estacionamientos de espera de las Termi - Yellow taxis will not be affected by the change either, the nales A y B ni los taxis amarillos se verán afectados por el cambio, aseguró la agencia. agency said. Fuente: Queens Daily Eagle Sou rce: Queen s Daily Ea gle

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KENNY CHOW 8 L S I R O C H I S O R GRACIE MANSION 3 F E E D O U G L A C S C 838A 8 T I I G N S L R H I E H LEGISLATION A L E V O A Y L C Y N M I NICANOR OCHISOR C X D A L C S E H T O A F DOUGLAS SCHIFTER CITY HALL U I H N O I W N O I S N T DRIVER PROTECTION UNIT S T C K E N N Y C H O W E NYC WELL L E G I S L A R D R I V R LACUS TECHNOLOGIES I N U N O I T C E T O R P TAXI DAVE T I A C I A L P A R N E R FINANCIAL PARTNERSHIP REINFORCE CONFIDENCE F E L E G I S L T E I F S EFFECTIVE LEGISLATION F V C A P T H E I U C O H CAP THE APP E I V E S T S A O S I R I SAVE LIVES C T I L V A P P N L D C P SUICIDES NYC T E C N E D I F N O C E S TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 16 • • DECEMBER 2018 FEATURE TIPS FOR PROTECTING PACKAGES AND YOUR CAR THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Vehicle break-ins spike during the hol - the car idays, as drivers focus on celebrating the • Watch out for strangers who appear season rather than protecting their be - to be standing around for no particu - longings. Crowded mall parking lots and lar reason or approaching as the per - distracted shoppers make the job easy for son could be an opportunist waiting thieves – where someone can clean out a to grab shopping bags or belongings. vehicle and be gone in less than one • Don’t talk on a cell phone when walk - minute! ing in a retail environment or in the CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts parking lot – you might not notice a sees an annual rise in vehicles with bro - potential thief lurking nearby ken glass and jimmied locks during the • Have keys readily available when ap - holiday season. Dean Fisher, COO for proaching your vehicle so no fum - CARSTAR, offers the following tips to help bling or looking is necessary to unlock reduce holiday break-ins: the vehicle • Don’t leave packages in the back seat • If you’re going to be parking in valet, in plain view – always lock them up take your purchases home first and in the trunk don’t leave your personal belongings • Lock your doors – even if you’re only in the car going to be gone a few minutes • Don’t leave windows cracked If the unfortunate vehicle theft does • Park in well-lit, well-traveled areas occur, CARSTAR recommends having a • Hide your electronics, like your GPS, repair plan in place so you aren’t stranded cell phone and iPad when you head at the mall waiting for assistance. into the mall • Don’t leave your purse or briefcase in Source: www.CARSTAR.com BUSINESS EXPENSES: GET REIMBURSEMENT RIGHT

If a business owner is the main or only is to have a single credit card devoted en - charged on a company credit card are not employee of the company, it’s important to tirely to business purchases. Bookkeeping business expenses. An owner may easily implement a judicious policy of expense re - accounts for each credit card charge as it make the mistake of charging something imbursement that’s similar to that of major occurs. Since all the charges are company like a personal dry-cleaning bill on the com - organizations. Solo enterprises are, in fact, costs, the credit card bill is simply paid by pany credit card. Account for these charges the most likely operations to incur business the company. The bill payment is allocated as owner distributions. With all credit card expenses paid with personal funds. This to the credit card liability account on the charges recorded on the books – even these often occurs when the owner uses a per - balance sheet to which the charges were owner distributions – the liability balance sonal credit card for company purchases. applied. in the bookkeeping system will match the The business should treat reimbursed A credit card provider that supports a eventual credit card bill. expenses as if it had paid for them directly. business account will issue secondary cards Setting a standard of recording every The reimbursement is recorded in an ex - if you have employees. This allows tracking charge exactly as it will appear on the pense category of the company’s accounting of charges by each worker. credit card bill ensures easy reconciliation system that describes the type of expendi - In an era where almost anything may of the books to the credit card statement. ture. Don’t rely on nebulous categories, like be purchased with a credit card, cash ad - Avoid the temptation to make a bookkeep - “reimbursements” or “credit card pay - vances are generally unnecessary. Com - ing entry for a group of charges. This tech - ments” – instead, use an expense account pany policy should prohibit cash advances nique is suitable only when reimbursing that classifies the cost exactly as you would – even to the owner. If you must spend cash multiple expenses paid with cash or a for non-reimbursed, directly paid expendi - for a small item, place the receipt in the credit card not dedicated exclusively to tures. business records and collect a reimburse - business. A single charge may be divided A sound reimbursement policy ensures ment. This is the same procedure you into multiple expense categories. For in - that you don’t miss claiming valuable tax would utilize with an employee. In these stance, meals while traveling for business deductions, improperly classify business cases, bookkeeping should record the ex - must be distinguished in the company's ac - expenses, or suffer cash drains of uncertain pense in the same category it would have if counting from lodging and transportation. origin. the expense had been directly paid by the Additionally, personal entertainment dur - business. ing a business trip is not tax-deductible, de - Limit the Episodes spite the allowable deduction of travel It’s best to limit the occurrences of ex - Avoid Complications costs. pense reimbursement. The easiest solution Personal expenditures inadvertently Source: Gold Gerstein Group TAXI & LIVERY TIMES DECEMBER 2018 • • 17 FEATURE THE FORGOTTEN LIVERY INDUSTRY By Steven J. Shanker, Esq.

It appears that City lawmakers and the if the livery industry thrives, survives or dies. such software must flag each trip subject to NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) The City’s grand idea of green taxicabs to the surcharge, which then sets off a chain of have recently taken some steps to try to se - aid in the provision of FHV service to resi - administrative bookkeeping and compliance cure aid to certain sectors of the For-Hire Ve - dents of the outer boroughs has proven to be nightmares, including the cost of new/addi - hicle (FHV) industry in New York City a resounding failure. Many owners of Street tional software, added accounting costs, (NYC). Some of these steps are real efforts, Hail livery permits have given them back be - added administrative costs, added legal fees albeit likely a bit too late to actually provide cause they could not make money and there to explain the requirements of the law and the necessary relief. is a very limited market for the use of such ensure compliance with the law is all addi - For example, the City Council had put permits. Today, Uber and Lyft are providing tional costs that the livery industry simply forth the following bills: FHV service to the outer boroughs. They are cannot afford. • To create a task force to study the sale providing this service more effectively than There are just so many times a small loaf prices of taxicab medallions yellow taxis ever did, but surely much less of bread can be divided up before the crumbs • To provide financial education for per - service than is necessary to sustain the needs left over are just too small to provide suste - sons considering purchases or leases of of the residents of the outer boroughs. Most nance. At a time when the roll of livery driv - for-hire vehicles or taxicab licenses livery bases are on life support and govern - ers is dwindling by the month and new ones • To create driver assistance centers ment officials know this. Despite such knowl - are unable to be added because of the vehicle • To create an office of inclusion within edge, the hits just keep on coming in the form cap, the prospects of the livery industry sur - the NYC TLC of new laws and regulations. viving a few more years becomes bleaker by The need for livery bases to thrive and the day. An exemption from the surcharge, Additionally, the TLC is in the process of survive in order to provide transportation even if temporarily, will go a long way to - creating a new category of FHV service called service to residents of the outer boroughs was wards giving some life support to the dying High-Volume For-Hire Service (HVFHS). one of the reasons why the State of New York livery industry. This new service segment will be required to exempted liveries from the payment of state While Uber and Lyft are legitimized by provide estimates of gross hourly earnings of sales tax in 2010. Now, as of January 1, 2019, the TLC and the regulators are trying to en - drivers and detailed trip and revenue data on livery bases must add a congestion surcharge sure minimum driver payments to those who an ongoing basis. The TLC is also looking to to the charge for transportation that both be - receive dispatches from HVFHS bases, the create Driver Pay Rules to protect driver gins and ends in New York State, and that be - livery industry remains gasping for air. While earnings. gins in, ends in, or passes through the area of City Council is creating a task force to study All of these actions are a step in a positive New York City in the borough of Manhattan, the sale prices of taxicab medallions, trying direction, at least for medallion owners and south of and excluding 96th Street (known as to figuring out ways to provide financial edu - those who receive dispatches from Uber and the congestion zone). cation for persons considering purchasing a Lyft. Of course, Uber and Lyft benefit from On the surface, the inclusion of the livery taxicab medallion, the livery industry falls the TLC’s proposal simply because the TLC industry in this state-mandated surcharge deeper and deeper into the abyss. Why is now seeks to legitimize Uber and Lyft after may seem equitable as it applies to all FHV there no task force to study the reasons why so many years of permitting them to illegally services, but it is not fair in the least. First, the livery industry is in massive decline? Why operate as a cooperative (when they clearly the more money livery bases charge (whether is there no task force to study the effect that were not cooperatives owned by the drivers). via base fare, surcharge or otherwise) the less the loss of the livery industry will have on the This measure, the creation of a new cate - likely the residents of the outer boroughs will residents of the outer boroughs. Why is there gory of FHV service, will no longer require the be able to afford such service. Being unable no explanation as to why the livery industry TLC to turn a blind eye to this infraction of to afford livery service means residents of the is exempt from sales tax but not exempt from the rules by Uber and Lyft. While govern - outer boroughs will have less transportation the surcharge? ment officials are creating task forces, setting options, will have to pay more for transporta - I have been pounding my chest as an ad - up driver assistance centers and preventing tion or will be left stranded. vocate for the livery industry for the past 15 the TLC from having more egg on its face by So, who does this surcharge benefit? The years. For the past 7 years, I have seen City licensing Uber and Lyft as a cooperative MTA is the beneficiary of this surcharge. Un - officials and regulators ignore my pleas and when it was never a cooperative, what about fortunately, the MTA has not been able to bal - those of the leaders of the industry. The City the Livery industry? ance its books or effectively run the transit has turned its back on the livery industry, all The livery industry has traditionally pro - system since it was created. Taking money without rhyme or reason. I have looked into vided FHV service to the residents in the from the proverbial Peter to pay Paul has the future where one day the livery industry outer boroughs in the neighborhood where never been an effective way of balancing per - will be a thing of the past (just like million- the actual livery base is located. The livery in - sonal or corporate books. dollar medallions are now a thing of the past). dustry has always provided an important Next, while adding the surcharge may This is not a product of natural selection service to the residents of the outer boroughs seem impartial, it is not. While charging the where only the strong survive. We are now at because many of these residents had little or livery customer an added $2.75 may not be a stage in history where the government is in no other alternatives for transportation, as unduly burdensome, livery bases will, for the the business of picking the winners and the bus and subway service is oftentimes too far first time, have to register with the New York losers. This is not and has never been the to be viable. State Department of Taxation and Finance, proper function of government. Livery bases in NYC have always had a set up a mechanism for collection of such small but important place in the overall pro - monies, as well as file returns and remit pay - vision of FHV service in NYC. Despite the ne - ment on a monthly basis. This is in addition Steven J. Shanker, Esq. is General cessity that such service remains available to to the requirement to add costly technology to Counsel to the Livery Roundtable, Inc. residents in the outer boroughs, City officials enable each livery base to identify each trip and the New York Independent Livery act either as if the livery industry is thriving that is subject to the surcharge. It is one thing and is not in need of help (which is far from to have to pay for software to report trip data Driver Benefit Fund. true) or that City officials simply do not care to the TLC, but a whole other story when TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 18 • • DECEMBER 2018 IATR OUTLOOK IATR CELEBRATES 2018 PHILADELPHIA “REGULATORY FREEDOM”

The 31th Anniversary Conference of the In - (TNC) Regulators’ Committee, which comprises ternational Association of Transportation Regula - an entire group of new regulators, will be joined IATR President, Matthew W Daus, Esq tors (IATR) in Philadelphia was one for the books. by a new “Safety” Committee as well. These “reg - ., delivering With a good mix of Rocky references and new per - ulator only” committees share best practices and the State of the IATR Speech. Full video spectives, I can assure you that the theme of “Reg - information in order to help each jurisdiction do a https://bit.ly/2zVZ87p ulatory Freedom” rang loud and clear throughout better job, and this year featured speakers and the conference. The Philadelphia Conference more formal presentations will be provided so that acted as “Constitutional Convention,” where we IATR educational efforts can continue year-round. revisited what we do, why we do it and how we For some committee calls, and as part of every can do it better – working together under a new conference moving forward, the IATR now offers “Gridlock” Sam Schwartz paradigm and charting a new course for our fu - professional service credits for many of its ses - Keynote Speech, link to the ture. sions (especially the Boot Camp sessions). This in - full speech is here cludes continuing legal education credits in all 50 https://bit.ly/2DElXkz What is “IATR Regulatory Freedom?” US States, as well as urban planning and engi - New Members, Partnerships, Committees, Issues neering credits. The IATR has also decided to con - & Projects! tinue doing one or more hack-a-thons every year 2018 was the first time an IATR conference and to grow its Data Commons repository of was named after a song, performed by Sir Elton multi-modal transportation trip data (housed at John about his friend Billie Jean King & the UC Berkeley). The IATR Data Commons will con - “World Team Tennis” team known as the tinue to be used by students, start-ups and aca - “Philadelphia Freedoms.” Our conference was demics competing in hack-a-thons or data held only days after the U.S. Open wrapped up challenges, and as information to help fellow reg - and fell just around the time of the 35th year an - ulators – whether to prepare legislative testi - niversary of King and Bobby Riggs’ “Battle of the mony, issue internal or external studies or Sexes.” This theme had an extra-special meaning reports, or to conduct benchmarking. given the growing number of female regulators in The most exciting part of our IATR “Regula - L to R: Edward Escobar , The Alliance for Independent Work - the IATR’s ranks over the last several years, and tory Freedom” is the development of multi-modal ers; Ira Goldstein , New York Black Car Fund; Dr. Stephen the great work they are doing for the public. partnerships with its advisory board, in this fast- Zoepf , Center for Automotive Research at Stanford Univer - For the IATR, “Regulatory Freedom” means changing transportation technology world. The sity; Cammie Menendez , National Institute of Occupational Sasha Ozeran many things, including: freedom from the past – origins of IATR were mostly focused on taxi per - Safety and Health (NIOSH); and , inDriver in terms of incumbent ideas and old ways of reg - mit issuance and licensure, but now our member - ulating; ensuring the freedom of mobility through ship includes: airports, Public Utilities wheelchair accessibility; ensuring freedom of Commissions, Motor Vehicle Departments, Tran - choice for consumers by promoting competition; sit and Traffic agencies, on a federal, state and ensuring safety and equitable access to services; local level, including members from all around the and freedom from political or undue influences – world on almost every continent. Our advisory or regulatory independence. At its 31st Annual board includes the following organizations: Conference, and throughout the year, IATR pro - • The Alliance for Transportation Innovation motes regulatory freedom from old ideas through (ATI21): http://www.ati21.org ; its new advisory board and multi-modal integra - • The National Conference on Weights and tion partnerships, as well as its very active Tech - Measures: http://www.ncwm.net/ ; L to R: IATR President, Matthew W. Daus, Esq. ; 2018 nology & Innovation Committee work. The IATR • The National Institute for Occupational Driver of the Year, Zakaria Elbaroudi; and IATR Chair - also promotes accessibility & equity through its Safety and Health (NIOSH): man, James R. Ney data challenges and hack-a-thons, its accessible https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/index.htm ; transportation committee work, including model • The Responsible Hospitality Institute regulations for accessible reform. Finally, the best (RHI): http://www.rhiweb.org/ ; way to guard against political influences is • The Airport Ground Transportation Asso - through the gathering and use of data and facts ciation (AGTA): https://www.agta web.org/ ; to establish best regulatory practices, and make • Keroul: http://www.keroul.qc.ca/en/ sound policy to protect the public trust. home.html ; There are many new initiatives underway to • The National Conference of State Trans - secure a future of regulatory freedom, including portation Specialists (NCSTS): new committees and membership benefits for http://ncsts.naruc.org/ ; IATR members. The IATR, following the lead of • The University Transportation Research its successful Canadian Regulators Committee, Center (UTRC) Region 2: L to R: IATR President, Matthew W. Daus, will be creating an “Australian Regulators” Com - http://www.utrc2.org ; Esq. ; 2017 Regulator of the Year, Ernest Chrap - mittee, and other geographical groups will be cre - • The American Association of Motor Vehicle pah ; 2018 Regulator of the Year, Sylvain Tou - ated based upon need and interest. Also, the Administrators (AAMVA): signant; and IATR Chairman, James R. Ney IATR’s new Transportation Network Company http://www.aamva.org ;

L to R: Matthew W Daus, Esq. , IATR President; James R. Ney , IATR Chairman; Dr. Robert Paaswell , former CEO of the Chicago Transit Authority, City College of New York; Dr. Camille Kamga , The City College of New York and The University Transportation Research Center IATR’s 2nd Annual Regulatory Boot Camp Graduation Ceremony , for completing the Region; Christopher Puchalsky , PhD, Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems, basic transportation regulatory training in the areas of transportation regulation history, City of Philadelphia; Zenobia Fields , North Jersey Transportation Planning Organization; licensing, enforcement, management, rulemaking, legislative and procurement processes. and David Heller , South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization; TAXI & LIVERY TIMES DECEMBER 2018 • • 19 • The Transportation Sustainability Research nies (TNCs), including an in-depth analysis of sim - was led by the District of Columbia Department of Center (TSRC) at the University of Califor - ilarities and differences in United States TNC li - For-Hire Vehicles and included technology pan - nia, Berkeley: https:// tsrc.berkeley.edu/ ; censing laws, as well as international comparisons elists from Infinite Peripherals and Open Transport • The International Association of Public and related TNC models. Partnership Shared Streets – with DC being a case Transport (UITP): http:// www.uitp.org/ ; The Evolution of Accessible Transportation Laws, study in the use of transport data for innovative so - • The International Transport Form, Organi - Regulations & Policy: This session provided an lutions. zation for Economic Co-operation and Devel - overview of the laws, regulations and policies asso - opment (ITF-OECD): ciated with the passage of the Americans with Dis - Planning for an Integrative, Innovative and Multi- https://www.itf-oecd.org/ ; and abilities Act (ADA), similar laws in Canada as well Modal Future • The American Public Transportation Asso - as other international jurisdictions. New ap - This panel introduced regulators to the world ciation (APTA): https:// proaches to solving wheelchair accessible service of regional transportation planning, providing an www.apta.com/Pages/default.aspx . challenges for TNCs, taxicabs and for-hire vehicles overview of the history and role of Metropolitan • National Conference on Weights and Meas - were discussed, as well as pending and resolved lit - Planning Organizations, and the opportunities for ures (NCWM): http://www.ncwm.net/ igation that have impacted this arena. collaboration with transportation regulators. It was • Womanium: http://www.womanium.org Transportation Data Privacy & Access Law moderated by a representative of the UTRC Region /WOMANIUM ; Primer: For this session, an overview of the evolving 2, with panelists from North Jersey Transportation • National Institute for Occupational Safety laws and regulations impacting transportation data Planning Organization, South Jersey Transporta - and Health (NIOSH) within the Centers for and privacy, including access to data (TNCs, taxis, tion Planning Organization, the Chicago Transit Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention: paratransit, and airports) by the public govern - Authority, and Philadelphia’s Office of Transporta - https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ ment, academia and competing private company in - tion and Infrastructure Systems. • The Eno Center for Transportation: terests were provided. https://www.enotrans.org/ Regulatory Implications of Shared Autonomous & Day 2: “Transportation Equity and Accessibility” • American Association of State Highway and Connected Vehicles: Lastly, this session gave an Public Paratransit &Wheelchair Accessible Transportation Officials (AASHTO): overview of the concepts of shared mobility, au - Services: On Demand Multi-Modal Integration https://www.transportation.org/ tonomous and connected vehicles, including defini - This panel showcased several public transit • The Institutes Griffith Foundation: tions, terms and relevant studies. Attendees agencies that have integrated taxicabs, for-hire ve - https://www.griffithfoundation.org/ learned the basics of applicable technology, terms hicles and/or TNCs as part of public paratransit • City Innovate: https://www.cityinnovate.org/ of art, and new mobility services. programs, leveraging on-demand smartphone ap - • Intelligent Transportation Systems of Amer - The IATR is pleased to announce that ALL of plications and other service for people with disabil - ica (ITSA): https://www.itsa.org/ the above Boot Camp sessions will be available to ities. Panelists included representatives from the members in good standing in video format for gov - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, the 31st Annual Philadelphia Conference Re-Cap: Ring - ernment lawyers, engineers and planners to obtain District of Columbia Department of For-Hire Vehi - ing the Regulatory Liberty Bell! professional continuing education credit by watch - cles, UTRC Region 2, Washington Metro Area The conference was kicked-off by Jim Ney, our ing the videos (in states where applicable), even if Transit Authority, DARTS Transit (Ontario), IATR Board Chair and Conference Host, who intro - they did NOT attend the conference. Adapted Transport Center (Montreal), and the New duced Scott Petri, Executive Director of the For further information, please inquire at York Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Philadelphia Parking Authority. Director Petri pro - [email protected] or [email protected]. vided opening Keynote remarks to introduce the Regulatory Star Trek conference – and mentioned how Philadelphia and Day 1: “Planning for Smart Mobility” The final session of day two was dedicated to many other jurisdictions are keeping a close watch This day continued with four plenary sessions new regulators; panelists from the Philadelphia on the recent activity in NYC to mandate conges - revolving around how cities and countries around Parking Authority, the City of Calgary, San Diego tion pricing on for-hire vehicles, and a cap on TNCs. the world can dedicate resources to multi-modal in - Metropolitan Transit System and Los Angeles DOT Liane Randolph, Commissioner of the Califor - tegration, collaboration and coordination, with an traded new and innovative ideas about regulatory nia Public Utilities Commission, spoke at the emphasis on “Smart Cities,” the use of transporta - issues including: accessibility data platforms, li - Lunch Keynote on origins, current status and im - tion data for policymaking and service delivery, and censing, enforcement and alternative fueled vehi - pending changes to California TNC laws and the how technology can be used to leverage seamless cles. impact of this new paradigm around the country. connections between public and private transport Vincent Valdes, Associate Administrator for modes, as well as encouraging first and last-mile the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), U.S. De - solutions and shared rides. Day 3: “DriverSafety, Training and Earnings” partment of Transportation (U.S. DOT) discussed Are the Drivers Alright? Safety, Benefits & the U.S. DOT’s Mobility-on-Demand (MOB) Sand - Alternative Mobility & Multi-Modal Integration: Mo - Wages box Program, which awarded grants to several ju - bility as a Service (MaaS) and Shared-Use Mobility The session explored best practices and trends risdictions and cities for their own innovative Moderated by the Shared Use Mobility Center, in regulation, or the lack of regulation or business solutions to transportation issues, as well as plans with panelists from the Transportation Sustainabil - models, that may have created these problems, and for FTA Sandbox 2.0. ity Research Center at UC Berkeley, the American what, if any, regulatory policy or other solutions Finally, “Gridlock Sam” Schwartz, the Former Public Transit Association (APTA), The Interna - might alleviate or address working conditions. The Chief Engineer at The New York City Department tional Public Transit Association (UITP), and the panel was moderated by a representative of the Na - of Transportation who coined the term “gridlock,” Chicago Business Affairs and Consumer Protection tional Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and who was the architect of MOVE NY’s toll equity Department, this session introduced the concept of and included individuals from the Center for Auto - plan, delivered Monday’s keynote speech. He dis - multi-modal integration and programs being under - motive Research at Stanford University, InDriver, cussed the history and ongoing debate involving taken and developed to integrate multiple modes the New York Black Car Fund, and the Alliance for congestion pricing in New York City – including the and services into uniform apps and platforms, and Independent Workers. passage of a new law in NY that will mandate all the regulation of alternative forms of mobility. for-hire vehicles and taxicabs entering Manhattan’s Best Practices in Driver Training central business district pay a congestion charge to Automated and Connected Vehicles – Socio-Eco - In the final conference session, a review of var - fund the Metropolitan Transportation Authority as nomic Impacts On Ground Transportation Mobility ious international jurisdictions was discussed from of January 1, 2019. Regulation and Policy the viewpoint of both the regulator and the private This panel focused on how automated and con - sector, and an in depth-review of both accepted 2nd Annual IATR Bootcamp nected vehicles will impact for-hire regulation and (prevailing) and best practices was debated. Pre - By popular demand, the Boot Camp Training policy, in both near term (SAE level 3 automation senters were from the Bureau du Taxi de Montreal, was back for an all-day training session in Philly. with drivers) and in the long-term (SAE levels 4-5 and Cars Taxi Group LLC. The training day was a great way to meet new and sans drivers). Panelists included representatives experienced regulators in a smaller, more collabo - from IATR, Zurich North America, Princeton Uni - IATR 2018 Award Recipients – Accessible Data rative setting. Trainees were encouraged to net - versity and WOMANIUM. Challenge Finalist, Regulator & Driver of the Year work with experts in the field to learn best practices Awards that may apply to multiple jurisdictions. Topics in - Transportation Data Mining Three awards were distributed at this year’s cluded regulatory basics, but also workshops on “War Games” – DC Case Study conference: IATR’s Driver of the Year, IATR’s Reg - specialized topics, as follows: In this session, regulators showcased their ulator of the Year, and the 2018 Accessible Data Transportation Network Company (TNC) Regula - unique work involving data mining, and how taxi, Challenge Winner. tion 101: This session covered the history of laws TNC and other transportation data is analyzed to IATR’s Driver of the Year, Zakaria Elbaroudi, and litigation surrounding the new regulatory par - shape policy and regulatory management, with real has been a certified taxicab driver in Philadelphia adigm governing Transportation Network Compa - life data analytics and policy exercises. The session since January 2007. Zakaria has maintained a

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An Insider’s Look at Both NYC TLC Regulated Industries YOU CAN ADVERTISE HERE Call 856-751-0656 TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 22 • • DECEMBER 2018 Continued from page 19 clean regulatory record for the last 11 years during host, Abdul Rafih, are committed to showcasing which he has been a certified taxicab driver, and he Awards Celebration their transportation system and city, while learning has never had a complaint filed against him, among A fantastic time was had by all at the “leg - from others around the globe. other exemplary conduct, including the return of endary” Moshulu, the world’s oldest and largest The theme of the 2019 conference will be the valuable lost property to passengers. square-rigged sailing vessel still afloat and the only “Regulatory Round-Up!” IATR would like to lasso Sylvain Tousignant, this year’s IATR Regulator restaurant venue on a Tall Ship left in the world. and ride some new ideas, herd new regulators of the Year, is the Development Director of the Ville The Moshulu was featured in the movie Rocky under one big policy tent and prevent disruptors de Montreal (Bureau de Taxi). He oversees the re - (shown during one of Rocky’s workout sessions from stampeding without accountability, safety, eq - vitalization of Montreal’s taxi industry, as well as along the Philadelphia waterfront), among other uity and accessibility being addressed. Sessions will its development strategies. Sylvain has been re - movie classics. include boot camp for regulators and select industry sponsible for rebranding the Montreal taxis with a Many regulators and sponsors, while attending members or sponsors, a case study and hack-a-thon two-tone color scheme that say “Bonjour” to all the awards ceremonies, networked and enjoyed the geared towards helping improve service and safety Montreal clients, and has managed the creation of city fireworks display on the water of the Delaware in the host city of Calgary, and lots of great net - the Taxi Register – an open data platform that River. The Devon Marie Band provided entertain - working and entertainment along the way – IATR shows where all taxis are located in real-time – ment. Also, this year marked another stellar per - style! making data available to taxi companies and devel - formance by the “Rocking Regulators” – which Please join us at the Fairmont Palliser Hotel in opers of mobile technology solutions. included a reunion appearance with former IATR Calgary from September 22-25, 2019. You can find Finally, Gerard Martret, CEO and Founder of Board Chair and LA DOT regulator Tom Drischler, more info regarding early membership renewal, Shotl were named this year’s winner of the Acces - playing the keyboards, along with Matt Daus on registration and sponsorship at http://iatr.global/. sible Data Challenge. Like a hackathon, the com - lead guitar, NYC Taxi and Limousine Commis - petition involved analyzing data over a period of sioner Nora Marino on vocals, and former NYC time to help develop and present solutions that are Mayor’s Office of People with Disabilities’ Commis - technology-based initiatives, government policy rec - sioner Jason Mischel on bass. ommendations, and/or service delivery improve - ments that can be implemented in the private Round-Up Those Regulators for Calgary 2019! and/or public sector, or through public/private part - With a strong contingency of Canadian regula - nerships. tors from our dedicated committee, and with the se - For three weeks, various teams of students and lection of our first Canadian Regulator of the year private company hackers had access to data sets ever, we are proud to announce that IATR is head - from New York City, the District of Columbia, ing to Calgary, Alberta, Canada for its 32nd Annual Chicago, Philadelphia, Calgary, and Abu Dhabi. Conference! Surrounded by the beauty of Alberta Many thanks go to Professor Susan Shaheen and and the minds and hospitality of Canadian regula - UC Berkeley for helping organize the data chal - tors alike, we will have an enriching experience lenge, and for all the private sector companies, pro - that will highlight regulation north of the border fessors and students who were involved in the (“The Great White Regulatory North”). Calgary is Matthew W. Daus , on lead guitar (Left), jams to classic competition, especially NY Institute of Technology known for being one of the most “liveable” cities in Nora Marino and Purdue University. North America, and the Mayor and our conference rock tunes with new rocking regulator on vocals (Right), NYC Taxi & Limousine Commissioner.

Professor Matthew W. Daus, Esq. is President, International Association of Transportation Regulators; Transportation Technology Chair & Distinguished Lecturer, University Transporta - tion Research Center, Region 2; and Partner and Chairman, Windels Marx Transportation Practice Group. He can be reached via email at: [email protected].

Drive a Taxi, TAXI TALES Make Money SOPRANO SIGHTING Several years ago, before gentrification took hold of the area, I Style Management Co. pulled into the Mobil gas station at 14th street and 10th Avenue, back when it was still open and not a construction site. It was one of the larger stations in Manhattan. Another car was ready to pull away from the first pump of two after getting gas, so I waited a few seconds before moving forward. After I moved to the first pump, a white SUV moved frantically behind me, DRIVERS WANTED screeching its tires, pulling up to the second pump. I looked in my rearview to see what was happening and was a bit perplexed, to say the least. I saw a familiar face staring intensely at me. It was James Gan - dolfini, who played Tony Soprano. There had been no contract taken out on me to the best of my knowl - edge… If seeing an unhappy Tony Soprano in my rearview wasn’t enough to get my attention, he then swiftly pulled out from behind me and went to the other side of the pumps for some reason. I thought maybe there was something wrong with that pump behind me. I got out to pump gas and perhaps say “hi” to Gandolfini, intending to add that I’m a big fan of the show. Before I could do that, he quickly drove away without getting any gas, which seemed awfully strange. After paying for my gas with a credit card, I exited the station and proceeded up 10th avenue. I happened to look to my right and spotted Part time or full time shifts available Mr. Gandolfini on the other side of the station exiting his car while hold - ing his young son’s hand, most likely going to a rest room. I realized that he had been looking for a full-service pump so that he could take his son to the rest room. All the full-service pumps were on the other For more info Call side of the station. 212.279.3166 I was relieved that there was no contract out on me after all. — LHB TAXI & LIVERY TIMES DECEMBER 2018 • • 23 COMMISSIONER’S CORNER

BY MEERA JOSHI

Happy holidays to you and your family – we wish you Felices fiestas a usted y su familia; les deseamos un a new year full of blessings. I wanted to take this opportu - nuevo año lleno de bendiciones. Quiero aprovechar esta opor - nity to share two stories of bravery and kindness that I tunidad para compartir dos historias de valentía y amabili - found especially inspiring. dad que me parecieron especialmente inspiradoras. Hero driver Conductor héroe Recientemente nos enteramos del heroísmo demostrado We recently learned of the heroism demonstrated by a a comienzos de este año por un conductor de un vehículo de Livery driver earlier this year by helping to apprehend a alquiler (FHV) al ayudar a detener a un conductor que mató hit and run driver who killed a 9-year-old Queens child. a un niño de 9 años de edad de Queens y se fugó. En la tarde On the afternoon of April 28, a driver in a red Jeep struck del 28 de abril, un conductor en un Jeep rojo atropelló a una a mother and son in a crosswalk on Northern Boulevard madre y a su hijo en un cruce peatonal en Northern Boule - in Jackson Heights. The driver fled the scene, blowing past vard en Jackson Heights. El conductor huyó de la escena, two red lights at different intersections, according to the pasándose dos luces rojas en diferentes intersecciones, según police. Antonio Zapata, a Livery driver, followed him and la policía. Antonio Zapata, un conductor de un vehículo de stopped him at the intersection of Northern Boulevard and alquiler (FHV), lo siguió y lo detuvo en la intersección de 60th Street, keeping him there until police arrived and Northern Boulevard y 60th Street, manteniéndolo allí hasta took the hit and run driver into police custody. que la policía llegara y detuviera al conductor en fuga. “In my experience, it is very rare for a civilian to take “En mi experiencia, es muy raro que un civil actúe tan rápido en esas circunstancias”, escribió a la Comisión de such quick action under the circumstances,” Lieutenant Taxis y Limusinas (Taxi and Limousine Commission, TLC) Brian Reynolds from the NYPD’s Collision Investigation el teniente Brian Reynolds del Escuadrón de Investigación Squad wrote to the TLC. “I have observed time and time de Colisiones del Departamento de Policía de Nueva York again people looking the other way, or simply driving away (New York Police Department, NYPD). “He observado una so as not to get involved.” y otra vez a las personas mirar hacia otro lado o simplemente The mother survived the crash, but her son Giovanni alejarse para no involucrarse". Ampuero lost his life. His father, Raul Ampuero, spoke La madre sobrevivió al choque, pero su hijo Giovanni movingly at our Vision Zero Safety Ampuero perdió la vida. Su padre, Raul Ampuero, habló de Honor Roll, in October. He urged forma conmovedora en nuestro the 400-plus driver honorees to cuadro de honor de seguridad Vi - spend time with their families. sion Zero, en octubre. “I understand you guys need to Animó a más de 400 conduc - tores homenajeados a pasar tiempo provide for your family, but I’ll give con sus familias. “Entiendo que you small advice,” he said. “You tienen que mantener a sus famil - guys should spend time with your ias, pero les daré un pequeño con - families because family is the most sejo”, dijo. “Deben pasar tiempo important thing in life. Because I con sus familias porque la familia did that with my son, Giovanni.” es lo más importante en la vida. Yo It will be our privilege to honor hice eso con mi hijo, Giovanni”. Mr. Zapata at an upcoming Com - Será un privilegio honrar al Sr. mission meeting and commend him Zapata en una próxima reunión de for his caring and courage. He la Comisión y felicitarlo por su could have looked the other way, cuidado y valentía. Él pudo haber but this extraordinary New mirado a otro lado, pero la acción rápida y determinante de este Yorker’s quick thinking and deci - neoyorquino extraordinario ayudó sive action helped the police appre - a la policía a detener a un conduc - hend a hit-and-run driver, tor en fuga y posiblemente salvar potentially saving lives in the fu - vidas en el futuro. ture. Taxista le salva el día a un halcón Taxi driver El mes pasado, un taxista bon - saves the day for hawk Photo credit: Wild Bird Fund dadoso dedicó tiempo de su día Last month, a kind-hearted taxi para rescatar a un halcón rojo que driver took the time out of his day estaba herido en la FDR Drive el to rescue an injured red hawk that was on the side of the 13 de noviembre. Desearíamos saber quién fue este amable FDR Drive on Nov. 13. We wish we knew who this caring conductor para poder homenajearlo. Nuestro anónimo taxista y buen samaritano tuvo la valentía de recoger y driver was so we could commend him. Our anonymous sostener a la gran ave con una mano, arriesgando tener con - Good Samaritan cabbie was brave enough to scoop up the tacto con las poderosas garras y puntiagudo pico del ave ater - large bird and hold it with one hand – risking contact with rorizada, hasta que logró llamar a un oficial de policía en the terrified bird’s powerful talons and razor sharp beak Brooklyn. El oficial puso al ave en una jaula y la llevó en su – until he flagged down a police officer in Brooklyn. The patrulla al centro de rehabilitación de fauna silvestre del officer put the bird in a cage and drove it to the Wild Bird Fondo de Aves Salvajes (Wild Bird Fund, WBF) en el Upper Fund’s wildlife rehabilitation center on the Upper West West Side. Nadie duda de que esta increíble persona salvó Side in a patrol car. There is no question in anyone’s mind la vida del ave. Aunque esperamos reconocer el increíble acto

Continued on page 24 Continúa en la página24 TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 24 • • DECEMBER 2018 Viene de la página 22 Continued from page 22

that this incredible individual saved the bird’s life. While de amabilidad de este conductor en persona, solo quiero decir we hope to acknowledge this driver’s amazing act of kind - que, si por algún motivo está leyendo este artículo, ¡bravo y ness in person, I just want to say, if by some chance you bien hecho! are reading this column: Bravo and well done! “Escena: FDR Drive. Personajes: halcón herido al costado “Scene: FDR Drive. Characters: injured hawk on side de la vía, taxista, policías”, tuiteó el Fondo en una publicación of road, taxi driver, cops,” tweeted the Fund in a social de la red social. “El conductor se atreve a detenerse y recoger a la enorme ave, luego la sostiene con una mano mientras media post. “Driver dares to stop and scoop up the enor - conduce con la otra. En Brooklyn, hace señales al NYPD. Se mous bird, then holds it with one hand while driving with hace la entrega del halcón. ¡El halcón llega al WBF en una the other. In Brooklyn, he flags down NYPD. Hawk han - patrulla!” dover ensues. Hawk arrives at WBF in patrol car!” Incluso en una ciudad tan salvaje, sorprendente y miste - Even in a city as wild, surprising, and mysterious as riosa como Nueva York, esta historia nos asombra. Si usted New York City, this story astonished us. If you are the es el conductor o lo conoce, envíenos un correo electrónico a driver or know who he is, please email [email protected]. [email protected]. ¡Nos encantaría homenajearlo! We would love to commend him! Hasta la próxima, ¡conduzca como si su familia viviera Until next time, drive like y our family lives h er e! a quí!

&

An Insider’s Look at Both NYC TLC Regulated Industries FOR BREAKING NEWS!

Happy Hollidays

From our family to yours &

An Insider’s Look at Both NYC TLC Regulated Industries TAXI & LIVERY TIMES DECEMBER 2018 • • 25 THE FISHBOWL

BY LARRY FISHER EIGHT MEN OUT The daily headlines provide no shortage of issues to write their tax breaks. about. I had ideas of writing about the almost daily mass shoot - They all have blood on their hands. Cuomo reiterated the yel - ings in this country and the role mental illness plays in them. low cab’s exclusive right to street hail when he approved the green Then I realized that I’m not really qualified to opine on these mat - medallion. De Blasio famously folded like a cheap suit when faced ters, not that it’s ever stopped me before. with the Uber public relations blitz in 2015, after he had proposed What to do, what to do… a cap on Uber. That was 70,000 vehicles ago. Then came news of Amazon bringing one of their two head - Now an 8th man has committed suicide due to their lack of quarters to NYC, partially due to the tax breaks engendered by leadership and appropriate regulation… Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill DeBlasio. Amazon also It’s hard to know Mr. Roy Kim’s mental state, as to what drove praised the mass transportation system available in Long Island him to this end, but it is likely the market situation played a part. City, and the high-quality labor force in the metropolitan area. Ms. Joshi, in attempting to find solutions, stated that the lenders The tax breaks and other government giveaways could total $3 needed to modify terms and make it easier for borrowers to pay billion to one of the richest companies on the planet. The Governor and live their lives. and Mayor claim that corporate and individual tax receipts will Ironically, the lenders have been doing just that, with some more than pay for this corporate welfare over time. exceptions. Mr. Kim had a loan at LOMTO FCU, which had been I can’t help but think about how Amazon got to be the domi - taken over by the state and federal regulators in June 2017. So, nant retail force in America. They started with online retailing any difficulties Mr. Kim had in renegotiating terms would have books, commoditizing that market. And they sold those books on - been with the government. It’s like looking in the mirror, eh Ms. line with a significant discount in price to what the other retail Joshi? In the meantime, while our leaders wring their hands and booksellers were willing to do. Some economists called it preda - dither, we have another man down. Eight men out while Amazon tory pricing. gets $3 billion. It doesn’t seem right. Then Amazon did the same thing in music with CDs… and then with clothes. They didn’t make profits for a long time be - 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, cause, as they gained market share, they plowed the revenues he became a lender for Progressive Credit Union, then took the posi - into other businesses under the Amazon umbrella. The modus tion of lending supervisor in 2003 for Melrose Credit Union – which operandi was always commoditization of the product and under - he held until he retired in 2016. Currently, Mr. Fisher is a consultant cut the competition, price-wise. for his own firm, LAF Consulting Services Corp. He can be reached The convenience factor of buying the products from home on at: [email protected]. the computer or phone was secondary. Pricing was and is king. The result is that retail establishments are shuttering at a dizzy - ing pace. Sears is the latest victim of a brick and mortar failure. The Amazon business model has been emulated and copied by ATTENTION: Uber and Lyft. When Uber first entered the NYC marketplace, they primarily were competing with the black car industry as BLACK CAR INSURANCE their cars were similar and the pricing structure was as well. As IS OUR SPECIALITY Uber gained popularity, they wanted more market share, and the way to do that was Uber X, a much lower priced ride to compete Are You Over Paying? Check With Us!!! with yellow taxis. The stated goal of management, represented by Travis Kalan - FH-1’s Issued Same Day ick, was to destroy the yellow taxi business. Predatory pricing, supported by venture capital in the quest for increased market We shop with multiple carriers* share, was the means to wrecking yellow taxis. Limits of liability: $1 million & This was not a secret. It was and is incumbent upon govern - $1.5 million Available mental regulators, namely the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commis - Flexible Payment Options sion, to not allow this situation to fester. But it seems that those New Jersey Limousine same regulators have cast their lot with these companies. Insurance available Uber has revealed that their 3rd quarter loss was another $1 billion. It seems that their pricing is so far below break-even that Black Car • Car Service • Luxury Limo • Taxi they would have to double or triple their fares in order to show a Insure your TLC profit. TLC Chairwoman Meera Joshi famously stated on more Corporation with US than one occasion that yellows need to compete better. The fact that her Commission controls the rate of fare and vehicle models Insurance for Vans & Mini Vans makes that statement disingenuous. Workers’ Compensation It is obvious to even Ms. Joshi that the taxi industry is hurt - for Ambulettes, Car ing. She has approved waiving $20 million in renewal and licens - Services & Limousines ing fees. The city generated over $350 million selling WAV Home • Auto • Business medallions in 2014, supposedly the first tranche of 400 of a sched - uled 2,000 medallions to sell. As it turned out, only 350 of those INSURE YOUR GREEN TAXI HERE 400 ended up closing at the commission due to the market chill - ing, as a result of Uber ramping up its expansion. Of those 350 Յժሿࣁ౯ժᦖӾ෈ 718-375-9000 Se habla medallions that were sold and closed in 2014, almost every single español one of them has failed and been sued or foreclosed for default on 888-TAXI-INSURANCE their payments. If the city and the state can give away $3 billion to Amazon, why not return that $350 million to the owners and A&Y Royal Insurance Brokerage 2308 Coney Island Avenue lenders who were deceived by the city that they were buying an www.ayroyal.com Brooklyn, NY 11223 *Coverage provided through: American Transit Ins. Co., One Metro Tech, Brooklyn, NY 11201; Hereford Ins Co., 36-01 43 Ave, LIC NY exclusive right? They should do this first, BEFORE Amazon gets 11101; Global Liberty Ins Co of NY, 68 S. Service Road, Melville, NY 11747; Fiduciary Ins Co of America, 4507 Davis Street, LIC, NY 11101; Maya Assurance Co., 45-18 Court Square - Suite 502, LIC, NY 11101; Eveready, 59 Maiden Lane, New York, NY 10038. TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 26 • • DECEMBER 2018

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

MANHATTAN QUEENS

Tayxpi/eFH V s 1S0t rAeveet ( E. .. s.i d. e. ) ...... W. . C26r oSst s& SWtr 2e8e tSs t Tayxpi e 3S1t rSete (t W .. .s i.d .e )...... 3C4r Aovses &S t3r5e eAtvse Taxi/FHVs 11 Ave (E. side) ...... W 45 St & W 46 St Taxi 31 St (E. side) ...... 37 Ave & 36 Ave Taxi/FHVs 3 Ave (W. side) ...... E 14 St & E 15 St Taxi 31 St (E. side) ...... 38 Ave & 37 Ave Taxi/FHVs 3 Ave (W. side) ...... E 15 St & E 14 St Taxi 34 St (W. side) ...... 37 Ave & 38 Ave Taxi/FHVs 6 Ave (E. side) ...... Thompson St & Grand St Taxi/FHVs 35 St (S. side) ...... Starr Ave & Bradley Ave Taxi/FHVs 6 Ave (W. side) ...... W 22 St & W 23 St Taxi/FHVs 36 St (E. side) ...... Skillman Ave & 43 Ave Taxi/FHVs 6 Ave (W. side) ...... W 38 St & W 39 St Taxi 43 Ave (N. side) ...... 35 St & 36 St Taxi/FHVs 6 Ave (W. side) ...... W 39 St & W 40 St Taxi/FHVs 43 Ave (N. side) ...... 11 St & 12 St Taxi/FHVs 6 Ave (W. side) ...... W 55 St & W 56 St Taxi 44 Rd (S. side) ...... 21 St & 11 St Taxi/FHVs 8 Ave (W. side) ...... W 46 St & W 47 St Taxi/FHVs 43 Ave (N. side) ...... 36 St & 37 St Taxi 9 Ave (E. side) ...... W 30 St & W 29 St Taxi 49 St (W. side) ...... Newtown Rd & Northern Blvd Taxi Ave A (W. side) ...... E 2 St & E. Houston St Taxi/FHVs 45 Ave (S. side) ...... Jackson Ave & 23 St Taxi/FHVs Church St *E Rdway (W. side) ...... Franklin St & White St Taxi/FHVs 47 Ave (S. side) ...... 11 St & Vernon Blvd Taxi/FHVs E 116 St (S. side) ...... 3 Ave & 2 Ave Taxi 55 St (E. side) ...... Queens Blvd & Roosevelt Ave Taxi E 15 St (N. side) ...... Irving Place & Union Square E Taxi 64 St (W. side) ...... 34 Ave & 35 Ave Taxi E 23 St (N. side) ...... 1 Ave & 2 Ave Taxi/FHVs 61 St (E. side) ...... Roosevelt Ave & 39 Ave Taxi E 26 St (S. side) ...... 3 Ave & 2 Ave Taxi Queens Blvd (S. side) ...... 50 St & 51 St Taxi E 27 St (S. side) ...... Park Ave S & Madison Ave Taxi/FHVs Pearson St (W. side) ...... Jackson Ave & DeadEnd Taxi E 28 St (N. side) ...... Park Ave S & Lexington Ave Taxi Queens Blvd (N. side) ...... 55 St & 54 St Taxi/FHVs E 29 St (S. side) ...... Madison Ave & 5 Ave Taxi 37 Ave (N. side) ...... 32 St & 31 St Taxi E 32 St (N. side) ...... Madison Ave & Park Ave S Taxi/FHVs Van Dam St (W. side) ...... Queens Blvd & Skillman Ave Taxi E 77 St (S. side) ...... 1 Ave & 2 Ave Taxi E 78 St (N. side) ...... Lexington Ave & 3 Ave BRONX Taxi E 78 St (S. side) ...... Lexington Ave & 3 Ave Taxi E 86 St (N. side) ...... Henderson Pl & York Ave Tayxpi/eFH V s ES t2r3e3e St t. ( .S . s. i.d .e )...... C. a. r.p .e n. t.e .r .A .v .e .& . CWrhoistes P Slatirnese Rtsd Taxi E 87 St (S. side) ...... 1 Ave & 2 Ave Taxi Park Ave (E. side) ...... E 135 St & E 138 St Taxi/FHVs Grand St (N. side) ...... Forsyth St & Chrystie St Taxi Park Ave (W. side) ...... E 135 St & E 138 St Taxi/FHVs Madison Ave (W. side) ...... E 26 St & E 27 St Taxi/FHVs Pelham Pkwy S (S. side) ...... Wilson Ave & Eastchester Rd Taxi/FHVs Maiden Ln (S. side) ...... Front St & South St Taxi/FHVs W 231 St (N. side) ...... Albany Cr & Broadway Taxi Park Row (E. side) ...... Ann St & Beekman St Taxi/FHVs West Kingsbridge Rd (S. side) ...... Sedgwick Ave & Webb Ave Taxi/FHVs South St (W. side) ...... Wall St & Gouverneur Ln Taxi University Pl (E. side) ...... E 13 St & E 14 St BROOKLYN Taxi W 33 St (N. side) ...... 9 Ave & 10 Ave Taxi W 39 St (S. side) ...... 8 Ave & 9 Ave Tayxpi e 4S tArveee (t W .. .s .id .e .) ...... C . r.o . s.3s SSt t&re 6e tSs t Taxi W 41 St (N. side) ...... 10 Ave & 11 Ave Taxi/FHVs 4 Ave (E. side) ...... Prospect Ave Taxi W 55 St (S. side) ...... 10 Ave & 11 Ave Taxi N 6 St (N. side) ...... Berry St & Wythe Ave Taxi/FHVs W 181 St (S. side) ...... Pinehurst Ave & Fort Washington Ave Taxi New Utrecht Ave (N. side) ...... 55 St & 13 Ave Taxi/FHVs West St (E. side) ...... Laight St & Vestry St TAXI & LIVERY TIMES DECEMBER 2018 • • 27 DEFENSIVE DRIVING NEW YEAR’S EVE, PROPER LIFTING AND MORE WINTER DRIVING TIPS BY BERTRAM MERLING • L OSS CONTROL COORDINATOR , H EREFORD INSURANCE COMPANY The holiday season presents a number of challenges for professional known as “winter”) tires. They have a “snowflake on the mountain” drivers, with the influx of additional traffic and colder weather – but symbol on the sidewall, meaning they meet the tire-industry stan - New Year’s Eve in NYC may just be the most taxing. This month we are dard for snow traction. offering some ideas to help make the most of that difficult, but poten - • Make sure you can see . Replace windshield wiper blades. Clean the tially rewarding day. We also offer tips for proper lifting techniques to inside of your windows thoroughly. Apply a water-shedding material save you from injury, along with a slew of additional winter-driving tips. (such as Rain-X) to the outside of all windows, including the mirrors. Make sure your windshield washer system works and is full of an New Year’s Eve anti-icing fluid. Drain older fluid by running the washers until new • By being proactive, you will save time and money. Learn, in advance, fluid appears. Switching fluid colors makes this easy. about street closings, large gatherings and detours through news - • Run the air-conditioner. In order to remove condensation and frost papers, the radio, websites and other reliable news sources – and from the interior of windows, engage your air-conditioner and select you will be better equipped to navigate the city on New Year’s Eve the fresh air option. It’s fine to set the temperature on hot. Many (NYE), therefore increasing your earning potential. cars automatically do this when you choose the defrost setting. • Be patient with passengers who may be intoxicated. It is infinitely • Use your headlights so that others will see you and, hopefully, not pull better that they chose NOT to drive while intoxicated, even if their out in front of you. Make sure your headlights and taillights are clear behavior can be a little frustrating at times. Better that than risking of snow. If you have an older car with sand-pitted headlights, get a lives, your own among them. new set of lenses. To prevent future pitting, cover the new lens with • That doesn’t mean you have to put up with over-the-top, threatening the type of clear tape used to protect helicopter rotor blades and race - behavior. Make sure you are familiar with all area police precincts. car wings. It’s available from auto-racing supply sites. Do not take the law into your own hands if you are being abused or • Give yourself a brake. Learn how to get maximum efficiency from your threatened by an intoxicated passenger. brakes before an emergency. It’s easy to use antilock brakes: Stomp, • Wear your seatbelt and recommend that ALL passengers do the stay and steer. Stomp on the pedal as if you were trying to snap it same, as large crowds tend to jaywalk on New Year’s Eve, causing off. Stay hard on the pedal. Steer around the obstacle. ( Warning: A sudden stops. little bit of steering goes a very long way in an emergency. ) If you drive on • Use local streets instead of highways, when possible. It is easier to icy roads or roads that are covered with snow, modify your ABS tech - take defensive driving actions on a street than on a highway, where nique. After you “stomp” and the ABS begins cycling, you will feel speeding drunk drivers may be traveling. pulses in the pedal or hear the system working. Ease up slightly on • Be extra-courteous to your passengers. You may be pleasantly sur - the pedal until the pulsing happens only once a second. For vehicles prised by the generous gratuities of appreciative passengers, who without ABS, you’ll have to rely on the old-fashioned system: You. know that driving on NYE is no easy task. For non-ABS on a mixed-surface road, push the brake pedal hard until the wheels stop rolling, then immediately release the brake Safe Lifting Practices enough to allow the wheels to begin turning again. Repeat this se - • During the holiday season, it is likely that you will need to assist quence rapidly. This is not the same as “pumping the brake.” Your customers with packages. Using the proper technique will help pre - goal is to have the tires producing maximum grip regardless of vent injuries and your customers will appreciate the help. whether the surface is snow, ice or damp pavement. • Lift close to your body. You will be a stronger and more stable if the • Watch out for “black ice.” If the road looks slick, it probably is. This object is held close to your body rather than at the end of your reach. is especially true with black (or glare) ice, one of winter’s worst haz - Make sure you maintain a firm grip on whatever you are lifting and ards. This is nearly transparent ice that often looks like a harmless keep it balanced close to your body. puddle or is overlooked entirely. Test the traction with a smooth • Avoid slippery surfaces when preparing to lift a heavy object. Wear brake application or slight turn of the wheel. shoes with rubber soles to help avoid slipping. • Remember the tough spots. Race drivers must memorize the nuances • A solid base is essential. Your feet should be shoulder width apart. of every track, so they can alter their path for changing track condi - If your feet are too close together you will be unstable, too far apart tions. You must remember where icy roads tend to occur. Bridges will hinder movement. Take small steps. and intersections are common places. Also, wherever water runs • Bend your knees, not your back, and squat down if you need to pick across the road. up a package off the ground. Keep your spine straight, head up and • Too much steering is bad. If a slick section in a turn causes your front eyes focused upwards. Practice a proper lifting technique before you tires to lose grip, the common – but incorrect – reaction is to continue lift an object. turning the steering wheel. That’s like writing checks on an over - • Tighten your stomach muscles. This will help keep your back in a drawn account. It won’t improve the situation and may make things good lifting position and will reduce excessive force on your spine. worse. If the icy conditions end and the front tires regain grip, your • Lift with your legs. Your legs are many times stronger than your car will dart whichever way the wheels are pointed. That may be back muscles, and less prone to injury. into oncoming traffic or a telephone pole. Something very similar • If you’re straining, get help. If an object is too heavy, or awkward in happens if you steer too much while braking with ABS. Sadly, there shape, make sure you have someone around who can help you lift. are situations where nothing will prevent a crash, but turning the Perhaps ask a doorman or bellhop for assistance at hotels. steering wheel too much never helps. • Wear a belt or back support. If you are lifting in your job or even at • Avoid rear-tire slides. First, choose a car with Electronic Stability Con - home, a back-support belt can help you maintain a better lifting pos - trol. Fortunately, ESC became mandatory in 2012 for all cars. Next, ture. make sure your rear tires have at least as much tread as your front • Avoid twisting your body when lifting, if possible. Face in the direc - tires. If you buy winter tires, get four. tion you are walking. If you need to turn, stop, turn in small steps, • Technology offers no miracles. All-Wheel Drive (AWD) and ESC can and then continue walking. get you into trouble by offering a false sense of security. AWD can only help a vehicle accelerate or keep moving: It won’t help you go Driving on Snow and Ice around a snow-covered turn, much less stop at an icy intersection. (Mac Demere, Contributor) ESC can prevent a spinout, but it can’t clear ice from the road or The best tip for winter driving: Sometimes it’s best to stay home or give your tires more traction. Don’t let technology fool you into over - at least remain where you are until snow plows and sanding crews have estimating available traction. done their work. If you crash on a snowy or icy road, you’ll certainly be late – or worse. Since you can’t always call out and claim a “snow day,” Regardless of your driving skills or vehicle preparation, there are it’s important to learn how to correctly drive in the snow. some winter conditions that can’t be conquered – but these tips will at • Get a grip . To have adequate snow traction, a tire requires at least least improve your chances of avoiding accidents. 6/32-inch deep tread, according to The Tire Rack . (New passenger- car tires usually have 10/32-inch of tread.) Ultrahigh-performance Bertram Merling is the Loss Control Coordinator for Hereford Insurance “summer” tires have little or no grip in snow. Even “all-season” tires Company. He welcomes your questions and comments, and can be don’t necessarily have great snow traction… some do, some don’t. If reached at 718.361.9191 ext. 7235, or via you live where roads are regularly snow covered, use snow (also email at [email protected] TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 28 • • DECEMBER 2018 THE TAXI ATTORNEY

BY MICHAEL SPEVACK

Hello everybody. I hope that companying $50 fine after April TLT), because your $50 pay - nal law ramifications or protec - you are working hard and mak - 1, 2018. So, if you paid a red- ment to NYC DOF will be tions (no chance of jail), so dou - ing good money. This month, I light camera ticket from NYC viewed by most OATH judges as ble jeopardy and other US or want to talk about TLC’s new DOF on or after April 1, 2018, a guilty plea and you will have NYS Constitutional protections red-light camera enforcement TLC will send you a settlement zero defense before OATH TLT. do not generally pertain. program for all For-hire Vehicle offer where you will receive In most cases you will Is it nice? No… in my hum - (FHV) drivers – be they yellows, three TLC points and pay a merely wind up receiving the ble opinion, and especially be - greens or other. $300 fine if you accept such set - points and paying a higher fine cause TLC did not give TLC is now enforcing red- tlement deal from TLC. by rejecting the TLC’s settle - adequate notice to TLC drivers light camera tickets against If you reject the settlement, ment offer. In my opinion, it’s that it was changing its enforce - drivers who paid the original don’t expect to prevail at a hear - best to take the settlement. ment policy. ticket received from the New ing at the Office of Administra - Is this Constitutional in the It is understandable that York City Department of Fi - tive Trials, Taxi and Limousine US and NYS? It is because this TLC has an interest in prevent - nance (NYC DOF) and its ac - Tribunal (OATH or OATH is a civil matter with no crimi - ing drivers from blowing through red-lights, and it is im - portant to prevent accidents and physical injuries. However, in my opinion red-light cameras are not adequate replacements for police officers who may no - tice that a traffic light has mal - functioned or that there is a justification for a motorist to go through a red light, such as for safety or as part of a funeral procession etc. TLC has informed me that it plans to seek license revoca - tions of drivers who receive three red-light summonses in 12 months from cameras, and maybe from police as well, al - though it was not clearly ex - plained to me precisely what *LEASE TO OWN A NV-200 OR SIENNA WAV TLC’s policy is regarding revo - cation for red light violations. $ 99 For now, please tell your fel - ONLY 797 PER WEEK! low colleagues to be careful around red-lights and to chal - lenge any and all red-light cam - era tickets that you or they receive by seeking to challenge that the light was working, etc. Do not merely pay the $50 fine without being on notice that TLC will prosecute you for three points and at least $300 for each such violation. Be careful, safe and sane. But also protect your own due *Certain conditions apply call office for details. process rights by challenging every summons you receive. Thank you for reading this WE OFFER ACH – DIRECT DEPOSIT PAYMENTS article. Until next month, be FREE REPRESENTATION FOR TLC SUMMONSES well. Michael Spevack is a 1992 grad - uate of NYU School of Law and has been a lawyer in good stand - ing in New York State since 1993. He has been helping for- hire vehicle drivers in New York City since 1995, when he opened his own law firm dedicated to “helping individuals, not large corporations.” Mr. Spevack can be reached at 212.754.1011; he also welcomes visitors to his of - fice at: 97-77 Queens Blvd, Suite 1120, Rego Park, NY 11374. TAXI & LIVERY TIMES DECEMBER 2018 • • 29 S: RIVER ION D ENT ! ATT arrived rs have TLC lic. # 290 New ca

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Women pay an average of $26-$50 respondents answered similarly. researchers. more than men on transit each That statistic fits with the study’s “After waiting in line to speak month, a new study has found, be - finding that a similarly high propor - with the person in the booth,” one cause of safety and abuse issues they tion of taxi and for-hire car trips were person who did report to authorities face on a daily basis. Researchers at for female riders. said, “a train passed through the sta - NYU’s Rudin Center for Transporta - “For late night travel, most re - tion, so I was told the person who ha - tion asked 547 New Yorkers about spondents feel safest using for-hire rassed me had probably already left their commuting habits and budget - vehicles (42%),” study authors Sarah and it wasn’t worth calling the police. ing to gauge harassment they fall vic - Kaufmann, Christopher Polack and I then took a cab home.” tim to, and the steps they take to Gloria Campbell write. “followed by Then there’s the issue of child avoid it. The findings show that the taxis (16%), and then public trans - care. On an increasingly crowded sub - “pink tax” – or premiums women pay portation (15%).” way, traveling with children may not on everyday items – isn’t just limited It seems intuitive that a car be ideal for caretakers. to the checkout line, but also finds its would be safer than a sparsely ridden “Even as an able-bodied person,” way into getting around the city. late-night train home, but even New one respondent wrote, “it is REALLY According to the study, 75% of York City Transit’s efforts to curb ha - hard to get around the city with chil - women said they had experienced rassment and attacks in the system dren.” some form of harassment on public seem to have little effect, according to transit, while less than half of male selected responses published by the Source: Business Insider TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 32 • • DECEMBER 2018 NEWS POLICEMAN CURSES, VIOLENTLY PULLS SICK DRIVER OUT OF CAR AFTER CRASH The actions of an NYPD officer are rais - ment an officer began hurling unsavory combative behind the wheel as an EMT ing concerns after cellphone video footage language at the driver and then attempted personnel tries to deescalate the confronta - surfaced showing an aggressive encounter to physically remove him from the car. In tion. between the officer and a For-hire Vehicle the video, the NYPD officer can be heard “Guys hang on, hang on. Don’t hurt (FHV) driver who suffered a medical yelling, “You stop, then you stop. You stop. him. We’re on film,” an EMT could be episode and crashed into several cars in Sir, f–ing touch me, I swear to God I will f– heard saying to the officer in question. De - Brooklyn. you up.” spite the plea of the EMT, the police officer On November 13, around 7:30pm, the Witnesses captured the cellphone video continued his profanity-laced tirade. driver crashed a Mercedes SUV into sev - of the 74-year-old taxi driver being physi - The driver, uninjured, was transported eral cars near East 2nd and Ditmas Av - cally pulled from his SUV by an officer to the hospital. No arrests were made. The enue, police said. The car continued from the 66th precinct. driver will not face criminal charges due to traveling and crashed into more cars near As the confrontation escalated, several the medical episode. 18th Avenue and McDonald Avenue, until of the driver’s friends appeared on scene NYPD Chief of Detectives, Dermot it was stopped after striking an elevated and told officers that the driver had taken Shea said the department holds its officers subway stanchion. Police at the scene gave heart medication, which left him disori - to the highest standards and the actions of the 74-year-old driver several commands ented, police said. Police confirmed to the officer is under review. Investigators to turn off the car and exit the vehicle, but PIX11 that the driver had, indeed, suffered continue to review all video associated with the driver did not comply, according to po - a medical emergency. the incident. lice. In the cellphone video, you can see the Cellphone footage captured the mo - driver seemingly dazed and allegedly non- Source: PIX11 ILLEGAL FHV DRIVER WHO KILLED MOTORCYCLIST CHARGED WITH HOMICIDE An illegal For-hire Vehicle (FHV) Harlem Hospital, where he died. Cruz. “How the hell is he picking up peo - driver who blew through a red light, killing Relatives believe Hernandez was re - ple? That doesn’t make any sense.” a 40-year-old motorcyclist in Washington turning home from visiting his daughter in Cruz said Hernandez, who had an 11- Heights, was charged with criminally neg - Queens when he crashed just a few blocks year-old son and two infant daughters, was ligent homicide, police said in November. from his home. just approved for a mortgage to buy his Ayman Zarik, heading downtown in his Zarik, 53, stayed at the scene but police dream home in New Jersey, relatives said. Lincoln Town Car on Forth Washington took him into custody after learning his “He was a hardworking person. Every Ave., sped through the light at W. 178th Town Car wasn’t properly registered or in - day he would wake up at 4 a.m. and go to St. about 9:15 p.m. on Halloween, accord - sured – and that he was using the vehicle New Jersey to work as a truck driver, de - ing to cops. to illegally pick up fares. Police also livering electrical materials,” Cruz said. Manuel Hernandez was zipping east on learned the vehicle’s New Jersey license “My stepson was full of life and health. It’s W. 178th St. on his Suzuki motorcycle plates belonged to another car, sources sad. You just don’t think something like when he collided with Zarik in the inter - said. this can happen.” section. Medics rushed Hernandez, unre - “He had improper plates, no insur - sponsive and with severe body trauma, to ance,” raged the victim’s stepdad, Luis Source: Daily News R E AD RAPPER CHUCK D CALLS APP-BASED SERVICES & WASTEFUL

An Insider’s Look at Both NYC TLC Regulated Industries Iconic Public Enemy rapper, Chuck D tweeted a photo of himself on a New York City subway in November, along with the message, “Car Service Uber Cabs totally a dumb way to move through NYC… you must know the music biz wasted millions paying these bills for execs going 3 blocks smh,” ONLINE AT Transit activists have blamed Uber and other ride-share companies for creating a crush of congestion around the city. City Council enacted a year-long cap on new FHV licenses this WWW .TAXILIVERYTIMES. COM summer after years of debate. Source: New York Post TAXI & LIVERY TIMES DECEMBER 2018 • • 33

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The Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit • Myron Hubbard, SCR Medical Trans - Association (TLPA) held its landmark portation of Chicago: Paratransit & 100th Annual Convention & Trade Show Contracting Driver of the Year Oct. 27-29 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Attendees from around the world attended “These award winners lead by example the event, which featured interactive and demonstrate every day their commit - “Learning Labs,” awards and a show floor ment to the highest quality customer serv - packed with industry products and serv - ice, as well as their leadership within their ices. communities,” said Alfred LaGasse, CEO of This year, winners of the TLPA’s an - the TLPA. nual awards, recognizing the top fleet op - The TLPA also appointed a new Presi - erators and drivers in the transportation dent, Kansas City Transportation executive industry, included the following exceptional Terry O’Toole. He was immediately sworn individuals: in and will serve a one-year term until Oc - • Robert DeLucia, Star Transportation tober 2019. In his acceptance speech, Mr. and VETaxi of Pittsburgh: Taxicab Op - O’Toole outlined the platform for his presi - erator of the Year dency, which includes implementing a new • Frank Ciccarella, SCR Medical Trans - strategic plan for the association, aimed at portation of Chicago: Paratransit & broadening membership, expanding mem - Contracting Operator of the Year ber services, improving driver professional - • Matt and Nikko Assolin, Nikko’s ism, and honing TLPA’s leadership as a Worldwide Chauffeured Services of unified voice of the industry. Houston: Limousine & Sedan Opera - “The transportation landscape is ex - tor of the Year panding, not shrinking,” O’Toole said. “Our • Judy Griffin, Checker Cab, Yellow Cab industry is evolving in exciting ways that and Blueboird Mobility of Fort Myers: are filled with opportunity. With an invig - Outstanding Contributor to Women in orated association, and with the incredible Transportation (posthumous award) knowledge and know-how of our members, • Anthony Sims, Checker Cab of At - our industry will thrive in the years ahead.” lanta: Taxicab Driver of the Year For more information, visit • Grigory Eskin, Vital Transportation, www.tlpa.org . Inc. of New York City: Limousine & Sedan Chauffeur of the Year

PRESS CONFERENCE

Chairman of the Transportation Committee, Ydanis Rodriguez held a press conference on the steps of city hall regarding his bill to create a medallion value task force. His bill was passed by the city council later that day. Photo Credit David Pollack & Jacob Policano TAXI & LIVERY TIMES DECEMBER 2018 • • 35 TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 36 • • DECEMBER 2018 TAXI & LIVERY TIMES DECEMBER 2018 • • 37 PRESS CONFERENCES

Councilman Salamanca attended a press conference by homeless advocates in support of a new bill to mandate that de - velopers set aside 15% of all new units for homeless individuals and families. Photo Credit David Pollack

Councilman Steve Levin held a press conference on the steps of City Hall, in - Photo Credit David Pollack troducing a bill to allow homeless shelters to implement life-saving treatment for those who may overdose. Nearly 1,500 New Yorkers died last year from overdoses; it’s the number one cause of death in homeless shelters. TAXI & LIVERY TIMES 38 • • DECEMBER 2018

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