“Serving The www.blackcarnews.comwww.blackcarnews.com For-Hire Vehicle Industry” Vol. 36 No. 9 SEPTEMBER 2021 CCELEBRATINGELEBRATING TTHEHE HHEROESEROES The IDG hosted Driver Appreciation Day for WWHOHO KKEPTEPT NNYCYC MMOVINGOVING FHV drivers and their IINN AA PPANDEMICANDEMIC families in August. Ira’s Insights: SEPT 2021 • COVID-19 VACCINE MANDATES • GOV. CUOMO RESIGNS IN SHAME • CONGESTION PRICING UPDATE • SAVE AND REIMAGINE THE BQE NYC Vaccine $65M Taxi Adams Vows Expert Explains • CENTRAL DISPATCH WAV TRIPS • MORE WORKERS’ Mandates Relief Fund to Cut Why to Get COMPENSATION FRAUD Get Serious Stalls Red Tape, Crime a Vaccine • HOSTING IDG’S DRIVER APPRECIATION DAY 2 • BLACK CAR NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2021 Attention NYC SEPTEMBER 2021 • BLACK CAR NEWS FHV Drivers: • 3 nting asing or Re re Not Le If You’ sing, very Lea e! m City Li ong Plac Fro n the Wr You are i Then Voted #1 Leasing Company in NYC We Were Voted #1 in NYC and Here is Why: • Best customer service team with 4 convenient locations • Best Overall Pricing and Deal Terms for Both Lease-to-Own and Rentals • Fastest Insurance Approvals in the Business • Easy Access Website for ALL Your Required Paperwork Get Started NOW! Incredible WAVs www.cityliveryleasing.com Starting at ONLY Come experience what your fellow drivers already know – $300 /week City Livery Leasing is the partner that invests in your success! Visit City Livery Leasing, where you are always treated with the respect and care that you deserve. Choose From 4 Convenient Locations: Bronx Bronx Brooklyn Queens 1765 Carter Ave. 4309 3rd Ave. 270 43rd St. 31-00 4ththe Ave. 2nd Floor (at the corner of 179th St.) Brooklyn, NY 11232 LIC, NY 11101 Bronx, NY 10457 Bronx, NY 10457 718-618-0972 718-618-0972 718-618-0972 4 • BLACK CAR NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2021 Neil Weiss EDITORIAL Editor/Publisher IDG CELEBRATES THE HERO-DRIVERS WHO HAVE KEPT NYC MOVING On August 7, the Independent Driv- America’s coronavirus outbreak in the keep extremely busy schedules, the IDG ers Guild (IDG) hosted a well-deserved spring of 2020, FHV drivers were the HE- arranged for an NYC Vaccine Van to be Driver Appreciation Day for the For-Hire ROES who stepped up and transported at the August event, held at Forest Park Vehicle (FHV) drivers who have kept – hospital workers and other essential per- in Woodhaven, Queens. Drivers and their and continue to keep – New York City sonnel. We salute them for their hard families were paid $100/person for any- moving during one of the most trying work then – and their continuing commit- one receiving their first vaccine dose. At- times in our nation’s history. The event ment to the city and its citizens and visi- tendees were able to choose from single brought together thousands of drivers tors as Fall approaches and the Delta shot (J&J) and double shot (Pfizer) op- and family members for a barbecue and variant spreads through the city and tions. fun activities. around the world. A MetroPlus Health Benefits Van and When NYC became the epicenter of Well aware that FHV drivers often Drivers Benefits Vision Van were also on- Continued on page 6 “LIKE” FOR BREAKING BLACK CAR NEWS NEWS! Editorial ........................................................................4 BLACK CAR NEWS Ira’s Insights — By Ira Goldstein ................................6 714 Crestbrook Avenue • Cherry Hill, N.J. 08003 Tel: 800-723-9119 • Local: 856-751-0656 • Fax: 856-751-0657 News ............................................................................7 Email: [email protected] • Web: www.blackcarnews.com Features......................................................................12 Street Stories — By RH Stovall, Jr . ..........................18 Editor/Publisher: Copyright AUGUST 2021 © Neil Weiss Attorney’s Corner — By Laurence I. Cohen..............20 The Black Car News is published monthly Adv. Sales Mgr./Art & Design: on the first Tuesday of each month except IATR Outlook — By Matthew W. Daus ......................22 Michele Norton holidays. All inquires should be directed Direct line: 856.262.2368 by mail to the above address. The Black Defensive Driving ....................................................26 [email protected] Car News is not liable for any typograph- ical errors in its advertisements. The Contributing Writers: views expressed in the articles of con- Industry News ............................................................28 Matthew W. Daus, Esq. Ira Goldstein tributing columnists are solely those of the Taxi & FHV Relief Stands ..........................................30 Bertram Merling author and not necessarily those of the IN THIS ISSUE RH Stovall, Jr. Black Car News. Classifieds..................................................................33 As Always, a Chauffeur’s #1 ProfitableSEPTEMBERDECEMBER 20202021 •• BLACKBLACKCompany CARCAR NEWSNEWS •• 55 AALPINELPINE LLIMOUSINEIMOUSINE SSERVICEERVICE TheThe leadingleading choicechoice inin thethe corporatecorporate worldworld OVER 22 HIGHHIGH VOLUMEVOLUME OFOF WORKWORK ONON DAILYDAILY BASISBASIS YEARS IN BUSINESS ALWAYS SSECUREECURE YYOUROUR CCHAUFFEUR’SHAUFFEUR’S ON TIME AAFFILIATIONSFFILIATIONS HHERE,ERE, LLIMITEDIMITED SSLOTSLOTS AAVAILABLEVAILABLE Take Your Driving Skills Make Money Here To The Next Level For more information contact our Fleet Department at: 646-558-2055 Ext 800 Or email [email protected] You can do our trips or we can helphelp youyou dodo yours!yours! Your vehicle must be 2015 or newer, black on black, with TLC. Sedans, Hybrids & SUVs Welcome NO DRIVER Scan this QR Code follow us: DUES www.AlpineLimoNYC.com B01871 6 • BLACK CAR NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2021 Continued from page 4 site, allowing drivers and their families to sign up for free or low-cost health in- surance, vision, dental and telemedicine benefits. Together with The New York Back Car Fund (NYBCF), the IDG has been one of the leading voices for the health and safety of FHV drivers and their pas- sengers, both before and during the Coro- navirus pandemic. In the early months of the pandemic, they worked quickly with partners to secure and distribute safety kits to more than ten thousand drivers, amid a worldwide shortage of masks and sanitizer. They also successfully advo- cated for a ban on pool rides, a mask mandate for riders and drivers, compen- sation for sick and high-risk drivers, and COVID-19 safety training through a partnership with the NYU School of Global Public Health. At Black Car News, we would like to commend NYC’s FHV drivers for their courage and hard work during these troubled times… as well as the IDG, the NYBCF and their partners for their ef- forts to help keep our city’s heroes safe and healthy! SEPTEMBER 2021 • BLACK CAR NEWS • 7 IRA’S INSIGHTS BY IRA J. GOLDSTEIN Hello to all! As we enter the final few announced plans hope to extend the life of Central Dispatch Exception model is work- weeks of summer, I wish I could say that the BQE for at least another 20 years. I en- ing. COVID-19 is behind us. Unfortunately, Au- courage you to visit the link above and read I’d also like to give an update on our on- gust has made it clear that we are not out about everything the plan entails. going efforts to root out Workers’ Compen- of the woods. This month, New York City For now, please be aware that as of Au- sation fraud. In July, another driver was became the first U.S. city to require proof gust 30th, the DOT will be reducing the criminally convicted in yet another case of of at least one dose of the COVID-19 vac- BQE from three lanes to two between At- Workers’ Compensation fraud. This driver cine for a range of indoor businesses includ- lantic Avenue and the Brooklyn Bridge. had fraudulently received benefits for lost ing restaurants, gyms and performances. This part of the plan is aimed at reducing wages between March 2017 and March While the city hasn’t yet reestablished the weight on the roadway and promoting 2019, by claiming they were unable to work an indoor mask mandate, other cities such safety by creating dedicated entry and exit when in fact, they continued to work. In as Los Angeles and San Francisco have – lanes, as well as an adequate shoulder this case, the driver was charged with and it wouldn’t be at all surprising if New lane. In the same breath though, the DOT Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, Insur- York City follows suit. Speaking of masks, warned that the new traffic pattern will re- ance Fraud in the Third Degree, and Fal- don’t forget that the Federal mask man- sult in substantial delays. That, at least, sifying Business Records in the First date has not changed, and it supersedes we know is true. Degree. They negotiated a plea agreement city and state rules. That means that you Another topic I want to touch on is the which will ultimately knock the felony and your passengers must be wearing a report released earlier this year by the TLC grand larceny charge down to a misde- mask at all times while on a trip! that evaluated the For-Hire Vehicle (FHV) meanor petit larceny charge. In order for Amazingly, this new vaccine require- industry’s progress with the wait-time re- that to happen though, the driver must ful- ment wasn’t the biggest news of the month. quirements for providing wheelchair-acces- fill the terms of the plea agreement, which No, that title is reserved for our former sible vehicle (WAV) trips. As you may includes paying The Fund restitution of Governor Andrew Cuomo, who resigned know, back in 2017, the TLC wanted to im- nearly $8,300. Either way, the driver will after months of holding onto power in the pose a ridiculous and arbitrary rule that carry a criminal record with them for the face of numerous allegations of sexual ha- would have required 25% of all FHV trips rest of their life. The lesson is clear, Work- rassment. On August 23rd, Lieutenant to be made in a wheelchair-accessible vehi- ers’ Compensation fraud is simply not Governor Kathy Hochul became our new cle (WAV) by the middle of 2023.