For Immediate Release: FRIDAY, March 12, 2010 For More Information, please call: Bhairavi Desai
NYTWA Statement on TLC's Overcharge Indictment of Entire Taxi Workforce
Investigate the Investigation!
"The TLC released findings today alleging overcharges on average of $4.45 per fare by a whopping over 35,500 drivers over 26 months. While there are over 49,000 hack license holders, only about 30,000 are full-time, steady drivers who operate 13,237 medallion taxicabs. So at 35,000 alleged violators, we are talking the whole universe of drivers. The TLC's findings are based on technology - there are no actual witnesses to the allegations. The fact that the technology condemns the whole universe of active drivers alone tells us that this was not about individuals; there was a systemic failure here. There is only one common element across the board in all of these alleged incidents: the taxi meter and technology. The drivers varied. The trips varied. The payments varied. Only the meters and technology were the same.
Last night, March 11th, a message appeared in all cabs served by one of the three GPS vendors, stating that the credit card readers would be out for up to four hours last night so drivers could only take cash. How many riders were angry and doubtful of the driver, blaming him or her when they were told the reader wasn't working? Drivers have been scapegoated for the failures of this technology over and again.
There should be a more thorough investigation before judgment is cast on an entire workforce. Taxi drivers are some of the hardest working and honest New Yorkers, laboring back-breaking 12-hour shifts without safety or health care. There are countless stories of drivers returning diamonds and tens of thousands of dollars in cash. Yet, according to the technology, the same workforce would cheat the general public over $4? These allegations raise more questions about the technology, the meters, and the investigation - than it does about drivers."
Bhairavi Desai, Executive Director New York Taxi Workers Alliance
As the world mourns the unspeakable affects of a 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Haiti on Tuesday, January 12, we too express our deep sorrow over this unimaginable tragedy. Three million out of a population of nine million were directly affected by the earthquake. Over forty percent of the Haitian population is children under 14 years of age. The earthquake has paralyzed the capital and devastated the entire nation; the earthquake follows after years of deadly floods and wide-spread poverty. Electricity is out. Communication networks have collapsed. Homes, buildings, hospitals, schools have been toppled. There are massive shortages of clean water, food, medicine and medical personnel. It is feared to be the deadliest earthquake in history over the past forty years.
New York City is home to the largest Haitian community outside of Port-au-Prince, the devastated capital which was the epicenter of the quake. Among the close to 125,000 Haitian New Yorkers, taxi driving is one of the prime professions.
Our Haitian brothers and sisters are the second largest ethnic group in the taxi industry. We cannot imagine the courage, faith, patience, strength this time calls upon you. We stand with you. We are here for your service. May there be light at the end of this tragedy.
American Red Cross Text “HAITI” to 9-0-9-9-9 and make a $10 donation
Doctors Without Borders 1-888-392-0392
Doctors Without Borders USA PO Box 5030 Hagerstown, MD 21741
UNICEF 1-800-486-4233 (1-800-4UNICEF)
Yele Haiti Text 'Yele' to 5-0-1-5-0-1 and make a $5 donation
A New York Taxi Workers Alliance delegation traveled to Washington, D.C. to bring the plight of New York City taxi drivers directly to the President himself. Executive Director Bhairavi Desai and co-founder and Organizing Committee member Javaid Tariq represented the union at President Barack Obama's first and highly anticipated state dinner, held on Tuesday, November 24th in honor of the visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. "When we first met President Obama on the receiving line, he said, '(y)ou know I was an organizer too'," reported Ms. Desai. "This was such an honor for us. I remember the days when the old Mayor wouldn't allow us to enter City Hall. And here we were in the White House.
The garages’ association, the Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade (MTBOT), lost their state lawsuit to limit the TLC’s powers over them and basically leave drivers defenseless. They wanted to charge taxes above the lease cap, limit TLC’s authority to only raise caps—never lower them, and require owner profits—not driver income and health —to be the chief factor in deciding on caps. Millionaire garages claim if the new TLC rules stay, they will go bankrupt. Thirty years ago, with leasing, they took away drivers’ right to a union. Now they want to take away our right to regulatory protection. Under representation by lawyers from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, NYTWA submitted key affidavits against the garages.
Fair Taxi Tax CollectionThe meter went up by fifty cents on November 1, 2009 but not one penny goes to the driver. In fact, on fares paid by credit card, and disputed or voided fares or fare beatings, drivers will lose money. Who will profit? First, the MTA – who is expected to rake in over $70 million in revenue. Second, The Garages and Brokers – who will accumulate up to three-months of interest on the money collected from the drivers; for a 250-car fleet, over $37,000 within a year. Click here for details.
Traffic Rights for Taxi Drivers! During a meeting with Department of Transportation officials and transit experts on Tuesday, March 3rd, a New York Taxi Workers Alliance delegation comprised of Osman Chowdhury, Bhairavi Desai, William Lindauer and Javaid Tariq, presented a list of proposals to ensure traffic rights for the city’s busiest and only 24-hour motorists. “Right now, both the driver and the passenger suffer when taxis are stuck in traffic. Sometimes, the rider leaves us mid-way so we lose the fare and are stuck in gridlocks we would have avoided if we were just empty,” said Javaid Tariq. NYTWA proposed the right of occupied taxis to use bus lanes, exemption from turn restrictions, more turning space in smaller lanes and taxi drop-off/pick-up stands, especially near Penn Station. “People take taxis to get to the destination safely and quickly. We are asking for traffic rights for when the taxi is occupied with a passenger so we can serve our customers better and not take an economic beating ourselves,” said William Lindauer. NYTWA also asked for all “taxi stands” which are not near transportation hubs to be converted to relief stands, stop the towing of parked taxis at various gas stations and prevent ticketing of drivers for pick-ups or drop-offs at bus lanes. Click here to download NYTWA traffic demands. Demand Money for Health Care, not Useless Technology! NYTWA slams ads blitzes, the use of GPS surveillance for tracking and enforcement, and the unjust 5% credit card heist in our response to the TLC’s Request for Information regarding changes to the current technology as well as new technologies. The TLC is reviewing the technology in taxis as its contracts with the GPS vendors come to an end in August 2010. Drivers’ interests are up against the financial interests and political capital of over 150 others, mostly technology companies looking for an exclusive market for their nonsense products. TLC is currently reviewing the responses. Get ready for GPS Fight Part 2. Click here to download NYTWA’s response. Stop the 5% Credit Card Heist!
