For Immediate Release:  December 13, 2009
For More Information, please call:  Bhairavi Desai at 917-945-7286

TLC Proposes Revocation for 3 Cell Phone Tickets in 15 Months & Says Engine Must be Off for Call to be Legal

The New York Taxi Workers Alliance is urging taxi drivers to pack the hearing room at this Thursday’s TLC Public Hearing when the TLC could vote to revoke a driver’s TLC license  for three cell phone summonses in just 15 months.  The TLC is also proposing to change the rule to make the only legal use of a cell phone (or any other electronic device) be when the engine is turned off.  So even if the car is pulled over and you the driver has no passenger or is off-duty, they would get a ticket.  Even if the call is to an emergency operator, the driver would have to prove why it was impossible to pull over, turn the engine off and then call 911.  Emergency calls to or from home are not allowed at all.  “These rules are outrageous.  They are cruel and inhumane, completely ignoring the fact that the driver is a professional, values their life and the life of the safety above anyone else, and works long hours in isolation and danger,” said NYTWA Executive Director Bhairavi Desai.  The NYTWA is demanding unrestricted hands-free cell phone use.

“We have to come out for the hearing and speak up,” said an angry Osman Chowdhury.  Beresford Simmons, a 35-year veteran said these are the strictest rules he has ever seen.  “Imagine the abuse by dispatchers outside airport terminals or if you need to answer a call from home but can’t find parking.  How can they just take away our jobs, especially in this economy, and leave us vulnerable and alone like this?”

Driver Victor Salazar urged drivers to bring their families to the hearing.  “Let TLC board hear from our wife or children what it feels like to call us at 1am and not have us answer.  They don’t understand how hard our job is already.”  The hearing will take place this Thursday, December 17^th at 1:30pm at 40 Rector Street on the 5^th Floor.

Immediate Release:  April 24, 2009

Drivers Rally with AM Rivera to Reject Taxi Tax
Loud Call for Modest Increase in Jet Fuel Tax

Assemblyman Peter Rivera and the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, joined by League of Mutual Taxi Owners (LOMTO) and the Committee for Taxi Safety, held a spirited and LOUD press conference at the steps of City Hall to rally behind AM Rivera's rejection of the $1 taxi tax and alternative proposal for a modest increase in the state's jet fuel tax to balance the MTA budget.  NYS Senators Eric Martin Dilan and Bill Perkins have introduced a bill to raise the taxi meter by $1 per fare.  The money would not go to drivers.  It would go to bailout the subways and buses (MTA) and to fix the roads and bridges in upstate New York.  The proposal has ignited the rage of taxi workers tired of being scapegoated, ignored, and trampled on. 

Drivers received more support as Mayor Michael Bloomberg upped his criticisms of the proposed taxi tax, calling it bothersome and questioning its fairness and practicality.  NYS Senator Martin Golden has also been a major critic, citing the tax as an unfair imposition to balance the budgets on taxi drivers' backs...

Read entire press release here

Support Increase in Jet Fuel Tax!

Assemblyman Peter Rivera also rejects the taxi tax and is instead proposing to raise airlines' jet fuel tax from 6 cents to 25 or 50 cents.  The revenue would be enough for the whole bailout.  So, no taxi tax, Harlem & East River tolls or payroll tax.  Senate is to vote early this week, then the Assembly.  If the two don't agree, then a Caucus negotiates a final decision. 

See AM Rivera's proposal here
Download flyer here

Click here for PDF of press release

Taxi drivers are getting ready for a fight to prevent lease cap increases and stop overcharges as the TLC proposes a set of new rules to create different lease caps for hybrids vs. non-hybrid taxis.  The hearing will take place on Thursday, March 26th at 9:30am at TLC Headquarters, 40 Rector Street, on the 5th Floor.  Lease caps are the TLC-regulated maximum rental fees taxi companies can charge.  For hybrids, the TLC is proposing to raise the lease caps by $3 per shift.  For non-hybrids, the proposal is to lower the lease caps by $6 per shift beginning May 1, 2009 and by $12 per shift beginning May 1, 2010.  The proposal for different caps comes after the Federal Court ruled last November that the TLC cannot require owners to buy hybrids.  The city decided not to appeal in court, and instead, come up with “financial incentives/ disincentives.”  Basically, more lease money for the owner if they lease out a hybrid and less money if they lease out a non-hybrid.  Currently, less than 10% of the city’s 13,235 taxis are hybrids.  Taxi drivers pay for 100% of the fuel cost and unlike other major cities or NYC black cars, NYC doesn’t allow yellow cab drivers to charge a fuel surcharge to help off-set high prices.

Union officials are urging drivers to come out for the March 26th hearing in order to stop any large lease cap increases during this process.  “Garages and brokers think this is their chance to get a big raise.  We have to be there in large numbers to stop them,” said Osman Chowdhury.  “Every driver is suffering because business is very slow right now and the lease is too high. If drivers want to stop this suffering, we have to stand together and come to the hearing.”

The NYTWA called for rules to protect drivers to also be passed during this new rulemaking.  “Drivers are being overcharged as much as $50 - $100 a week, 52 weeks of the year,” said NYTWA Executive Director Bhairavi Desai.  “We’ve been calling for TLC to make hidden and added lease costs illegal and require the owners to give receipts and copies of the lease agreement to all drivers.”  The TLC is also proposing a $1,000 fine to owners who punish a driver for making a complaint, a major union concern.  New rules would also allow a TLC Judge to require an owner to repay the driver if the garage or broker is found guilty of an overcharge.  Currently, the driver has to take the case to civil court.  New rules would also give TLC employees the right to file an overcharge complaint in TLC court, without needing the presence of the driver.  “For 30 years under leasing, (drivers) have been held hostage to rules while the owners have been left free without any rules or restrictions.  It’s about time the ground was made even,” said Beresford Simmons.

See PDF of Summary of Proposed Rules

See Bring Home Victory on Lease Overcharges & Abuses

After years of our struggle, the TLC is finally proposing rules to stop garages/brokers from overcharging on the lease caps and violating drivers’ rights!  Thousands of you have complained that the garage is charging you daily rate for a weekly car…the broker is charging a tax stamp or additional driver fee…no broker/garage will give a receipt….they don’t give the credit card reimbursement at the end of the day or in cash…you don’t know where to complain or are afraid of losing your car if you do…and more.

NYTWA took your complaints straight to the Mayor’s Office.  So now finally the TLC is proposing new rules to stop garages/brokers from overcharging and other abuses against drivers.

Come to the TLC Public Hearing on Thursday, March 26th and stand up and fight!  This is our time to win our protection!  Victory is in YOUR hands…garages/brokers will be there to try to stop drivers from winning our rights…YOU MUST BE THERE to stop the overcharging & abuses!

Click to see flyer with summary of proposed rules.

Click for PDF of this announcement.

Click here to see meeting flyer 

Night Drivers
Tuesday Night Shift, March 3rd, 1:00am (technically Wed. morning)
25 West 43rd Street, 18th Fl.
(meeting hall of CUNY’s Murphy Institute for Worker Education)
Great FREE Parking on Street and large hall.  Everyone Welcome for some snacks, drinks, celebration and strategizing!   

Day Drivers
Sunday, March 8th
11:00am
130 East 29th St.
Between 3rd Ave. & Lex.

Thursday, Feb. 19th, 4pm: Congratulations! You are the first to know... we are just coming back from a meeting with the Mayor's Office and can tell you that the city has agreed to NYTWA’s proposals! First, no more letting wheel-chair accessible vans go straight to the shorty line. Now, they will only get a shorty ticket after completing a dispatched fare of a rider in a wheel-chair (not street hails.) Second, the wheel-chair van drivers will not have to suffer the blackberry or be forced to log-in to a zone. They will get a message if a fare is available through the dispatch program and the first driver to respond will get the fare. We are proud of our victory and thank all the JFK drivers who have stood strong and supported the union! New policies begin March 1st! For more info, see press release here.