Aug 2016 TI 40 pg.indd
Transcription
Aug 2016 TI 40 pg.indd
JULY 2010 AUGUST 2016 •• TAXI TAXI INSIDER INSIDER •• PAGE PAGE 11 INSIDER VOL. 17, NO. 8 “The Voice of the NYC Transportation Industry.” Letters To The Editor Page 3 • Insider News Page 6 • Taxi Attorney By Michael Spevack Page 7 • Puzzle Page 7 • Commissioner’s Corner By Merra Joshi Page 12 • The Expanding Transportation Network By Matthew Daus Page 13 Fantasy Vs Reality By Larry Fisher Page 15 • Quotabel Quotes Page 15 • Illegal Street Hail Law Must Be Enforced By Abe Mittleman Page 23 • NYC Hotels Page 26 • NYC Economy Page 27 & 28 • Insider Directory Page 29 • News From Around The World Page 36 AUGUST 2016 EDITORIAL By David Pollack Chairwoman States: Make The Medallion More Of A Tradable Asset Recently, I attended a four hour transportation forum held at the New School on 12th Street in Manhattan. Panelists included the Chairwoman of the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC)- Meera Joshi, speakers from the MTA, Port Authority, NYCity Department of Transportation (DOT), NYState DOT, Ydanis Rodriguez-Chairman of the NYCity Council Transportation Committee, Congressman Nadler and Assembly members Weprin and Comrie. Additional panelists included Denise Richardson -Executive Director of The General Contractors Association of NY, and, I can’t forget to mention Bhairavi De- sai – Executive Director of the NYTaxi Workers Alliance. I also had the honor of speaking with Matthew Driscoll the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Transportation and keynote speaker. The subjects discussed by panelists varied from the Future of Taxis and Ride-Sharing, to Funding NY Transportation and Emerging Trends in Transportation. By far, the comments which hit home for me were those of TLC Chairwoman Meera Joshi. It is no secret that the values of NYC taxi medallion have dropped to lower levels over (Continued on Page 4) NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission Hearing July 18, 2016 By Nat Goldbetter drivers and drivers need not panic as the as the 12 hours, would be actual working hours and not consecutive hours but twelve hours of actual working time. As pointed out in last month’s column, if you start work at 6:AM and work four hours and then go home for fours and return to work at 2:PM you still have eight hours to work. The total hours of 72 per week was a big issue at the hearing last month as many of those of us who spoke on that issue were disappointed. Please remember that the 72 hours can be spread out over 7 The July Taxi and Limousine Commission meeting held on July 18th had a relatively short but important agenda. The biggest issue on the agenda was the Commission voting on the Driver Fatigue Rule that had an extensive public discussion at the June 23rd meeting. The rule as it stands now will have a12 hour maximum shift on a daily basis and 72 hours per week. Owner (Continued on Page 4) TAXI DAVE’S RADIO SHOW WOR-710AM 8:00 – 9:00 PM EVERY SUNDAY! PAGE 2 • TAXI INSIDER • AUGUST 2016 36-16 Skillman Avenue Long Island City, NY 11101 (718) 392-7000 • Fax: (718) 472-0925 LOG ON! www.PlazaToyota.com FLEET SERVICE FROM FACTORY TRAINED PROFESSIONALS YAWAR SYED, FLEET MANAGER • 347-554-6215 or 347-554-6000 2721 Nostrand Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11210 TAXI DAVE’S RADIO SHOW WOR-710AM EVERY SUNDAY! 8:00 – 9:00 PM Your Medallion Headquarters ! LOMTO Generation Brokerage, Inc. TAXI and BLACK CAR INSURANCE SPECIALISTS — And — Medallion Transfer, Inc. Licensed TLC Broker #R0018 · · · · · Insuring the For Hire Industry - Taxi & Black Car Providing You Service the Way It Should Be - FAST & COURTEOUS Convenient Mid-Town Location - Hack Stand In Front of Office Medallion Sales, Leasing, and Financing Over 25 Years of Industry Experience 435 West 45th Street (Between 9th & 10th Avenues) New York, N.Y. 10036 Phone: 212 582-5721 Fax: 212 582-5722 Lou Bakalar Jon Goldbetter Call: 877-360-0019 WWW.NYCTAXINEWS.COM Call Lee Komitor or Alex Chaoush 74-15 NORTHERN BLVD. QUEENS, NEW YORK 1-718-898-7800 Fax (718) 476-8207 139-30 Queens Blvd., Briarwood, NY 11415 (718) 658-9800 www.melrosecu.org AUGUST 2016 • TAXI INSIDER • PAGE 3 JULY 2010 • TAXI INSIDER • PAGE 1 LETTERS NYPD Disrespects Taxi Drivers Dear Taxi Dave, I have owned a medallion since 1987. Taxi drivers face abuse from NYPD for no reason and my personal incident shows one example of no understanding or caring about taxi drivers. I was stopped on John Street between WIlliams and Water with a fare from LaGuardia Airport and we just arrived at our destination. She was a very old woman. While she was going to pay by credit card, I got out of my taxi, took her luggage out of the trunk and at the same time a police car turned on his lights. When I got back to the drivers side of my taxi the police vehicle turned on his siren. I could not move on this one way street and the police officer came over to my taxi window and demanded my license. I told him that my passenger, the older woman was still paying by credit card and her luggage is right outside the door on the sidewalk. After she exited my taxi, the police officer followed me and stopped me three blocks away. He gave me a ticket for not yielding to an emergency vehicle. When he gave me the summons, I asked for my registration back and he intentionally left kepping my registration. Janna Stroe More And More Stickers Dear Taxi Dave, Lately I’ve noticed that black cars have more and more stickers on them , trying to authenticate themselves , but even if they put stickers on every inch of their car, their still doing wrong when they use the ehail to act like taxis. Michael Simon Employee v Private Contractor Dear Taxi Dave, Given the dire situation the yellow taxi industry finds itself in these days I think they should follow the example of the real estate company Redfin. An article by Nick Wimgfield published in The New York Times July 10, 2016 issue. It reported that ten years ago this company hired employees with full benefits and not as private contractors and are doing very well. I’m of the opinion that the yellow taxi industry should go the same rout, given the fact that Uber and other app hailing interlopers have deep pockets and can buy all the New York politicians they want. These app companies will not hire drivers as employees as they are strong believers of the gig economy. Virgilio Inside Or Out Dear Taxi Dave, The exclusive right of taxi medallions is street hail. What does that mean? To be quite simple , that if your outside and you need a car , that’s a street hail by ehail, hand or any other method of signaling. But it doesn’t apply to hailing a car if your inside, a restaurant or home . That was I believe ,the intention of the legislation. The law has to be explicit in demanding that ehailing companies mention to their customers that to ehail a black car you must be inside, if the City of New York lives up to its promise to medallion cabs. An ehail is a hail but it is not always a street hail. Michael Simon INSIDER Publisher & Editor-in-Chief David Pollack Think Outside The Box Dear Taxi Dave, The yellow taxi industry is not thinking out of the box. Now they are trying to be like Uber, again. They are implementing group riding. Upper east side riders will not the entertain the thought of sharing a cab ride to save money, good luck with that. I doubt these riders will share a taxi ride even in a spacious Ford Escalade which Uber can provide with ease. You guys have to stop mimicking the behemoth that is Uber, 60b is a lot of money to fight against. Try to do what Uber will never do “HIRE DRIVERS AS EMPLOYEES”. From where I’m sitting I don’t see any other way out of your predicament. As I said before 60 billion is a lot of money to fight against not to mention how many greedy politicians can bought, cheap. Virgilio Time And Electronic Signally Dear Taxi Dave, Ehailers cannot offer an arrangement to have their services not be arranged. That is trickery and not permitted by NEW YORK law. A signal that is not arranged is a hail and reserved for taxi medallions in NYC. Time defines the difference of the identity of the signal . If I want a car for my brother in 45 minutes then that’s an arrangement. If I want a car for my brother right now then that’s a hail. It’s common sense that there is a difference in what the electronic signally is , depending on how long it takes to get the car. It doesn’t matter whether or not I hired a company to supply that service beforehand. If it illegal it’s Illegal. Michael Simon Democratic Convention Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge Chair, Democratic National Convention 2344 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake Secretary, Democratic National Committee 250 City Hall Baltimore, MD 21202 Dear Congresswoman Fudge and Mayor Rawlings-Blake, I am writing to express my deep disappointment regarding the Democratic National Committee’s lucrative partnership with Uber – a company that discriminates against wheelchair users. The DNC should immediately apologize for engaging in this tone deaf and offensive business deal. Without any public input, the DNC accepted a (Continued on Page 20) Columnists Marc Albert Matthew Daus, Esq. Tony Falese Larry Fisher Nat Goldbetter Ira Goldstein, Esq. Abe Mittleman Alan Plafker Michael Spevack, Esq. Layout & Graphics Dragonfly Graphics LLC Taxi Insider 14 Alexander Drive Washingtonville, NY 10992 Phone: (718) 706-TAXI(8294) — E-mail:TaxiHail@aol.com Copyright © 2016 by TAXI INSIDER. All rights reserved. Neither this newspaper nor any part therof may be reproduced, copied, or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, microfilming, recording or by any information retrieving system without the express written permission of the publishers. The copyright is extended to the design and text created for advertisements. This publication will not be responsible for errors in advertisement beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Bylined articles represent the sole opinion of the writer and are not necessarily in accordance with the views of TAXI INSIDER. This Publication reserves the right to limit or refuse advertising it deems objectionable. TAXI INSIDER is published monthly at a subscription rate of $48.00 per year. PAGE 4 • TAXI INSIDER • AUGUST 2016 Chairwoman States (Continued from Page 1) the past year or so. That said, the Chairwoman’s positive comments regarding loosening regulation to make the purchase of medallions more appealing for investors and easier for current owners to transfer, was a bright light on the dimly lit New School stage. Below are some of the Chairwoman’s comments that I know you will find interesting regarding Medallions, Drivers, Ride- Share and Accessibility. Drivers: “We dictate what the income of a taxi driver is because we set the fare on how much a cost of a taxi ride is and we set the maximum amount that anyone can lease a car and a medallion out to a driver. So we can figure out what the income of a taxi driver is. Doing that analysis we know that over the last six or seven months compared to last year, there has been a decrease of about 3 – 5% in income for taxi drivers, that’s not accounting for the fact that people may actually be leasing them out at lower lease caps. We do our analysis assuming that everyone is leasing at the lease cap. But what we don’t know, that doesn’t count for a certain percentage of drivers, the economics the income potential of our newest drivers in the FHV industry, the ones that are driving a lot of the apps where we don’t set the fare, we don’t have the ability now to their driver’s income. But that’s not to say that is something that the future regulatory scheme might have to encompass a broader look into the economics for all drivers not just the taxi sector. “ Medallions: “A lot of things go into the factoring of the medallions: Some of them have to with the fact that it is a closed market, some of them have to do with financing arrangements, some have to do with the concentration and who owns medallions and financing is linked to that. But in a lot of ways the medallion system would probably get a boost just from becoming more like every other market and having liquidity like any other market. And there are lots of things that are today in our own law that stymie that. There are bureaucratic regulations for tort letters and all kinds of thing I could bore you with that probably are not necessary anymore and really they make it a closed market. That’s not attractive for the investors. Taxi is a brand, everybody knows about it , but a lot of investors are scared to come in because of all the obstacles there are to getting into buying and selling medallions. So that’s another area where I can see the regulator working with (counsel), making the medallion more of a tradable asset so that people who are in the market can trade it and ….invest in the market.” Ride-Share: “From our perspective, there is not a distinction between taxi and ride-share. All of it is a service where you pay the driver to take you from one place to another. And you can do it by Smartphone, you can do it by sticking your hand in the air, you can do it by calling a traditional base but the risks and the responsibilities are identical. So we look at this as one service and we regulate accordingly. That means we regulate consistently whether you are an Uber driver, or an Uber vehicle, or a taxi vehicle, you are going to come under our regulatory scheme. You are going to have be inspected by our inspectors. There are driver standards that apply across the board. If you drive in any one of these sectors we are going to do criminal background checks, fingerprinted, fitness reviews, your DMV record, outstanding parking tickets. This is the same kind of scrutiny that every member of the public deserves when provided a service. So we don’t see a distinction between rideshare and taxi. And actually ride-share is not really in our vocabulary. They are all For-Hire vehicles.” Accessibility: “We now have over 500 taxi in circulation. On the green taxi side…. We have about 800 accessible green taxis in circulation and we are looking to bring more and more on. And what links all these together, because we know going out in the street putting your hand out is very convenient and truly on demand in the middle of Manhattan , but it’s not quite as on-demand if you are in the boroughs or other sections of Manhattan. So how do we link the service that is needed? We do that through an accessible dispatch program that has been in existence in Manhattan for two-three years now, does almost 200 rides a day, and has become very popular and really a primary mode of transportation for people in Manhattan that need an accessible vehicle to get around. We are expanding that to city-wide, which hopefully we will see the next year. One of the biggest features of that is understanding the economic dynamic where drivers need compensation for the Deadhead part of the trip. And that is one of the reasons why our program today has been successful and passed the test to give the things they need. We are going to expand that Deadhead compensation factor as we expand the program.” Readers, I hope you are enjoying the summer and remember not to overheat in your cars during the 90 degree plus days. Drink plenty of H2O and stretch those legs and I’ll see you in September! NYC Taxi need to make appointments. Commissioner Joshi also announced that Deputy Commissioner Allan Fromberg has completed 20 years with the New York City Ta xi and Limousine Commission and has survived 3 Mayors and 5 Chairman during his time there. Allan is a great guy who I have known for many years and has always a pleasure to deal with. Iam betting he will survive at least 3 more Mayors and who knows how many more Chairmen. Congratulations to Allan who has always been a friend of the League of Mutual Taxi Owners. I, know for sure that all the previous LOMTO Managing Directors feel the same, except for maybe Vinny Sapone (only kidding Vinny). Daily News Exclusive - July 11th from Reporter Dan Rivoli “The Taxi and Limousine Commission has received more than 86,000 complaints against yellow and green taxis since 2011,while Uber has gotten 532 and Lyft only 52”. This is primarily due to the fact that the Yellows and Greens have a mandatory sign in the back of every vehicle encouraging passengers to call 311to file complaints. The Ubers and the Lyfts are only printing this information on a small note on the bottom of customer receipts. This is just another way the playing field is not level and the App companies are treated with less scrutiny than are the Yellows and Greens. There are probably three or four times as many App vehicles than Yellows and Greens combined. This really stinks and the TLC really does not have the backs of our industries. Let’s fix that TLC. BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! (Continued from Page 1) days so there is some wiggle room. Although this rule was passed TLC Chair Meera Joshi did qualify that the rule would not be effective until Nov. 1,2016 as Commission will try to tweak this rule until they figure out just how the hours working will be calculated. The enforcement will have one or two warnings before summonses are issued and that seemed fair enough as are the penalties were not off the charts. It seems that issues have been brought up on this matter and that the TLC wants to look at before they lock this regulation down. As a practical matter this rule should not hurt a large percentage of the drivers, those that are will need to make some adjustments . We will all have to wait and see what adjustments are made between now and November. The Commission also passed the Universal Driver License now actually called “TLC Driver’ s License”. This is a one size fits all item. If you have the TLC Driver’s License you a re licensed to drive Yellow, Green, Black Car, and all For-Hire vehicles plain and simple. This of course would include all app based e-hail drivers. David Pollack (AKA Taxi Dave) representing Melrose Credit Union spoke and commended the Commission on finally getting this done. The one license drives all has been a longtime coming, but it is here and let’s be thankful. Thank you Commissioners. Speaking of TLC Driver’s License Comm issioner Joshi announced that no action must be taken on current licenses and announced that license renewal can now be done on-line. Fingerprinting and photos can be done in several locations throughout the five boroughs by appointment and even on Saturdays. Visit the TLC website at www.nyc/lars for more details. You can also call me at LOMTO (212} 947-3380 ext. #3110 and Iwill give you locations and times for the offsite locations and phone numbers. You TAXI DAVE’S RADIO SHOW WOR-710AM EVERY SUNDAY! 8:00 – 9:00 PM AUGUST 2016 • TAXI INSIDER • PAGE 5 LOG ON! www.PlazaToyota.com CALLING ALL CARS! WE DO FULL WHEELCHAIR CONVERSION AND ACCEPT TLC GRANT! 2015 2 20 0 TOYOTA AVALON WE ACCEPT THE GRANT! New 2015 Avalon Livery Edition (Gas & Hybrid) Is RRig Right ight ht Here HHer eree In Brooklyn! BBro rook okly lyn! n! 43 MPG CITY / 39 MPG HWY! LARGER TRUNK SPACE FOR LAR MORE LUGGAGE! ATTRACTIVE CTIVE GROUND CLEARANCE FINANCING AVAILABLE NO CREDIT - BAD CREDIT N EVERYONE WILL BE APPROVED PPROVED 2015 201 1 2015 WE WILL ACCEPT YOUR PERSONAL VEHICLE OR TAXI VEHICLE AS TRADE IN! HIGHLANDER H HI I PRIUS HYBRID BRID B RID RID WE HAVE THE TOYOTA RIGHT FOR YOU! THE FIRST STEP?? CALL 347-554-6000 or 347-554-6215 CA EMAIL: yawars@plazacars.com FOR ALL YOUR TAXI & LIMO NEEDS! F FLEET SERVICE FROM FACTORY TRAINED PROFESSIONALS YAWAR SYED, FLEET MANAGER • 347-554-6215 or 347-554-6000 LOG ON! www.PlazaToyota.com Wholesale Discounts On Parts Available To All Taxi Companies! Percentage Discounts On All Services To Taxis! Service Center is open on Sunday for Taxis 2721 Nostrand Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11210 Visit us online for more information www.PlazaToyota.com PAGE 6 • TAXI INSIDER • AUGUST 2016 Insider News Industry Notice #16-11 July 11, 2016 Attention Medallion Taxi Drivers: Instructions For Receiving Refunds For Healthcare Fund Because of a court ruling, on April 17, 2014 the TLC instructed taxicab medallion owners to stop withholding a six (6) cents per-ride fee for the Taxi Driver Healthcare Services Fund (HCF). The ruling by the court is now final and the Fund is permanently closed. Refund Eligibility If you are a medallion driver who drove between October 1, 2013 and April 17, 2014 (the collection period) and your medallion/fleet owner collected the $0.06 per trip HCF fee from you, you are eligible for a refund of the amount you paid. Refund Amount Review your personal trip records to see how much you paid a medallion owner for the HCF during the collection period. If you don’t have your trip records, you can find out the number of trips that you completed during the collection period by: 1) Checking the TPEP portal, 2) consulting with your TPEP provider, or 3) asking your medallion owner/agent. Please note that neither TPEP providers nor the TLC can provide data about the actual amounts medallion owners collected from a driver. Refund Process To request your refund, contact the medallion owner/s (or the agent/s) that you were driving for during the collection period. If the medallion was transferred since then, for HCF amounts that were paid to the TLC, the TLC has refunded that amount to the current medallion owner/agent on file. If you are unable to reach the medallion owner on the phone number that you have on file for them, the TLC can provide drivers with the 24-hour number that we have on file for a medallion owner/s. To obtain a phone number of a fleet/ garage, please visit our “Current Licensees” page on the TLC website (http:// www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/industry/current_licensees.shtml). Industry Notice #16-12 July 14, 2016 TLC Announces New Online-Only Driver Application Process, Off-Site Fingerprints & Photos Starting July 14, 2016, applications for a TLC Driver’s License must be submitted on-line. Fingerprints and photographs required for a license will no longer be done at TLC. Beginning on July 19, 2016, fingerprints and photographs will be done at ten different centers located throughout New York City. To apply, applicants must visit the TLC website at www.nyc.gov/lars. Beginning on July 14, this will be the only way to apply for a TLC driver’s license. Starting on July 19, MorphoTrust will be handling fingerprints and photographs for TLC applications. Applicants who file an application between July 14 and July 19 will need to wait until July 19 to schedule their fingerprint\photo appointment. After July 19, once drivers apply online, they will be able to immediately schedule an appointment to have their fingerprints and photos taken. All driver applicants must complete the fingerprint and photo process, and submit all other licensing requirements within 90 days of applying. For a complete list of the requirements, please visit our web site at http://bit.ly/TLClicensing. If you have any questions about the changes, please e-mail the TLC at licensinginquiries@tlc.nyc.gov. Applicants can make an appointment by going to MorphoTrust’s website at: http://www.identogo.com/FP/NewYork.aspx. Here are ten locations in New York City, as well as the hours, below: Industry Notice #16-15 July 20, 2016 Notice: Improvement Surcharge Payment Process for Street Hail Livery Permit Owners and Medallion Owners and Agents Has Changed Starting on July 25, 2016, you will no longer receive a statement from your MORE PATH RIDERS = MORE TAXI RIDERS Attention Taxi Drivers: PATH ridership in June reached its highest monthly total ever, with nearly 7 million people entering the turnstiles system-wide – a 3.6 percent increase over June 2015. PATH reported its average weekday ridership of 277,946 in June also was the highest for any month on record, reflecting a 4.1-percent increase from June 2015. The stations that experienced the highest percentage increases in average weekday ridership in June compared to June 2015 were Christopher Street, Grove Street, Harrison and Exchange Place. On weekends, the Harrison, World Trade Center, Grove Street and Exchange Place stations experienced the biggest increases in average ridership. Year-to-date, total system-wide ridership is 5.5 percent higher than the same period in 2015, with average weekday ridership increasing by 5.4 percent, and average Saturday ridership increasing by 2.2 percent. Plenty of fares need taxis going to, and coming from these stations! TPEP/LPEP provider that lets you know the amount owed for the current quarter’s Improvement Surcharge. Instead, the TLC will post the Improvement Surcharge amounts that are owed directly onto the TLC’s License Applications, Renewals & Summonses system (LARS). This change will start with the second quarter of 2016 for trips that are done between April 1 – June 30, 2016. To find out the exact amount you owe, please visit LARS. You will continue to make payments using the TLC’s On-line Transaction system (LARS), which can be found on our web site at https://www1.nyc.gov/lars. The timeline for payment of the second quarter of 2016 Improvement Surcharge is as follows: • July 25th, 2016 – Owners and Agents will be able to view amounts owed on LARS, and begin making payments. • July 25th, 2016 – Challenge Period begins. Owners and Agents should direct all questions or challenges to: tifcollections@tlc.nyc.gov – for Taxicab Improvement Fund related issues shlifcollections@tlc.nyc.gov – for Street Hail Livery Improvement Fund related issues • August 5th, 2016 – Challenge Period ends. Amounts due are finalized. • August 15th, 2016 – Full payment is due to the TLC. Payments may only be made using (LARS) system which can be found at: https://www1.nyc.gov/lars/. Failure to submit full payment by August 15th, 2016 will result in fines and/or possible suspension of your license. Photo by David Pollack AUGUST 2016 • TAXI INSIDER • PAGE 7 The Taxi Attorney Hello everybody, I hope that you are working hard and making good money. This month I want to talk about eight topics. First, please remember to treat your customers with respect and courtesy as that is the best way to distinguish the yellow cab from its competitors. If all yellow cab drivers of all backgrounds and levels of experience driving a yellow, strove to provide the highest level of customer service, then the yellow cab’s competitors would be forced to compete in a different way than they are now. I am the first one to say that driving a yellow cab is a difficult job and is often very, very stressful. However, please keep in mind when you are stressed out and tired and sick of traffic etc, that it is ultimately, the passenger who is the ultimate client and consideration. Strive to provide the highest level of passenger satisfaction that you can within current TLC rules. I know the rules are somewhat restrictive, but, from what I see on a regular basis, yellow drivers must fight to keep their customer happy. I know tickets can also be a drag, but there are lawyers, like me, available to help you when you have a summons. So don’t fret, yellow cab drivers, fight back, with kindness and goodness innate in some of the most professional drivers in New York. Call me at 212.754.1011 if you have a summons issue. Second, I am working with a prestigious and reasonably priced bankruptcy firm in case you need to file for Chapter 7, 13 or 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. I understand the Industry and am glad to try to save your assets or liquidate your assets as the case may be if you need that type of service. A basic Chapter 13 which will generally allow you to keep your home and car etc. is around $3500 for lawyer’s fees. Chapter 11s are more and Chapter 7, when you liquidate your assets, are less. If you need this type of service or if you are considering it, I am glad to talk to you about it and you may contact me at my office during business hours at 212.754.1011 or 866.LAW.MIKE or 866.529.6453. Third, if you are arrested and you possess a TLC license, it is imperative that you hire the best criminal attorney that you can afford. This is so because TLC will hold your license until the criminal case is finished and the TLC will take it permanently from you if the criminal matters is NOT resolved to the TLC’s satisfaction. I work with a very high quality criminal attorney who can speed up criminal matters and obtains excellent results, so please call me at 212.754.1011 if you get arrested. Fourth, please listen to the Taxi Dave radio show on 710 am WOR, on Sunday evenings between 8pm and 9pm. David Pollack is the host. He is smart, entertaining, informative and best of all, knows the truth about what is happening in your Industry. Moreover, he has the highest rated show on radio in his time slot in the NYC Metro area! So, please tune in to listen. Fifth, remember to bring me your DMV and TLC tickets. It is important to fight all your DMV (issued by NYPD) and TLC tickets. Be careful. Don’t skimp on the lawyer only to lose your license later. Please fight every yellow or pink ticket you receive from NYPD and every TLC ticket you receive. If you are uncertain whether to use an attorney for a particular ticket, please come see me and I will tell you, no charge, if the ticket has points and you do or do not need an attorney or representative for a particular summons. Sixth, please take the defensive driver course every 18 months. Do not wait three years to take the DDC class that takes points off of your NYS driver’s license. Please take the course every 18 months so if TLC sends you a letter to suspend or revoke your Hack or TLC license you will have taken the class before you get such TLC letter. Now TLC is allowing you to take a course which takes 3 points off your DMV record according to TLC calculations after you get a letter from TLC saying you have a suspension or revocation coming to you. Also, if you get found guilty of a DMV summons it may be best to take a DDC course AFTER the guilty finding at TVB or in other NYS traffic court. Moreover, there is a persistent violator course available to reduce TLC points which are now being combined with DMV points and can result in your losing your TLC license very quickly if you speed or talk on your cell phone while driving. Basically, any moving violation now puts you in jeopardy. Call me at 212.754.1011 if you want to discuss your DMV or TLC tickets. Also, please note that I will do an excellent job advocating for you at a fair and reasonable price, and I have been doing this business for 20 years now and really know what I am doing. Please call me at 212.754.1011 or 866.LAW.MIKE to discuss your DMV or TLC problem. Seventh, please be careful in the warm weather as the NYPD is out there to enforce traffic rules of NYS and NYC. Watch out at the following hot ticket spots: the August Taxi Driver Puzzle Do you know the stories behind each word? You would if you listened to Taxi Dave’s Radio Show, Sunday’s at 8:00 PM on WOR710. Brought to you by Melrose Credit Union. You will also understand the puzzle better if you read our articles. S R M A Z E R P Y R I N C O M M E D L L I O N E O G $ 0 0 E E T C S E C N M V A L M P ## G P T H D I R E F I T N I G T N S E A E S H A P R Y D N H E I O L N P D O Y A D A B U S S C N I L T R O V V N 2 0 E P 0 D U F A M E V Y N E R T D 5 % H L D E E R A A E R S A I N A N N T I W S R E V I R D D F S G E L L O A T H O U D A E H 8 5 S A I D V E E N E E R G 0 0 0 S T A X S V A W W O L L E Y 0 Find the following words/accronyms in the puzzle above • RESCHEDULED HEARINGS • INVESTORS • • DRIVERS WITNESS ALLOWED • PETER MAZER • • MEDALLION PRICE •TORT LETTERS • • 800 GREEN WAVS • 500 YELLOW WAVS • • NO SET APP FARE • FINANCING • • RIDE SHARE • DEADHEAD • $ GOAL • • TIF MONEY • NONPAYMENT • • 5% DECREASE • DRIVER INCOME • • OATH • TRADABLE ASSET • NV200 • • TAXI DAVE • SUNDAY NIGHT 8 PM • First Avenue tunnel by the UN, the Harlem River and FDR drive, the West Side Highway above the GW Bridge, the Cross Island Parkway, turn signs by the Midtown Tunnel, etc. Now is peak ticket time in the City. Please be careful and try to avoid seeing me. Eighth, if you receive a pink summons, please call me at 212.754.1011 to discuss it. Sometimes it makes sense to use a lawyer to help you fight a pink summons, which is a criminal summons with ramifications beyond DMV points, and sometimes you can simply pay such a summons without any negative consequences. My fee is reasonable to go to court for you for pink summonses, and you most often do not need to go to court and I can obtain zero points for you. But, please call me to discuss this with me and don’t wait for the day before court to call me. Thank you for reading this article. Call me at 212.754.1011 for all your legal needs. Until next month, be well. Mr. Spevack thanks you for reading this article which is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For legal advice, contact Mr. Spevack.http:// www.trafficticketnyc.com . See his advertisement on page 30 of this issue. This article does not reflect the opinion of the publisher. Listen to Podcasts of The Taxi Dave Show and Read Taxi Insider on-line @ NYCTAXINEWS.COM PAGE 8 • TAXI INSIDER • AUGUST 2016 0!'%s4!8)).3)$%2s*5.% MANHATTAN POLICE PRECINCTS Precinct 1 Precinct Address 16 Ericsson Place Direct line 1-212-334-0611 5 Precinct 19 Elizabeth Street 1-212-334-0711 6 Precinct 233 West 10 Street 1-212-741-4811 7 Precinct 19 1/2 Pitt Street 1-212-477-7311 9 Precinct 130 321 Avenue East 5thCStreet 1-212-477-7811 10 Precinct 230 West 20th Street 1-212-741-8211 13 Precinct 230 East 21st Street 1-212-477-7411 Midtown South Precinct MSP 357 West 35th Street 1-212-239-9811 17 Precinct 167 East 51st Street 1-212-826-3211 Midtown North Precinct MNP 306 West 54th Street 1-212-767-8400 19 Precinct 153 East 67th Street 1-212-452-0600 20 Precinct 120 West 82nd Street 1-212-580-6411 Central Park Precinct 86th St & Transverse Road 1-212-570-4820 23 Precinct 162 East 102nd Street 1-212-860-6411 24 Precinct 151 West 100th Street 1-212-678-1811 25 Precinct 120 East 119th Street 1-212-860-6511 26 Precinct 520 West 126th Street 1-212-678-1311 28 Precinct 2271-89 8th Avenue 1-212-678-1611 30 Precinct 451 West 151st Street 1-212-690-8811 32 Precinct 250 West 135th Street 1-212-690-6311 33 Precinct 2207 Amsterdam Avenue 1-212-927-3200 34 Precinct 4295 Broadway 1-212-927-9711 BRONX POLICE PRECINCTS Precinct Address Direct line 40 Precinct 257 Alexander Avenue 1-718-402-2270 41 Precinct 1035 Longwood Avenue 1-718-542-4771 42 Precinct 830 Washington Avenue 1-718-402-3887 43 Precinct 900 Fteley Avenue 1-718-542-0888 44 Precinct 2 East 289th Street 1-718-590-5511 45 Precinct 2877 Barkley Avenue 1-718-822-5411 46 Precinct 2120 Ryer Avenue 1-718-220-5211 47 Precinct 4111 Laconia Avenue 1-718-920-1211 48 Precinct 450 Cross Bronx Expressway 1-718-299-3900 49 Precinct 2121 Eastchester Road 1-718-918-2000 50 Precinct 3450 Kingsbridge Avenue 1-718-543-5700 52 Precinct 3016 Webster Avenue 1-718-220-5811 60 Precinct Address 2951 West 8th Street Taxi Insider Info 71 Precinct 421 Empire Boulevard 1-718-735-0511 72 Precinct 830 4th Avenue 1-718-965-6311 73 Precinct 1470 East New York Avenue 1-718-495-5411 75 Precinct 1000 Sutter Avenue 1-718-827-3511 76 Precinct 191 Union Street 1-718-834-3211 77 Precinct 127 Utica Avenue 1-718-735-0611 78 Precinct 65 6th Avenue 1-718-636-6411 79 Precinct 263 Tompkins Avenue 1-718-636-6611 81 Precinct 30 Ralph Avenue 1-718-574-0411 83 Precinct 480 Knickerbocker Avenue 1-718-574-1605 84 Precinct 301 Gold Street 1-718-875-6811 88 Precinct 298 Classon Avenue 1-718-636-6511 90 Precinct 211 Union Avenue 1-718-963-5311 94 Precinct 100 Meserole Avenue 1-718-383-3879 QUEENS POLICE PRECINCTS Precinct Address Direct line 100 Precinct 92-24 Rockaway Beach Blvd. 1-718-318-4200 101 Precinct 16-12 Mott Avenue 1-718-868-3400 102 Precinct 87-34 118th Street 1-718-805-3200 103 Precinct 168-02 P.O. Edwaard Byrne Ave. 1-718-657-8181 104 Precinct 64-02 Catalpa Avenue 1-718-386-3004 105 Precinct 92-08 222nd Street 1-718-776-9090 106 Precinct 103-53 101st Street 1-718-845-2211 107 Precinct 71-01 Parsons Boulevard 1-718-969-5100 108 Precinct 5-47 50th Avenue 1-718-784-5411 109 Precinct 37-05 Union Street 1-718-321-2250 110 Precinct 94-41 43rd Avenue 1-718-476-9311 111 Precinct 45-06 215th Street 1-718-279-5200 112 Precinct 68-40 Austin Street 1-718-520-9311 113 Precinct 167-02 Baisley Boulevard 1-718-712-7733 114 Precinct 34-16 Astoria Boulevard 1-718-626-9311 115 Precinct 92-15 Northern Boulevard 1-718-533-2002 STATEN ISLAND POLICE PRECINCTS Precinct Address Direct line Direct line 120 Precinct 78 Richmond Terrace 1-718-876-8500 1-718-946-3311 122 Precinct 2320 Hylan Boulevard 1-718-667-2211 123 Precinct 116 Main Street 1-718-948-9311 BROOKLYN POLICE PRECINCTS Precinct Police Precincts In New York City 61 Precinct 2575 Coney Island Avenue 1-718-627-6611 62 Precinct 1925 Bath Avenue 1-718-236-2611 63 Precinct 1844 Brooklyn Avenue 1-718-258-4411 66 Precinct 5822 16th Avenue 1-718-851-5611 67 Precinct 2820 Snyder Avenue 1-718-287-3211 68 Precinct 333 65th Street 1-718-439-4211 69 Precinct 9720 Foster Avenue 1-718-257-6211 70 Precinct 154 Lawrence Avenue 1-718-851-5511 Questions? Comments? E-Mail Taxi Insider at taxihail@aol.com AUGUST 2016 • TAXI INSIDER • PAGE 9 PAGE 10 • TAXI INSIDER • AUGUST 2016 y p Hereford Insurance Company Established 1982 • Licensed by the New York State Insurance Department rd 36-01 43 Avenue, LIC, NY 11101 • Tel: 718-361-9191 • Fax: 718-361-6243 NYC RENTAL BICYCLE PROGRAM Please be aware of the approximate 7,000 available rental bicycles in New York City. There are no laws requiring the rental bicyclists to wear any safety gear or helmets so use extra caution and observe the below : • Always be prepared to take defensive, evasive actions if you observe a bicycle in your area. • Bicyclists must obey the same traffic laws as a motorist. The number of accidents involving bicyclists has increased with the increase cost of fuel. Many people are now using bicycles as their primary source of transportation. • Always respect bicycle lanes and a bicyclists right to the same streets you travel on. • Bicyclists often pass through red lights, stop signs, travel the wrong way on one way streets, make sudden unsafe turns, pass vehicles on the right side unsafely, and commit numerous unsafe and illegal acts. Always anticipate one of the aforementioned acts by a bicyclist. • Always check your side view mirrors prior to unloading or loading a passenger, for bicyclists attempting to pass in a narrow area. • Black cars, medallion taxis, and vehicles for hire may be targeted for fraudulent claims by bicyclists. • Always call the police and make a report if you are involved in an incident or an accident with a bicyclist. Do not leave the scene or you can be arrested for leaving the scene of an accident, even if you know that your vehicle did not make contact with the bicyclist. • Always anticipate an unsafe action by a pedicab, (pedicabs frequent Bus lanes, and often ignore traffic signals). • If you are involved in an accident with a bicyclist, working as a Delivery person, please obtain the name of the bicyclist’s employer. DEFENSIVE DRIVING COURSE SCHEDULE Classes will be offered the following Saturdays: August 27, 2016 All Hereford insured will receive the course at no cost: Classes will be held in the third floor event room at: HEREFORD INSURANCE COMPANY 36-01 43RD AVENUE, LIC, NEW YORK 11101 Our classes are recognized by: • Taxi and Limousine Commission for required license renewals. • Department of Motor Vehicles for the Point Reduction. • Insurance carriers for rate reduction. ALL CLASSES BEGIN AT 9:00A.M., AND END AT 3:00P.M. Reservations Are Necessary. All drivers must provide proof of Insurance. For additional information please contact: BERTRAM MERLING - Loss Control Coordinator 718-361-9191 EXT. 7235 bmerling@herefordinsurance.com HOW TO IMPROVE SENIORS’ DRIVING SKILLS Self-Improvement, Education and Rehabilitation, and Tougher Licensing Are All Parts of a Formula for Change The dangers posed by senior drivers — combined with the difficulty of (Continued on Page 11) AUGUST 2016 • TAXI INSIDER • PAGE 11 Driving Skills (Continued from Page 10) figuring out when they have reached the point of posing a risk — are spurring unprecedented efforts to come up with solutions. These initiatives to improve seniors’ driving skills include more self-limited driving, improvement classes, vision adjustments, physical rehabilitation, cognitive-skills enhancement and tougher licensing laws. Here’s a look at some of what researchers, insurers, not-for-profit associations, health-care organizations, government agencies and seniors themselves are doing in each area: Self-Limited Driving Many members of the over-65 generation limit their own driving as they recognize some deterioration in their capabilities. Typical selflimiting includes avoiding crowded thoroughfares and taking alternate routes, though this makes trips longer. Seniors also try to find intersections with protected left turns. Many decide to travel only a handful of close-tohome, highly familiar routes — and nowhere else — behind the wheel. Other elderly drivers decide to give up driving altogether in the interests of their own and others’ safety; more than 600,000 drivers age 70 or older do just that each year, according to a 2002 study published in the American Journal of Public Health. A surprising surge in self-limita- tion seems to be behind the 21-percent improvement in the number of crash deaths among drivers 70 and older in a new Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study of the 10 years that ended in 2006. The declines were most dramatic for drivers 80 and older. If the fatal-crash involvement rates for older drivers had mirrored the trend for younger ones in the same time period, the Institute said, nearly 7,000 additional older drivers would have been in fatal crashes. The older a driver is, and the more physically and cognitively impaired he or she is, the more the senior tends to self-limit driving, according to Institute interviews that accompanied the broader study. The willingness of many aging motorists to regulate themselves prevents countless accidents. In fact, seniors’ tendency to self-limit is one of the main reasons that insurance rates are generally only slightly higher for drivers 75 or older than for the generation just beneath them — and far lower than rates for teenage drivers. Another reason insurers don’t see older drivers as a particular liability menace is that they tend to injure themselves more than others in accidents. Driving Improvement Classes Older drivers are finding more ways to gauge their own effectiveness behind the wheel. The American Automobile Association Foundation, for instance, has an online self-rating form for drivers 55 and older. Several other organizations are making simi- lar resources available on the Web. More seniors also are taking it upon themselves to improve their driving by attending self-help classes. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), for example, offers a driver safety program at sites around the country and online. The 8-hour class is for drivers 50 and older. Typically, participants can take their certificate of completion and show it to their insurance company to get a discount of 5-10 percent on their premiums, according to Jack Stegeman, a volunteer AARP instructor in Madison Heights, Michigan. One emphasis of the classes is to urge seniors to step up to their own responsibility for driving. For instance, “We don’t talk about ‘accidents’ but rather about ‘crashes,’ because an accident just says, ‘It’s too bad it happened,’” says Stegeman, a retired schoolteacher. “A ‘crash’ is where someone didn’t see something or reacted inappropriately, and we need to get class members thinking that way.” Another theme stresses “taking a little more time to make decisions as you drive, because that’s how our body functions as we get older,” says Nancy Stegeman, a retired nurse who teaches with her husband. Vision Adjustments The declining vision of seniors is the most difficult aspect of driving to mitigate. “Ninety to 95 percent of the information you get in driving is visual information,” said Dr. Philip Hessburg, president of the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology. Yet many vision-impaired older people take a big swipe at the problem simply by declining to drive at twilight or later. Others realize major improvements after having cataract or other eye surgery. And some researchers believe that more diligent instruction of senior drivers actually can help them use their vision more effectively, even if they can’t restore their eyes physically. “A common problem with seniors is that they fail to scan appropriately by moving their eyes completely through the driving environment,” said Richard Backs, a psychology professor who is developing a visual attention test for drivers at Central Michigan University. Seniors may spend too long focusing on changing lanes, for example, risking an accident by not shifting their attention to traffic approaching in their rearview mirror. Some seniors invest in the handful of devices that have proven to improve senior road vision, such as special eyeglasses that reduce glare and have a telescopic function. “But even with any of those, you really have to work with your doctor and maybe a low-vision specialist and with a driving instructor,” said Judy Scott, director of the Center on Vision Loss for the American Foundation for the Blind. Physical Rehabilitation The elderly can actually improve (Continued on Page 20) PAGE 12 • TAXI INSIDER • AUGUST 2016 Commissioner’s Corner By Meera Joshi a lot happening at the TLC, and I am pleased to share the latest developments with you. DRIVER FATIGUE While it will not go into effect before November 1, 2016, TLC Commission members unanimously approved a package of rules aimed at preventing driver fatigue and making our streets safer for all, drivers included. Between now and November 1, we will analyze additional data and continue to meet with stakeholders to see if any adjustments need to be made, with the goal of fashioning the most precise system possible that truly reflects the daily realities that drivers and Greetings, everyone! I hope you other stakeholders have shared with us. are enjoying the summer and as stay- We very much appreciate the perspecing cool as possible. There has been tives that drivers, industry leaders and other experts have given us in testimony, as well as in the many discussions that followed. We hope that you continue to share your valuable feedback with us, and we will keep you informed about our progress. CONNECTIVITY CHALLENGES IN LONG ISLAND CITY While I am very hopeful that, by the time you all read this, the heatwaverelated technical difficulties we’ve been facing at our Long Island City Licensing offices will have been alleviated, but I did want to take this opportunity to thank you all for being so understanding. As I write these words, the facility has been closed for two days and we are about to announce a third. Of course, we’ve been through emergencies of every stripe before, and as always, TLC staff has dug in and put their best efforts into the full restoration of services (with some dedicated staffers even working tirelessly through the wee hours this past weekend!). But this time around, I am so grateful that we’ve invested the time, resources and know-how in creating more on-line transactional functionality – like LARS -- than we’ve ever had available before. And I have a strong feeling that there are many licensees out there who are just as grateful as I! In the event that the connectivity problems are still an issue by the time you read this, please visit the TLC’s web site at www.nyc.gov/taxi for updates. DISABILITY PRIDE ON DISPLAY! I am proud to say that the TLC had a sizable contingent at the recent Second Annual Disability Pride Parade – pictured below – led by our Accessibility Program Manager Alexander Elegudin (seated, third from left). TAXI DAVE’S RADIO SHOW WOR-710AM 8:00 – 9:00 PM EVERY SUNDAY! AUGUST 2016 • TAXI INSIDER • PAGE 13 “The Expanding Transportation Network Company (TNC) Equity Gap & Social Irresponsibility: Adverse Effects on Passengers with Disabilities, Underserved Communities, the Environment & the On-Demand Workforce” By Matthew W. Daus, Esq. commodate electric wheelchairs and scooters; and •TNCs are not held to the same accessibility mandates as the traditional For Hire Vehicle industry; Underserved, Low Income & Minority Communities Left at the Curb by TNCs • Communities that may desire to utilize a TNC service, but currently have limited or no access, include low-income communities and minority communities, both of which may be “redlined” or dis-incentivized from serving due to the effects of surge pricing; • Rural communities, where low population density and a host of other factors dis-incentivize drivers from expanding service; • Unbanked and under-banked communities, which have little or no access to the financial institutions required to pay for TNCs; and • Individuals without smartphone access, who do not possess the technology expertise necessary to request TNC service. TNCs Cause Traffic Congestion, Harm the Environment & Augment Negative Externalities • TNC proliferation threatens cities’ efforts to reduce the number of Personal Motor Vehicles on the road, setting back decades of transportation planning and policy aimed at mitigating congestion and pollution, and encouraging shared mobility and mobility management; • Unregulated TNC growth could cause congestion and harmful environmental impacts through the proliferation of nitrogen oxides, Fine Particulate Matter, volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, greenhouse gases and air toxics; • Said congestion has resulted in massive losses to local businesses and government taxpayers impacted by it, with additional time spent on road repair, while labor force activity and business or government operations are negatively impacted by traffic jams and gridlock; • Congestion is further exacerbated by TNC’s usage of so-called “surge pricing” due to the incentive for all or most part-time on demand economy TNC vehicle drivers being fiscally rewarded by working already congested areas during peak business period (a/k/a rush hour in central business districts of urban environments); and •Urban areas are projected to continue growing at a rapid rate, and, as a result, policy makers must take into I am pleased to announce that we have recently completed a comprehensive report, that is scheduled to be published in a book published by the New York University School of Law’s Labor and Employment Law Center, edited and facilitated by the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations, entitled: “The Expanding Transportation Network Company (TNC) Equity Gap & Social Irresponsibility: Adverse Effects on the Disabled, Underserved Communities, the Environment & the On-Demand Workforce.” (“The TNC Equity Gap Report”). This report was both co-authored and peer reviewed by experts in the fields of labor and employment law, sustainability, economics, disability and civil rights, including a national and international group of professors, former high-level government officials, and disability advocacy groups. In addition to the playing field being skewed in favor of Transportation Network Companies (“TNCs”) at the detriment to the traditional taxicab and for-hire vehicle industry, an alarming result from the proliferation of such TNCs is the undeniable adverse impact on people with disabilities, underserved communities, the environment, social responsibility, and the labor force of the so-called “on-demand sharing economy”. This comprehensive report provides stunning revelations concerning the disturbing underbelly of the TNC business model, with recommendations for policy-making and addressing the concerns raised by the authors and peer reviewers. This report demonstrates that the TNC template is nothing more than a privileged access model that operates to the detriment of those in most need of their services. As is fully explained in the report with concrete data and evidence, the following are a list of the unfortunate results and social consequences that continue to result from the continued proliferation and existence of TNCs: Wheelchair Accessibility Not a TNC Priority •The proliferation of TNCs has greatly slowed, if not halted, progress being made to convert a large portion of taxicabs in New York City to wheelchair-accessible vehicles; •TNCs continue to argue that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a law designed to provide inclusiveness for all, does not apply to their operations in any way; •TNCs do not, except in rare instances, have the capability to ac- consideration how they will allow TNCs to continue to grow to avoid a “collision course” with environmental and sustainability policy. TNCs Lack Social Corporate Responsibility & Ethics • TNCs market themselves as socially responsible businesses when, in reality, they have built a highly sophisticated crafted web of tax avoidance depriving cities and nations out of hundreds of millions in tax revenue; • Local taxicab and for-hire vehicle transportation providers are obliged to pay their local taxes, which increases their cost burden and forces them to charge higher fares than the TNCs are able to offer, putting the traditional industry at a competitive disadvantage for fulfilling its civic duty; • Without the advantage of a TNC’s tax structure, local taxicab and forhire vehicle providers are forced out of business, further decreasing the tax revenue to the government; and • TNCs have led to the proliferation of ever-smaller jobs (“gigs” and “micro-gigs”) performed by independent contractors, freelancers, temps and part-timers (collectively termed as “the disposable workforce”), where workers, who must go out of pocket for vehicle loan payments, gasoline, vehicle maintenance, car insurance and health insurance, are faced with no safety net such as unemployment or injured workers’ compensation, paid sick or vacation leave while operating in a reality that they can be disconnected from the TNC app platform at any time without any recourse, thus leaving them “holding the financial bag”. The contents of this report have been reviewed and approved by the following independent panel of experts: Hon. Patricia Gatling, the longest serving Commissioner/ Chair of the NYC Commission on Human Rights, former Deputy Secretary to the NY State Governor for Civil Rights and former Kings County (Brooklyn, NY) First Assistant District Attorney; Professor Jonathan Peters, an academic researcher with Accounting and Finance at the City University of New York/College of Staten Island, an economist whose work has focused on transportation economics, equity and congestion management/performance metrics; and representatives of and officials from Keroul, an international tourism and cultural organization based in Canada which focuses on advancing the rights of people with restricted physical mobility, including Keroul Board Chair Isabelle Ducharme, whose background is in accessible business and tourism, with personal experience since 1988 with mobility restrictions caused by an automobile related spinal injury, has been an advocate for disability rights for decades; Michel Trudel Keroul Secretary of the Committee on Universal Accessibility of the Montreal Taxi Industry, the former taxicab regulator from (Continued on Page 23) KAREN A. FRIEDMAN PRESIDENT Association of Motor Vehicle Trial Attorneys FLUENT IN FRENCH ATTORNEYS ATTORNEY AT LAW (212) 213-2145 ALL MOVING VIOLATIONS ALL MOVING THROUGHOUT VIOLATIONS NEW YORK STATE IN OFFICE WHO PRACTICE: PERSONAL INJURY MATRIMONIAL REAL ESTATE LAW COMMERCIAL IMMIGRATION Speeding; Red Lights; Traffic Signs SUSPENSIONS & WARRANTS LIFTED CRIMINALLY RELATED MATTERS Driving While Intoxicated (DWI); Reckless Driving; Aggravated Unlicensed Operation SAFETY HEARINGS 30 East New 33 Street Throughout York State RD 4TH Floor 404 New Park Avenue South York, NY 10016 New K.Friedman@msn.com York, NY 10016 EMAIL: between 28th and 29th Streets WEBSITE: www.NewYorkTraffi cLawyer.com — We Accept Credit Cards — Fluent in French and Spanish (718 PAGE 14 • TAXI INSIDER • AUGUST 2016 Daus (Continued from Page 13) Montreal, and former IATR President; and Maureen Koetz, the former Assistant/Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Environment, Safety and Occupational Health to the United States Air Force and former Congressional Counsel to the U.S. Senate Energy Committee, who is an expert in sustainability and natural capital and infrastructure management, with extensive public and private experience in the field. The full TNC Equity Gap Report can be accessed by contacting Professor Matthew W. Daus, Esq. at mdaus@windelsmarx.com and will be showcased at the annual conference for the International Association of Transportation Regulators (IATR) in San Francisco (September 22-25, 2016). The conference program can be viewed, and individuals and companies can register and/or sponsor by visiting www.iatr.global. ••••• Patricia L. Gatling is the former Deputy Secretary for Civil Rights under New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo. She oversaw the operations of the Department of Civil Service, the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations, the Division of Veterans Affairs, the Division of Human Rights, and the Public Employee Relations Board. For over a decade, Ms. Gatling served as the Commissioner and Chair of the New York City Commission on By Appointment Only * At Beaver Street ONLY! Human Rights under Mayor Michel Bloomberg and Mayor Bill de Blasio. As Commissioner, Ms. Gatling was charged with enforcing the Human Rights Law and combating discrimination in New York City. Ms. Gatling is also the Executive Producer of Fighting for Justice: New York Voices of the Civil Rights Movement, a series of groundbreaking documentary films for the New York City Commission on Human Rights and NYC Media’s online Civil Rights Museum. In addition, Ms. Gatling worked as a senior trainer with John Jay College of Criminal Justice, as part of the U.S. State Department’s International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA), teaching “Human Dignity and the Law” in newly emerging democratic countries, such as Botswana, Thailand, and Budapest, and at the Dubai Police Academy International Conference in the United Arab Emirates. She has served on the New York City Charter Revision Commission and is currently a member of the Board of Trustees for the New York Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection. ••••• KOETZ AND DUNCAN is a small, woman-owned business that provides strategic consulting in all areas of enterprise management and public affairs pertaining to sustainable development and asset management. KOETZ AND DUNCAN is led by Maureen T. Koetz, who formed the company after a distinguished career at the intersection of government, infrastructure, and energy management as an attorney, federal policymaker, and member of the Senior Executive Service. Ms. Koetz is the former Acting Assistant Secretary, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Installations, Environment, and Logistics of the United States Air Force, managing a 10 million acre/$250 billion asset portfolio in support of sustainable operations for the largest energy consumer in the federal government. In addition to overseeing multi-billion dollar construction, sustainment, sully, and environment programs, she also served as the Historic Preservation Official, the Natural Resource Trustee, and a Member of the Air Force Base Closure Executive Group. During her service as a Presidential appointee, Ms. Koetz formulated advanced management and communications programs to address encroachment and excess operational costs resulting from diminished natural capital access and supply, in what would become a template for efficiency and effectiveness for enterprise sustainable development. Ms. Koetz has also held positions as Environmental Counsel for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Counsel to U.S. Senator Pete Domenici. She resides in Lower Manhattan, and was the Republican candidate for the 65th Assembly District in New York in 2014 against the now-disgraced Sheldon Silver. ••••• Ms. Isabelle Ducharme has been working on social integration of people with disabilities for more than 20 years. During the last ten years, Miss Ducharme has presented at various conferences and facilitated multiple workshops on creating awareness for integrating people with disabilities. Her personal experience of living with a spinal cord injury since her car accident in 1988 gives her unique insight in the barriers many persons with disabilities face. She truly understands the different needs and accommodation needed to attain full integration. She has a bachelor’s degree in communications at Université de Montréal and a Master’s degree in business and tourism planning at Université du Québec à Montréal. She also completed a course in ‘’communication and leadership’’ from Dale Carnegie to further refine her presentation skills. In the field of disabilities, she has delivered keynotes, has trained and consulted, specifically, she has: • Delivered sensitivity awareness classes to workers of the travel industry. • Created a new concept of accessible circuit to promote accessible venues: www.theaccessibleroad. com. (Continued on Page 18) AUGUST 2016 • TAXI INSIDER • PAGE 15 Fantasy Vs Reality? By Larry Fisher The Democratic and Republican Party conventions are history, and I cannot resist the temptation to comment. Although there are probably other topics readers of this monthly newspaper would like me to discuss, the conventions provide so much fresh material. On the other hand, it is significant that today’s business news headline is Uber merging with Didi, the leading transportation app company in China. The significance of this news is that after burning through billions of dollars in China, Uber is basically giving up. Another headline today in the NY Post is the release of photos of Mrs. Trump in suggestive poses with another woman on the heels of naked photographs of Mrs Trump over the weekend. Are these photos in keeping with the tenor of the Republican Convention? I think so. After all, Mrs. Trump was selling a fantasy in those photos, as is her husband on the campaign trail. Name the issue, and only Donald Trump can fix it. Isis, trade, immigration, are his signature issues. Few details have been forthcoming, but trust him, he’ll make all the problems disappear. Fantasy? You betcha. It would be criminal of me not to mention some of the other more frightening aspects of Trump’s utterings and behavior. He wants to be the “Law and Order” candidate, similar to Richard Nixon’s 1968 proclamation. Please excuse me if I get bent out of shape when a man of German descent deems himself the “law and order candidate”. Six million of my brethren learned the hard way. Muslims, Latinos, and immigrants have been targets of Trump’s barbs during this crazy campaign season. His penchant for speaking off the top of his head and spewing hatred and prejudice has been reviewed and criticized by more Photo By David Pollack intelligent politicians and editorialists than me. Let me just reiterate that he is capable of anything, including 1st amendment suspension, which includes freedom of the press and freedom of speech. The slippery slope devolves from there. That’s not to say that the Democrats are any shining stars. Mrs. Clinton has been a trouble magnet and her demeanor only exacerbates her problem candidacy. Voters already expressed their Bush fatigue by marginalizing Jeb’s candidacy during primary season, and the same can be said for Mrs. Clinton by virtue of the large support for Bernie Sanders. Beyond the idea that it’s about time for a woman president, the scandals of the Bill Clinton era, and the unseemly fund raising of the Clinton Foundation are potential liabilities that could derail Mrs. Clinton’s ascension to the presidency. But, what about us? Did either party address issues that affect our industry? Was there any discussion of the gig economy and its impact on benefits and full-time workers? Were there any speeches that referred to the structural unemployment that technology has caused? How about the deal the Democrats struck with Uber in Philadelphia so that delegates could be transported to and from the convention? To sum up, on the one hand, we have the fantasy candidate. On the other hand, we have the troubled candidate. Not much of a choice. Still, if you believe that one is significantly worse than the other, your choice is easy. Throwing away your vote on a third party candidate might be a real option if you believe that the risk of disaster is minimal. But, when push comes to shove, one candidate must be crushed so that we never have to listen to the mad ravings again. Quoteable Quotes We lost Hip-Hop! We need to bring it back to New York! Back to Brooklyn!” State Sen. Marty Golden. “Quinnipiac Poll: 51 percent of voters disapprove of de Blasio” amNY’s headline NYS DMV Point System Speeding (mph over posted limit) 1 to 10 . . . 3 points 11 to 20 . . 4 points 21 to 30 . . 6 points 31 to 40 . . 8 points More than 40 . . 11 points Reckless Driving . . . . 5 points Failure to stop for a School Bus . 5 points Following too closely (tailgating) 4 points Inadequate Brakes . . 4 points (while driving employer's vehicle)2 points Failing to Yield Right-Of-Way . . . 3 points Violation Involving Traffic Signal, Stop Sign, or Yield Sign . . . 3 points Railroad Crossing Violation 3 points Improper Passing or Lane Use . . 3 points Leaving scene of an incident involving property damage or injury to an animal . . 3 points Safety restraint violation involving person under 16 . 3 points Any other moving violation 2 points Note: Speeding when speed not indicated is 3 points “Call S PAGE 16 • TAXI INSIDER • AUGUST 2016 Your Medallion Headquarters ! LOMTO Generation Brokerage, Inc. TAXI and BLACK CAR INSURANCE SPECIALISTS — And — Medallion Transfer, Inc. Licensed TLC Broker #R0018 · · · · · Insuring the For Hire Industry - Taxi & Black Car Providing You Service the Way It Should Be - FAST & COURTEOUS Convenient Mid-Town Location - Hack Stand In Front of Office Medallion Sales, Leasing, and Financing Over 25 Years of Industry Experience 435 West 45th Street (Between 9th & 10th Avenues) New York, N.Y. 10036 Phone: 212 582-5721 Fax: 212 582-5722 Lou Bakalar Jon Goldbetter Transportation Forum Photos By David Pollack AUGUST 2016 • TAXI INSIDER • PAGE 17 ATO Steers GST Legal Case Away From Uber The Australian Taxation Office has contested Uber’s argument that the definition of taxi and limousine needs to be examined The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has disputed Uber’s attempts to raise doubt around the “ordinary” definition of “taxi travel” as outlined by the Goods and Services Tax (GST), saying that the connotation of the phrase along with the words taxi and limousine need to be considered. During the second hearing day at the Australian Federal Court, counsel representing the ATO said during his closing statement that Uber’s argument that the definition of taxi travel under the GST Act is only applicable to taxis and limousines is not plausible. He proposed for Justice John Griffiths to consider the connotations associated with the words taxi and limousine. Pointing to the specific case of Sydney-based UberX driver Brian Fine as an example, counsel representing the ATO said Fine revealed during cross-examination that he would drive around -- much like a taxi would -- until someone wanted his service, before picking up a passenger, driving them to their destination, and charging a fare for the service. “Like a taxi driver, [Mr Fine] pry the streets, and really effectively is hailed. We say functionally, he’s hailed by users of the app,” he said. This goes against the argument that counsel representing Uber declared on Wednesday, which said the “real point of distinction” between UberX versus taxis and limousines is that taxis are the only vehicles that can pick up passengers from the curb side or be hailed. Counsel representing the ATO further argued that regardless of whether taxi travel is provided by a taxi, limousine, or any form of other vehicle service, it does not mean that UberX is part of a different industry, and therefore its drivers should not be exempt from having to register for GST. Blair Davies, Australian Taxi Industry Association CEO, told ZDNet that the case is addressing the “heart of the issue”, which is creating a level playing field for taxi drivers in Australia. “We’re not running away from the fight. In fact, we are keen to take up the challenge and contest it in the marketplace based on everybody playing by the same rules, not by one side having an unfair advantage,” he said. “The case at the moment is the ATO is treating Uber drivers much like taxis, and we commend for that. We hope the court upholds that.” Uber lodged legal action against the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) back in August last year in the hope that the ATO would overturn its decision requiring Uber drivers to register for GST. Last May, the ATO issued a directive that advised those providing a ridesharing service must have an Australian Business Number and be registered for GST. However, in documents lodged to the Federal Court, Uber argued the public issue by the ATO “unfairly targets Uber driver-partners”. An Uber spokesperson previously told ZDNet that it believes the ATO’s guidance should not have been issued, given that a federal tax review is currently under way. “To be very clear, we believe all our driver-partners should pay their appropriate share of tax and meet their tax obligations,” the company said. “However, we feel they have been unjustly singled out by the ATO for different tax treatment than truck drivers, bike messengers, Airbnb hosts, or any other participant of the sharing economy.” The company went on to express its disappointment in the ATO, saying that it is unfairly targeting Uber’s driverpartners, who “must register and remit this tax from the first dollar earned”. This is in comparison to individuals who are only required to register for GST once they reach a turnover of more than AU$75,000 a year. “The guidance by the ATO has tried to fit a new technology model from today into a 1990s regulatory framework that was written long before this technology ever existed. Common sense would tell you that isn’t going to work,” the company said. On Monday, the NSW government announced that it is offering AU$20,000 in compensation grants to taxi drivers who have lost business due to Uber and other ridesharing services. The AU$250 million industry transition package will allow the drivers to apply for upfront payments for up to two licences, AU$100 million of which will be paid for by a AU$1 levy on all taxi and ridesharing trips, meaning that NSW ridesharing and taxi users will have to collectively contribute AU$100 million to pay for the scheme. AU$142 million has also been set aside for hardship claims. According to the Transport NSW website, eligible drivers’ licences must include a condition that it may be transferred, and drivers have to have held their licence prior to July 1, 2016. Applications for the payments are currently open until January 13, 2017. Uber was officially legalised in NSW by the state government in December last year, with a new regular and commissioner put in place to oversee the industry. A transition period was also put in place for a number of months for ridesharing drivers to obtain the correct accreditation to drive legally on NSW roads. This was after the ACT became the first Australian state or territory to legalise ridesharinglast October. This included the same regulatory conditions that are enforced for taxi drivers, such as driver history checks and vehicle Project M FOLLOW THE DUCKS TO ROAD SAFETY “Originally printed in PROJECT M from Allianz” Yellow rubber ducks could be one way of avoiding deadly accidents with self-driving cars, such as the one in which a Tesla Model S was involved in Florida earlier this year. Commonly found in bathtubs, the little toys also populate the streets of Duckietown, an advanced autonomy class taught at MIT. Built and programmed by students, the 50 robot-controlled ducks have to recognize traffic lights, road signs and other obstacles that challenge auto engineers and drivers in the real world. Each robot taxi is equipped with a single camera and navigates the model roads without using preprogrammed maps. In a playful yet clever way, the ducks are there to test how self-driving cars might interact on public roads in the future. “One of the major challenges for autonomous driving research is the safety and logistics associated with this work,” says Liam Paull, who leads the project. “If we can develop a smaller, safer, cheaper platform where the same algorithms work as for real cars, we can carry out research more efficiently.” In the meantime, Google is running a self-driving car project with a testing program in four US cities using cars that have autonomously driven over 1.5 million miles. Three types of sensors enable the prototype to “see” its surroundings, even at night, to predict the behavior of what it sees and to make decisions about how to react by comparing what’s happening in real time with its models. Cars are taught to detect unfamiliar objects or other road users, and are given practice on how to respond. The challenge is to translate the complex technology behind autonomous cars into a product that is accessible to user groups such as the elderly, says Timo Möller, automotive consultant at McKinsey, Germany. “It will have to be a case of a senior citizen giving the car simple instructions, such as ‘take me to the doctor’s.’ The car might then ask if the driver wants the fast or the slow route. It should be as simple as getting onto a bus.” Self-driving robo taxis might be an attractive form of transport for the elderly. These fully autonomous vehicles, currently under development for commuting short distances, could be ordered for that weekly trip to the doctor’s surgery, for example. Overall, autonomous vehicles could offer individual mobility for the elderly despite physical, health and other handicaps that may come with old age, says Sven Beiker, of McKinsey, a former executive director of CARS, the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford University. “Mobility is a human need, on a par with a desire to communicate. Being mobile is key to having an active lifestyle and to leading the life you want: if a car takes over the driving, then it doesn’t matter if you are able to drive or not.” More than 90% of road accidents include human error as a contributing factor but introducing self-driving cars will not necessarily prevent all those accidents, says Beiker. “There is this huge expectation that once we have this technology, we have a high chance of getting rid of a large share of accidents based on human error. Yet how good we can get overall is still not decided.” One problem is that computers can’t think outside the box and are ill prepared for non-standard traffic situations. A human is experience and intuition based, cutting corners here and there, explains Beiker. A computer doesn’t know how to react to a situation that hasn’t been programmed. Google experienced its first collision in February, when one of its self-driving Lexus SUVs drove into the side of a bus. The question of safety remains – until it might be answered by a duck. “Originally printed in PROJECT M from Allianz” safety checks. Uber was then deemed to be legal in Western Australia under major taxi industry reform in December, with the proviso that drivers had to obtain special “omnibus” licences in addition to their standard driving licences; while a decision passed by a Victorian County Court judge in favour of a Melbourne Uber driver effectively gave the service the green light to operate in Victoria in May. While South Australia followed suit at the start of this month, Uber is still battling the Queensland government to become legal in that state. The Queensland government last month passed new legislation to crack down on Uber drivers, which included increased fines and more powers for traffic enforcement officers. The Northern Territory government is still refusing to allow Uber to operate. Reprintedwith permission from ZDNet. PAGE 18 • TAXI INSIDER • AUGUST 2016 Current Medallion Agents A0003 Cab Management Corp 27-34 Jackson Avenue LIC, NY 11101 (718) 937-8668 A0204 B. Taxi Management Inc. 314 West 53 Street NY, NY 10019 (212) 957-0033 A0011 J & I Maintenance Corp. 341 Bergen Street Brooklyn, NY 11217 (718) 858-3502 A0206 AJB Taxi Management Inc. 662 10 Avenue NY, NY 10036 (212) 956-3177 A0014 Midtown Operating Corp. 42-50 24 Street LIC, NY 11101 (718) 937-2080 A0213 J T L Management Inc. 36-16 Skillman Avenue LIC, NY 11101 (718) 392-7000 A0017 521 West 21st St Management Corp. 415 West 127 Street New York, NY 10027 (212) 665-4900 A0217 Medallion Maintenance Inc. 11-38 44 Road LIC, NY 11101 (718) 472-9000 A0110 Winners Garage Inc. 34-14 64 Street Woodside, NY 11377 (718) 458-7000 A0224 S & R Medallion Corp. 625 West 51 Street New York, NY 10019 (212) 957-9200 A0113 Checker Management Corp. 22-10 Jackson Avenue LIC, NY 11101 (718) 361-6300 A0232 Wailing Management Inc. 31-08 Northern Boulevard LIC, NY 11101 (718) 472-1800 A0201 Green Apple Management Corp. 34-20 31 Street LIC, NY 11106 (718) 361-5555 A0236 D & J Management Of Queens Inc. 34-14 64 Street Woodside, NY 11377 (718) 458-6609 A0202 All Taxi Management Inc 41-25 36 Street LIC, NY 11101 (718) 361-0055 A0249 On Our Way Management Corp. 6814 5 Avenue Bklyn, NY 11220 (718) 833-8125 Daus (Continued from Page 14) • Master trainer and leader of My Toolbox, a self-management workshops for people with chronic illnesses, including one adapted specifically for people with spinal cord injury. • Created and hosted a radio show to keep people with disabilities informed of products and services available: Accès libre at Canal M of Vues et Voix. Ms. Ducharme is Chairman of the Board at Kéroul, a Quebec based organisation who’s mission is to make tourism and culture more accessible for persons with limited physical abilities. She is also active on the Board of Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. ••••• Michel Trudel is a geographer and urban planner. He is a consultant in tourism and transportation, especially for Kéroul, an organization devoted to the development of inclusive tourism. He was in charge of the organization of the first World Summit Destinations for All held in Montreal October 2014. Previously, he worked for the Department of Transport of the Province of Quebec where he developed an expertise in transport regulation. From 1992 to 2000 he was member of the Board of Directors of the International Association of Transportation Regulators (President from 1992 to 1994). He worked also at the Quebec Department of Tourism in regional development and then as director of the Tourism Promotion of Quebec. It is in the course of his duties to the Government of Quebec, in transportation and tourism, he met André Leclerc, the founder and CEO of Kéroul. ••••• Jonathan R. Peters is an associate professor of finance in the Business Department at The College of Staten Island of The City University of New York and a Research Fellow at The University Transportation Research Center at The City College of New York. He received his Ph.D. in Economics from the City University of New York and his Masters in Econom- A0255 Kim Cab Leasing Corp. 3864a Flatlands Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11234 (718) 252-8300 A0308 Taxifleet Management LLC. 34-14 31 Street LIC, NY 11106 (718) 361-6363 A0259 Mc Guinness Management Corp 330 Mc Guinness Boulevard Bklyn, NY 11222 (718) 389-4483 A0312 Gotham Yellow LLC. 75 Canal Street West Bronx, NY 10451 (718) 993-8100 A0280 Eddie’s Management Corp. 40-08 24 Street LIC, NY 11101 (718) 707-0072 A0289 Boulevard Taxi Leasing Inc. 32-56 49 Street LIC, NY 11103 (718) 932-3312 A0290 United Taxi Mgmt. Group, Inc. 43-10 39 Street LIC, NY 11104 (718) 392-4600 A0292 City Transport Mgmt 54-18 Broadway Woodside, NY 11377 (718) 507-4840 A0301 Napasei Management Corp. 607 West 47 Street New York, NY 10036 (646) 641-8307 A0313 Northwestern Management Corp. 35-11 43 Avenue 2nd Floor LIC, NY 11101 (718) 482-8181 A0322 NYC Interboro Management Inc. 36-02 21 Street LIC, NY 11106 (718) 392-0250 A0324 AstoRia Taxi Leasing Corp. 32-56 49 Street LIC, NY 11103 (718) 932-3312 A0326 Gotham Yellow LLC. 134-02 33 Avenue Flushing, NY 11354 (718) 993-8100 A0336 Taxi World Inc. 627 West 51 Street New York, NY 10019 (212) 265-4022 A0307 Taxifleet Management LLC 54-11 Queens Boulevard Woodside, NY 11377 (718) 779-5000 ics from Hunter College. Dr. Peters previously worked in the Finance Division of AT&T Corporation where he was a subject matter expert on immigration and international finance. He serves on the Economics of Pricing Subcommittee of the National Academies of Science Transportation Research Board and the Board of the City University Institute for Urban Systems. His work on public-private partnerships was published in 2006 by the New York State Department of Transportation. He has previously published in The Journal of Applied Finance, Transportation Quarterly and most recently in Public Works Management & Policy. He currently conducts research in the areas of regional planning, road and mass transit financing, corporate and public sector performance metrics, capital costs and performance management. Kindly Patronize Our Advertisers Check Out the Directory on Page 32 AUGUST 2016 • TAXI INSIDER • PAGE 19 PAGE 20 • TAXI INSIDER • AUGUST 2016 LETTERS (Continued from Page 3) deal that handed Uber a free, private lot for its vehicles outside the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia and gave the company inside access to transport party VIPs at the convention. The RNC declined the same proposal from Uber, leaving the company to rent space at the Republican convention in Cleveland earlier this month. I am a Democrat and a wheelchair user. I feel the impact of Uber’s discrimination every day. In my home city of New York, Uber has more than 30,000 cars on the road but none are wheelchair accessible. Uber disregards our civil rights and devalues our lives by refusing to provide accessible vehicles in New York and other cities across the nation. Uber’s shameful business practices do not align with the Democratic Party Platform, which opposes discrimination against people of color, the LGBT community and people with disabilities. At this year’s convention, the DNC notably featured a powerful speech from Anastasia Somoza, a fellow New York wheelchair user who is an incredible advocate for our community. That is why I am shocked that the Democrats – my party – would cut a deal with a $60 billion company that increases its profits by violating my civil rights. I expect better from Democrats. I can only hope that your candidates, Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine, will respond by taking swift action to disavow the deal and condemn Uber’s discrimination. Sincerely, Dustin Jones United for Equal Access New York sign on his dashboard, working on New York City streets, God bless America. Tom Driving a Star Dear Taxi Dave, DNC Dear Taxi Dave, I just watched Bloomberg’s speech at the DNC. Where does he get the nerve to say that Donald Trump will threaten the retirement savings of all Americans. Even if that is true, look who’s saying it, a man who funneled millions of dollars through a hedge fund to help start UBER’s drive to devalue the medallions that we worked so hard to build for our retirement. How can he speak with a straight face? Abe How Is This Possible Dear Taxi Dave, Look at this Texas license plate, he has UBER Look Who was in my car today! Ali Velshi John Driving Skills (Continued from Page 11) their driving skills and help stave off decline through various types of exercise and physical therapy. New research by the Yale University School of Medicine, for example, found that even a moderate regimen of physical therapy specifically designed for the task — only 15 minutes of exercises a day — could significantly improve flexibility, coordination and speed of movement of extremities in drivers 70 years old and older who were afflicted with various limitations such as arthritis. The success of the therapy, in turn, is projected to improve driving performance by at least an 8 percent lower crash occurrence over two years. “Our hope was to make small improvements in several areas of physical functioning that, taken together, were meaningful, and that’s essentially what we found,” said Dr. Richard Marottoli, associate professor of medicine at Yale. “Next, we want to look at whether people who might not yet have these limitations could relatively easily incorporate some of these activities and prevent [driving] problems down the road.” Cabbie Finds Inheritance in Backseat, Returns $187G to Passenger A Boston cabbie is being praised as a Good Samaritan after finding and returning a passenger’s inheritance — nearly $200,000 in cold hard cash — accidentally left in the in the back of his taxi. “Fifty percent of people say yeah, you should have done that, the other fifty percent say you should have took it, but I’m not a crook,” said Raymond MacCausland, who found the green backpack full of approximately $187,000 in cash in his cab on Saturday. “I always return things.” MacCausland, 72, a taxi driver for fifty years, said he picked up the passenger on Massachusetts Avenue and Tremont Street, and took him to a nearby stop so the man could run an errand. When the passenger didn’t return after 20 to 30 minutes, MacCausland said, he left. It was only later he said, that he found the backpack in the back seat. “I zipped down a little bit on the bag, and I saw three bundles of money, right away I zipped it up,” MacCausland said. “I just thought it was clothes.” MacCausland said he took the bag to the police station, and turned it over to the police hackney unit. “I didn’t know if I should go look for him. It might have been stolen money, it might have been bank robbery money, I had no idea,” MacCausland said. “I only saw three packs, three bundles, but I knew the whole bag was full of money.” By law, taxi drivers must return forgotten property to BPD’s hackney unit. Once at BPD headquarters officers unpacked the bag, laid the cash on a table, and began counting. In the end, police said, there was roughly $187,000. “It had to be about 30 bundles, maybe 40 bundles, one bundle had ten thousand dollars, another bundle had $20s and $50s,” MacCausland said. “It really is something to see.” BPD spokeswoman Rachel McGuire said the passenger was tracked down and reunited with the money, which turned out to be a recent inheritance. She said police detectives were able to confirm the money was rightfully his. “He had proof that it was his, he had the trust agreement, he provided the proof the money was his,” McGuire said. “Thank goodness for the honest cab driver.” Reached by phone after the money was returned, the passenger declined to comment. For MacCausland, the episode brought back memories of 30 years ago. “Thirty-something years ago, I took a man to the airport and he left $10,000 in a briefcase on the front seat,” MacCausland said. The briefcase was returned but wasn’t exactly met with gratitude, he said. This time, when he reunited with the passenger at police headquarters, MacCausland said, he was rewarded with $100. “Thirty-something years ago, I took a man to the airport and he left $10,000 in a briefcase on the front seat,” MacCausland said. The briefcase was returned but wasn’t exactly met with gratitude, he said. This time, when he reunited with the passenger at police headquarters, MacCausland said, he was rewarded with $100. AUGUST 2016 • TAXI INSIDER • PAGE 21 UBER MIAMI (CBSMiami) – An Uber driver has been arrested after Miami police conducted an anti-gun violence operation in Coconut Grove. Miami police said they received a tip that a narcotics deal was going down Tuesday at the Quick Stop on Grand Ave. in Coconut Grove. Several units converged on the location where they arrested Ilitch Muñoz who they said was selling cocaine. Detectives said upon further review, Muñoz – who is an Uber driver – was in possession of a handgun. Of the 40 busiest U.S. airports, 10 don’t allow pickups unless drivers have a chauffeur’s license or livery plates, including Atlanta, Orlando, Detroit, Boston and Philadelphia. Uber and Lyft are aggressively negotiating agreements with airports, agreeing to pay the same fees taxis pay for pickups in many cases, usually about $2 to $4 per ride. MUMBAI STRIKE UBER Mumbai’s traditional taxi drivers went on strike yesterday, protesting against the car-hailing service Uber that they say is undercutting their fares and threatening to drive them out of business. Drivers of Mumbai’s “black and yellow” cabs, as well as fleet taxi and auto rickshaw drivers, took part in the strike in their thousands, organisers said. Hundreds of drivers gathered at Azad Maidan, the sports ground in south Mumbai, to protest against Uber and its Indian rival, Ola. The drivers are demanding that the app-based companies bring their fares in line with the rates set by the local government authorities. Failing that, the companies should be shut down completely, say the local taxi drivers. While the local traditional taxis charge 15 rupees (81 fils) per kilometre, Uber and Ola charge as low as 8 rupees and 6 rupees a kilometre respectively. “We will organise another strike in July if our demands are not met,” said Balasaheb Sanap, the president of the Jai Bhagwan Taxi Rickshaw Sanghatana, a union that led the protest against what it described as an unfair pricing strategy. Santosh Singh, 39, a fleet taxi driver who took part in the strike, said that before Uber and Ola came into the market he was generating revenues of 80,000 to 90,000 rupees a month – but now his revenues amount to only 25,000 to 30,000 rupees a month. “I have a loan on my taxi to pay off, 18,000 rupees a month, but I haven’t been able to pay the instalments for the past two months,” he said. “I’m worried that the bank will take my car from me.” He has a son and daughter who are teenagers and he said he could no longer afford to pay for their education, so he has been forced to borrow money from the bank earlier this month. “There are some people who want to hang themselves because of Ola and Uber,” he said. 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Not valid with online ticket sales. No pets or smoking, please. SAVE UP TO $5 ON TICKETS AT Listen to Podcasts of The Taxi Dave Show and Read Taxi Insider on-line @ NYCTAXINEWS. COM Taken by Elias Schwartz PAGE 22 • TAXI INSIDER • AUGUST 2016 AUGUST 2016 • TAXI INSIDER • PAGE 23 Illegal Street Hail Law Must Be Enforced By Abe Mittleman In New York City Medallion Taxis didn’t listen to the show on July 31, have the exclusive right to passengers 2016 you are still able to listen. Taxi Dave had as his guest the that hail them from the street. Other For Hire Vehicles are licensed to do Honorable Peter Mazer. Mr. Mazer is pre arranged passenger work. This is an attorney with lots of experience. the law. There is no arguing that if a He formally was the Chief Council person raises a hand that this work is for the TLC and presently is the Legal Representative for the Metropolitan for a Medallion Taxi. For many years other vehicles, Taxicab Board of Trade (MTBOT). Mr some not licensed by the TLC, but Mazer knows a lot about how things mostly For Hire Vehicles that are li- work at the TLC. Here is what was explained: censed to do pre arranged work have When a TLC licensed driver rebeen stealing passengers that are hailing from the street. As a poten- ceives a summons he first receives tial passenger raises a hand, an FHV a notice encouraging the driver to vehicle will often approach and the plead guilty and pay a reduced fine. In driver will attempt to negotiate a deal the case of a driver who violated the with the potential passenger. This is law in subject here the fine would be illegal. And, the driver knows it. But $250, not $2000. If the driver instead with out heavy handed enforcement chooses to continue to trial then the the driver will not fear chancing it. $2000 fine would be in play. NatuThis happens every day of the week, rally, this driver knows he has very hundreds if not thousands of times. little chance of winning this case. So, The TLC was doing a very good job the $250 fine is paid and there are no of discouraging this illegal activity by penalty points. So, the driver is free setting up and stinging these drivers. to continue this illegal activity. Why is this done? It is done for the They were seizing the vehicles and putting them out of business until most ridiculous reason imaginable. It fines and towing costs were met. Even is done because there is a competition so, that wasn’t enough because the for the revenue between the TLC and amount of these expenses were just The Office of Administrative Trials and not enough to discourage this illegal Hearings (OATH). If the case goes to activity from continuing. And further trial OATH gets the money. If the driver more, a court ruling ended the seizing pleads guilty by mail and pays the reduced fine the TLC gets the money. of these vehicles. THIS IS AN OUTRAGE! WHAT So, the New York City Council stepped in with a bill that would GOOD IS A LAW IF IT CAN’T BE raise the fine for this illegal activ- APPLIED! WHO IS OUR CITY ity. Local Law No. 52 was passed G OV E R N M E N T W O R K I N G and signed by Mayor DiBlasio on FOR? Government is supposed to protect April 21, 2016. The fines passed for violation of the law were as follows. the citizens rights and enforce the laws $2000 for the 1st offence, $4000 for that are on the books that are created the 2nd offence and $10,000 plus loss for this purpose. We have rights and of drivers DMV license for the 3rd they are being violated day after day. offence. So, finally the law had teeth When and how will this injustice end? and it would figure that this blatant If a law is passed to protect citizens violation of the property rights of rights there should be not be a back medallion taxis would have a chance door way around it. Editor’s Note: The TLC had an of being controlled. But no, not so fast! And this writer opportunity to read this before publication and TLC Spokesperson Allan can not believe the reason why. Many of us listen to the Taxi Dave Fromberg responded with the followShow on Sunday night. We can listen ing:.... in fact, we are not offering live on WOR radio at 8PM. If we miss $250 fines for $2,000 violations. We the show archived shows are available review these summonses on a caseany time you want to listen on the by-case basis and thus far, offers have WOR Taxi Dave archived page and ranged between $1,000 and $1,250 NYCTAXINEWS.COM. So, if you for first-time offenders. Member Brokerage Services, LLC DEFENSIVE DRIVING COURSE SCHEDULE Classes will be offered the following Saturdays: October 1st November 5th November 5th – will remain Pending (depending on amount of interest) Time: 9am – 3pm Contact Lori at Member Brokerage Service, LLC DDC given on third floor at Melrose Building 139-30 Queens Blvd. 718 523-1300 Extension 1037 TAXI DAVE’S RADIO SHOW WOR-710AM 8:00 – 9:00 PM EVERY SUNDAY! OLDEE Taxi Instruments A Name You Can Trust Since Your Grandfather Drove a Cab! Taxicab Owners: Need a meter? Need advertising? Need a GPS System? Need Roof-lights? Need Security Cameras? Need a partition? Need Upholstery? Need a Checker Cab? OLDEE DOES IT ALL! From Taxi Security to Advertising Phone 718 482-6533 / Fax 718 - 482-7144 24-50 47th Street • Astoria, New York 11103 (4 Blocks from the TLC Inspection Site) Open: Monday to Fridays 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturdays 9:00 am -1:00 pm PAGE 24 • TAXI INSIDER • AUGUST 2016 TAXI AND FOR-HIRE VEHICLE RELIEF STANDS DOT is not responsible regulating taxis. Taxis are regulated by the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission. DOT does regulate taxi relief stands Taxi 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 personal 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. The type column indicates if the relief stand is for taxis alone, or both taxis and For-Hire Vehicles (FHVs). Staten Island currently has no relief stands. BRONX TYPE LOCATION Taxi Taxi Jerome Ave. (E. Side) Metropolitan Ave. (N. Side) CROSS STREET Eliot Pl. & E. 170th St. Purdy St. & Red Oak Dr. MANHATTAN EAST SIDE ABOVE 23RD STREET Taxis Taxis Taxis Taxis Taxis & FHVs Taxis Taxis & FHVs Taxis & FHVs Taxis E.77th St.(N. Side) E. 86th St. (N. Side) E. 78th Street (N. Side) E. 78th St. (S. Side) E. 29th St. (S. Side) E. 27th St. (N. Side) E.28th St. (N. Side) Madison Ave. (W. Side) E. 26th Street (S. Side) First & Second Aves. Henderson Pl. & York Ave. Lexington & Third Ave. Lexington & Third Ave. Madison & Fifth Ave. Park Ave. S. & Madison Ave. Park Av. S. & Lexington Ave. E. 26th & 27th St. Third & Second Aves. MANHATTAN WEST SIDE ABOVE 23RD STREET Taxis Taxis & FHVs Taxis & FHVs Taxis Taxis Taxis & FHVs Taxis & FHVs Taxis Taxis Taxis Taxis W. 55th St. (S. Side) Sixth Ave. (W.Side) Eighth Ave. (E. Side) Broadway (E. Side) Eighth Ave. (W. Side) Sixth Ave. (W. Side) Sixth Ave. (W. Side) Broadway (E. Side) Ninth Ave. (E. Side) West 39th St. (S. Side) Ninth Ave. (E. Side) Tenth & Eleventh Aves. W. 55th & 56th Sts. W. 52nd & 53rd Sts. W. 48th & 47th Sts. W. 46th & 47th Sts. W. 39th & 40th Sts. W. 38th & 39th Sts. W. 43rd & 42nd Sts. W. 42nd & 41st Sts. Eighth & Ninth Aves. W. 30th & 29th Sts. MANHATTAN BELOW 23RD STREET Taxis Taxis & FHVs Taxis Taxis & FHVs Taxis & FHVs Taxis Taxis & FHVs Taxis Taxis & FHVs Taxis & FHVs Taxis & FHVs Taxis E. 23rd St. Sixth Ave. (W. Side) Third Ave. (W. Side) Third Ave. (W. Side) Sixth Ave. (W. Side) Sixth Ave. (W. Side) Canal St. (N. Side) Park Row (SE. Side) Fulton St. (S. Side) South St. (N. Side) Water St. (W. Side) Whitehall St. (W. Side) Taxis Taxis N. Sixth St. (N. Side) Fourth Ave. (W. Side) Taxis & FHVs Taxis Taxis & FHVs Taxis Taxis & FHVs Taxis Taxis Taxis Taxis Taxis & FHVs Taxis & FHVs Taxis Taxis Taxis Taxis & FHVs 43rd Ave. (N. side) 44th Rd. (N. Side) Hunterspoint Ave. 31st St. (W. Side) 43rd Ave. 34th St. (W. Side) Skillman Ave. Queens Blvd. (S. Side) Queens Blvd. 45th Ave. (S. side) Pearson St. (W. Side) 49th St. 55th St. Van Dam St. 36th St. BROOKLYN QUEENS First & Second Aves. W. 22nd & 23rd Sts. E. 14th & 15th Sts. E. 15th & 14th Sts. W.13th & 14th Sts. Thompson & Grand Sts. E. Broadway & Essex St. Ann & Beekman Sts. Broadway & Church St. Old Slip & Broad St. Whitehall & Broad Sts. South & State Sts, Berry St. & Wythe Ave. Third & Sixth Sts. 11th & 12th Sts. 21st & 11th Sts. 27th & 30th Sts. 34th & 35th Aves. 36th & 37th Sts. 37th & 38th Aves. 37th & 36th Sts. 50th & 51st Sts. 55th & 54th Sts. Jackson Ave. & 23rd St. Jackson Ave. & dead end Newtown Rd & Northern Blvd. Queens Blvd & Roosevelt Ave. Queens Blvd & Skillman Ave. Skillman & 43rd Aves. Don’t risk a summons trying to find a Relief Stand on the list that the TLC web site provides. Texting or searching on-line while in your cab is against the law. Keep this list in your taxi for future use! My Solution By Abe Mittleman In New York City the number of hours that taxi drivers have to drive to earn an acceptable living along with the availability of taxicab service during high demand times have been a problem for both taxi drivers and the general public for a very long time. The solution to these problems seems to have evaded the regulators of this industry for many years Despite efforts to solve this problem, it seems to go on and on. . But is this really a complicated problem to solve? There are 24 hours in a day. There is demand for taxi service around the clock, all of these 24 hours. Statistics show that the high point of the demand is during the morning rush and the evening rush hours. Drivers for many years have been generally working 12 hour shifts beginning at 4am to 6am and ending 12 hours later at 4pm to 6 pm. The morning rush hour is covered with this arrangement. However, the times of change over 4pm to 6pm leaves a gap in availability of service at the highest demand time of the day. So, I am proposing this idea for all to think about: 9 or 10 hour shifts. A shift can start at 4am-6am then end at 1pm-3pm. The next shift can start at 1pm-3pm then end at 10pmto1am. The over night hours from 12am- 4am when taxi service is still needed but diminished could be available to drivers who only want to work those hours. So, not only will the evening rush be covered but all hours will be covered, even during switch times that would be staggered. But, this wouldn’t work if a driver can’t earn a decent living wage. Based on the current fare structure. If a driver switches hours from 12 to 9 hours the earning potential is reduced by 25%. If a driver switches hours from 12 to 10 hours the earning potential is reduced by 16%. The average between the two scenarios is 20.5%. Therefore a fare increase of 20.5% should give incentive for drivers to accept this change. And still drivers can at times still work 12 hours if they needed to. But, the pressure for a driver to work more than 9 or 10 hours will be greatly diminished. Now, one may argue that there are not enough drivers to do all this. That may be true with the way things are now. But, the ability to work less hours and still earn decent money will attract many new drivers to the industry as well as bringing back drivers that have left. I might even renew my hack license that I retired 4 years ago afer 42 years! I think this is worth considering , How about you? You Be The Judge ! Insider News — page 3 — byContinued TONYfrom FALESE • Authorized TLC Representative Here's how this works. We give you the facts exactly like they were given to a TLC Judge. We give you the defense that was made before the judge. You make up your mind whether he or she is guilty or not guilty. Once your vote is in, we'll give you the TLC Judge's decision. in the right lane all driving about 30 CHARGES: miles per hour. The taxi saw a man 2-21A reckless driving on the right hand sidewalk hailing for 2-21B3xi improper passing a cab. Without waiting for the traffic 2-21B3xii unsafe lane change to pass and without signaling, the taxi 2-21Bvi fail to yield right of way 2-61A2 action against public interest raced diagonally across three lanes to get the fare. He almost caused a three car accident by being very greedy or FINES: 2-21A $350-$1,000 and/or 30 day very careless or both. susp 4 pts DEFENSE: 2-21B3xi $250 3 pts I did pick up that fare but there was 2-21B3xii $250 3 pts no danger. There were no sounds of 2-21Bvi $250 3 pts 2-61A2 $150-$350 and/or 30 day brakes, no horns, nothing out of the ordinary happened I don’t remember susp 3 pts the traffic from three months ago. Since nothing happened, I apparently made a FACTS: There were only three cars on the safe maneuver. This person probably avenue headed uptown at 5:00 A.M. has something against cabbies or is not The taxi was in the left lane, the com- accustomed to driving in Manhattan. plainant in the middle lane and an SUV (Continued on Page 28) Would You Like To Receive...... • Weekly Traffic Advisories • Important Messages from The TLC • Important Industry Notices E-mail: Taxihail@aol.com And we will place you on our Industy E-Mail List. AUGUST 2016 • TAXI INSIDER • PAGE 25 YOUR ACCESSIBLE VEHICLE HEADQUARTERS New & Improved 2016 Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles in Stock & Ready for Immediate Delivery Call Lee Komitor or Alex Chaoush 74-15 NORTHERN BLVD. QUEENS, NEW YORK 1-718-898-7800 KOEPPELNISSAN.COM *Tax & MV Fees are additional NYSDMV7068638. NYSDCA0997779 Lee Komitor Fax (718) 476-8207 PAGE 26 • TAXI INSIDER • AUGUST 2016 TAXI INSIDER MANHATTAN HOTEL LIST !!! Dear Readers of Taxi Insider, Drivers always tell me that they cannot know the location of every hotel in Manhattan. A lot of work went into the list of Manhattan Hotels below. Drivers, please send Taxi Insider any corrections or additional hotels not mentioned. Also, when you are finished reading this issue of Taxi Insider, do not throw this newspaper in the garbage, give it to another taxi driver ! Thank you ! 60 Thompson Street Between Broome and Spring Streets Algonquin Hotel 59 W 44th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues Americana Inn Hotel 69 W 38th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues Best Western Hospitality House 145 E 49th Street between 3rd & Lexington Avenues Comfort Inn Central Park Hotel 31 W 71st Street between Central Park West & Columbus Ave. Best Western President Hotel 234 W 48th Street between 7th & 8th Avenues Best Western Seaport Inn Hotel 33 Peck Slip at Front Street Comfort Inn Manhattan Hotel 42 W 35th Street between 5th & 6th Avenue Ameritania Hotel 230 W 54th Street at Broadway Bryant Park Hotel 40 W 40th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues Amsterdam Inn Hotel 340 Amsterdam Avenue at W 76th St. Carlyle Hotel 35 E 76th Street between Madison & 5th Avenues Beacon Hotel 2130 Broadway at 75th Street Carnegie Suites Hotel 229 W 58th Street between 7th & 8th Avenues Belvedere Hotel 319 W 48th Street between 8th & 9th Avenues Benjamin Hotel 125 E 50th Street at York Avenue Bentley Hotel 500 E 62nd Street at York Avenue Best Western Convention Center Hotel 522 W 38th Street between 10th & 11th Avenues Photo by David Pollack Casablanca Hotel 147 W 43rd Street between 6th & 7th Avenues Chelsea Hotel 222 W 23rd Street between 7th & 8th Avenues Chelsea Savoy Hotel 204 W 23rd Street between 7th & 8th Avenues Chelsea Star Hotel 300 W 30th Street at 8th Avenue Comfort Inn Midtown Hotel 129 W 46th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues Doubletree Times Square Hotel 1568 Broadway between 47th & 48th Streets Holiday Inn Midtown Hotel 440 W 57th Street between 9th & 10th Avenues Edison Hotel 228 W 47th Street between 7th & 8th Avenues Holiday Inn Wall Street Hotel 15 Gold Street at Platt Street Elysee Hotel 60 E 54th Street between Park & Madison Avenues Hudson Hotel 356 W 58th Street Between 8th & 9th Avenues Embassy Suites Hotel 102 North End Ave. World Financial Center, Manhattan Inter-Continental Barclay Hotel 111 E 48th Street between Lexington Park Avenues Fairfield Inn & Suites Chelsea116 W. 28th St (near 6th Ave) Iroquois Hotel 49 W 44th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues Four Points Manhattan SoHo66 Charlton St. (near Spring St) JW Marriott Millennium 160 Central Park South between 6th & 7th Avenues. Fairfield Inn & Suites Times Square 330 W. 40th St (near 9th Ave) Kitano Hotel 66 Park Avenue at 37th Street Comfort Inn New York Hotel 442 W 36th Street between 10th & Dyer Avenues Fairfield Inn & Suites Fifth Avenue 21 W. 37th St La Quinta Manhattan Hotel 17 W 32nd Street between 5th & 6th Avenues Courtyard Manhattan 5th Avenue 3 E 40th Street between Madison & 5th Avenues Four Points Sheraton Chelsea Hotel 160 W. 25th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues Le Parker Meridien Hotel 118 W 57th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues Courtyard Midtown East Hotel 866 3rd Avenue between 51st & 52nd Streets Four Points Midtown Times Square 326 W. 40th St (near 9th Ave) Lucerne Hotel 201 W 79th Street at Amsterdam Avenue Courtyard Times Square Hotel 114 W 40th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues Crowne Plaza Times Square Hotel 1605 Broadway between 49th & 50th Streets Crowne Plaza UN Hotel 304 E 42nd Street between 1st & 2nd Avenues Four Seasons Hotel 57 E 57th Street between Park & Madison Aves. Flatotel International Hotel 135 W 52nd Street between 6th & 7th Avenues Gramercy Park Hotel 2 Lexington Avenue at 21st Street Grand Hyatt New York Hotel Park Avenue & 42nd street Grand Union Hotel 34 E 32nd Street between Park & Madison Avenues Manhattan Broadway Hotel 273 W 38th Street between 7th & 8th Avenues Manhattan Seaport Suites Hotel 219 Front Street between Pine & Wall Streets Maritime Hotel 363 W 16th Street at 9th Avenue Marriott Financial Center Hotel 85 West Street between Albany & Carlisle Streets Marriott East Side Hotel 525 Lexington Avenue between 48th & 49th Street (Hampshire Hotel) Quality Times Square Hotel 157 W 47th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues Marriott Marquis Hotel 1535 Broadway at 44thStreet Hampton Inn Times Square Hotel 851 8th Avenue at 51st Street Mayfair Hotel 242 W 49th Street between 7th & 8th Avenues Hampton Inn SoHo 54 Watts St (near Varick St) Metro Hotel 45 W 35th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues Helmsley Carlton House Hotel 680 Madison Ave between 61st & 62nd Sts. Doubletree Metropolitan Hotel 569 Lexington Avenue at 51st Street Michelangelo Hotel 152 W 51st Street between 6th & 7th Avenues Helmsley Middletowne Hotel 148 E 48th Street between Lexington & Park Aves. Helmsley Park Lane Hotel 36 Central Park South between 5th & 6th Avenues Hilton Garden Inn Time Square 790 8th Avenue between 48th & 49th Streets Hilton New York Hotel 1335 6th Avenue between 53rd & 54th Streets Hilton Times Square Hotel 234 W 42nd Street between 7th & 8th Avenues Holiday Inn Downtown Hotel 138 Lafayette Street between Howard & Canal Streets Holiday Inn Martinique Hotel Broadway & W 32nd Street Milford Plaza Hotel 270 W 45th Street at 8th Avenue Millenium Hilton Hotel 55 Church Street between Fulton & Day Streets Millennium Broadway Hotel 145 W 44th Street between 6th & 7th Aves Millennium UN Plaza Hotel 1 United Nations Plaza at 1st Avenue & 44th Street Murray Hill East Suites Hotel 149 E 39th Street between 3rd & Lexington Avenues Murray Hill Inn Hotel 143 E 30th Street between Lexington & Park Avenues (Continued on Page 28) AUGUST 2016 • TAXI INSIDER • PAGE 27 Average Gas Prices NYC ECONOMY Employment Private sector jobs in New York City rose by 26,400, following May’s decline of 6,700. Government jobs in the city increased by 600, resulting in a net overall increase of 27,000 jobs between May and June 2016. Employment gains were led by the Educational Services sector, which saw an overall increase of 14,200 jobs (note: this sector is historically erratic with gains or losses fluctuating heavily with the seasons). The Information sector, which lost 3,500 jobs largely due to the Verizon strike the previous month, saw an increase of 5,700 jobs as striking workers returned to work in June. Other notable job increases were in the Accommodation and Food Services, where 15,900 jobs were added since June 2015. Private sector employment has risen by 98,500 jobs since June 2015, an increase of 2.7% (compared to the national growth rate of 2.0%). New York City’s unemployment rate fell to 5.0% in June 2016 from May’s 5.1%. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in New York City STEM refers to educational and professional fields in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. STEM is a key driver of innovation, and is vital to New York City’s status as a leader in the global economy. STEM education is on the rise in New York City, with 29,080 students enrolled in science and engineering disciplines in 2015 (an increase of 13% from 2006). This growing education pipeline is vital for expanding the City’s talent pool, as STEM employment typically requires a high level of education. For example, of the City’s 217,000 STEM workers, 36.4% hold a postgraduate degree and 81.9% hold at least a bachelor’s degree. As of August 4, 2016 New York Regular Mid Premium Diesel Current $2.473 $2.722 $2.901 $2.763 Week Ago $2.494 $2.741 $2.926 $2.781 Month Ago $2.555 $2.790 $2.984 $2.797 Year Ago $2.993 $3.231 $3.406 $3.429 Construction For the 12-months ending June 2016: The number of residential construction projects rose by 12.4% between the 12-months ending June 2016. Despite a nearly 24.0% decline in non-building construction projects over this time period, the total number of construction projects was up 6.5%. In spite of growth in project numbers, both the value and square footage of construction projects were down from last year’s June totals. Total new building square footage was down 25.7%, while the corresponding value of new projects was down 28.3%. Transit Ridership Total ridership on MTA subways, trains, and buses was 208.5 million in May 2016, a decrease of 0.3% from May 2015. While subway ridership was up 0.22% since last May, bus ridership declined 1.8% over this time period. The MTA Long Island Railroad saw the greatest growth in ridership with an increase of 3.0%. Source: Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Air Traffic In May 2016, 11.4 million passengers passed through the region’s airports, an increase of 4.9% from May 2015. There were 79,805 domestic flights, carrying nearly 7.5 million passengers in May 2016. This compares to the 25,144 international flights carrying nearly 4 million passengers in the same month last year. There were over 700,000 taxis dispatched, 713,625 parked cars, and 920,000 passengers riding the Air Train at the region’s airports. Source: Port Authority of New York. Broadway Ticket Sales Total Broadway attendance was approximately 1,020,886 during the four weeks ending July 17, 2016, up 1.9% from the same period last year. Broadway revenues during this period were about $106.9 million, down 2.1% from last year. Source: The Broadway League Note: Gross revenue and attendance figures may not include all shows. Hotel Occupancy In April 2016, the average daily hotel room rate was $271, a 5.3% decrease from April 2015. Hotel occupancy was 89% in April 2016, down from 91.3% in April 2015. The average daily hotel room rate decreased the most in the Midtown West submarket, falling 6.3% from last year. Source: PKF Consulting. Business Opportunities In NYC Driving a NYC Taxi has allowed for drivers to make their Dreams a Reality. I know of scored of former drivers who saved money from driving a yellow cab and opened another business while leasing their medallions. That said, rom time to time, leasing opportunities become available for City-owned properties. Find out about these opportunities in select commercial or industrial properties and retail or wholesale food markets. For more information, please call NYCEDC at (212) 312-3603. Essex Street Market Retail Essex Street Market is meeting the ever-changing needs of the neighborhood and the City as a whole, making it a premiere leasing opportunity and a great place to do business. La Marqueta Building 3 NYCEDC is redeveloping Building 3 at La Marqueta to provide three commercial kitchen spaces and eight walk-in cooler spaces for food manufacturers. La Marqueta Retail and Production Space Underutilized market space was recently converted and modernized, giving way to added retail space as well as fully-equipped kitchen facilities. Moore Street Market Moore Street Market is one of Brooklyn’s oldest indoor markets serving East (Continued on Page 28) PAGE 28 • TAXI INSIDER • AUGUST 2016 Business Political News Mayor de Blasio finds loophole to spend campaign money on lawyers. City politicians aren’t allowed to use their campaign cash to pay lawyers representing them in criminal matters, but Mayor de Blasio has found a way around this problem. The mayor – now facing multiple investigations of his campaign fund-raising tactics – is using an obscure loophole in campaign finance laws to pay the lawyers defending him. Mayor de Blasio lies again about info kept from investigators in Rivington House probe. Mayor Bill de Blasio denied Friday that his team withheld from investigators a crucial memo about a Lower East Side nursing home that would up as condos – but a document obtained by the Daily News shows that’s not true. THE BOWERY PRESENTS 156 Ludlow St. 5th Floor, NYC 10002 212.260.4700 (p) / 212.780.9418 (f) www.BOWERYPRESENTS.com Saturday, August 6 JULIETTE LEWIS The New Regime Brooklyn Bowl 61 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY Doors 6pm / Show 8pm Brooklyn Bowl 61 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY Doors 6pm / Show 8pm Saturday, August 13 Summer Residency GIGAMESH Sammy Bananas Brooklyn Bowl 61 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY Doors 11pm / Show 11:30pm BKLYN Army Terminal Space BKLYN Army Terminal is the premier location for companies seeking to lease commercial, light industrial, or back office space in NYC. Brooklyn Wholesale Meat Market Brooklyn Wholesale Meat Market, located in the Sunset Park neighborhood, consists of wholesale companies, engaged in wholesale meat and poultry processing, fish, produce as well as distribution. Bush Terminal Industrial Campus Space Bush Terminal Industrial Campus is located on the waterfront in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York within the Southwest Brooklyn Empire Zone. Industrial, manufacturing and back-office spaces available for leasing in the East New York Incubator Industrial Space in Brooklyn. Staten Island Ferry Terminals Retail In addition to providing a welcoming and state-of-the-art experience for travelers, the new Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan and St. George Terminal in Staten Island present an exceptional opportunity for retailers seeking a steady and reliable stream of potential customers. You Be The Judge ! Tuesday, September 13 A Residency With TOBACCO (electronic set) The Stargazer Lilies Brooklyn Bowl 61 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY Doors 6pm / Show 8:30pm Saturday, August 13 DONAVON FRANKENREITER Unruly Mane Brooklyn Bowl 61 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 2724 Broadway Located in the heart of Manhattan’s trendy Upper West Side neighborhood, this ground floor retail opportunity is one block from the 103rd subway stop as well as many city bus routes. East New York Incubator Industrial Space Thursday, August 18 Fueled by Lagunitas ALO The Hip Abduction Brooklyn Bowl 61 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY Doors 6pm / Show 7:30pm Sunday, August 7 MAD DECENT BLOCK PARTY MCU Park @ Coney Island 1904 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY Doors 1:30pm / Show 2pm (Continued from Page 27) Williamsburg and the surrounding neighborhoods for close to 70 years. Insider News C i df (Continued from Page 24) 3 DECISION: I believe the complainant’s version of a dangerous driving incident. I believe the taxi driver disregarded the safety of other motorists in order to pick up a fare at the wee hours of the morning. Guilty of 2-21A. Fine: $350 + 4 pts. Wednesday, September 14 EOTO Diamond Saints Brooklyn Bowl 61 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY Doors 6pm / Show 8pm Wednesday, August 17 JESSE BOYKINS III PRESENTS BARTHOLOMEW Manhattan Hotel List (Continued from Page 28) Muse Hotel 130 W 46th Street between 6th & 7th Aves. Pennsylvania Hotel 401 7th Avenue between 32nd & 33rd Streets Palace Hotel 455 Madison Avenue between 50th & 51st Streets Pierre Hotel 2 E 61st Street at 5th Avenue Novotel Hotel 226 W 52nd Street between 7th & 8th Avenues Paramount Hotel 235 W 46th Street between 7th & 8th Avenues Park Central Hotel 870 7th Avenue at 56th Street Plaza Hotel 768 5th Avenue at Central Park South Plaza Athenee Hotel 37 E 64th Street between Madison & 5th Avenues Radio City Suites Hotel 142 W 49th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues Park Savoy Hotel 158 E 58th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues Radisson Lexington Hotel 511 Lexington Avenue at 49th Street Ramada New Yorker Hotel 481 8th Avenue at 34th Street Peninsula Hotel 700 5th Avenue at 55th Street Renaissance Hotel 714 7th Avenue at 48th Street Regency Hotel 540 Park Avenue at 61st Street 45 Park Avenue at 37th Street Sherry Netherland Hotel 781 5th Avenue at 59th Street TriBeCa Grand Hotel 2 6th Avenue between White & Walker Streets Roger Williams Hotel 131 Madison Avenue at 31st Street Shoreham Hotel 33 W 55th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues Trump International Hotel 1 Central Park West at Columbus Circle Roosevelt Hotel 45 E 45th Street at Madison Avenue Skyline Hotel 725 Tenth Avenue at 49th Street Salisbury Hotel 123 W 57th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues Sofitel Hotel 45 W 44th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues W Court Hotel 130 E 39th Street between Lexington & Park Avenues W New York Hotel 541 Lexington Avenue at 49th Street San Carlos Hotel 150 E 50th Street between 3rd & Lexington Avenues SoHo Grand Hotel 310 W Broadway between Canal & Grand Streets Waldorf Astoria Hotel 301 Park Avenue between 49th & 50th Streets Sheraton Manhattan Hotel 790 Seventh Avenue between 51st & 52nd Streets Solita SoHo Hotel 159 Grand St Warwick Hotel 65 W 54th Street at 6th Avenue St. Regis Hotel 2 E 55th Street at 5th Avenue Westin NEw York Grand Central 212 E 42nd Street between 2nd & 3rd Avenues Roger Smith Hotel 501 Lexington Avenue at 47th Street Sheraton New York Hotel 811 Seventh Avenue between 52nd & 53rd Streets Sheraton Russell Hotel Travel Inn Hotel 515 W 42nd Street between 7th & 8th Avenues AUGUST 2016 • TAXI INSIDER • PAGE 29 LICENSED REPRESENTATIVES AND ATTORNEYS Tony Falese, Industry Rep. TIXFIX (718) 361-3081 Michael Spevak, Esq. 97-77 Queens Blvd., Suite 1120 Rego Park, NY 11374 (212) 754-1011 Karen Friedman, Esq. 30 East 33rd Street • 4th Floor New York, NY 10016 (212) 213-2145 NYCDAC 34-11 Queens Blvd. Long Island City, NY 11101 (718) 729-4700 Celeste Katz, Esq. Law • DMV • Criminal TLC CKatzlaw@gmail.com (917) 548-9907 ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS Marc Albert (347) 472-5080 www.MSAINJURYLAW.com ACCOUNTANTS Action Tax Services 21-03 44th Avenue LIC, NY 11101 (718) 932-3737 TOW TRUCK Mastermind Towing 24-Hour Towing Service Reasonable Rates for TAXIS Call 718-926-0616 (888) SEND-1-TOW BUY A TAXI CAB Koeppel Nissan 74-15 Northern Blvd. Flushing, NY 11372 (718) 898-7800 Hudson Toyota 599 Route 440 Jersey City, NY (877) 422-0289 Lees Toyota 139-65 Queens Blvd. Jamaica, NY 11435 (718) Plaza Toyota 2721 Nostrand Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11210 (347) 554-6215 (347) 554-6000 MV-1 (877) 681-3678 LEASE A TAXI All Taxi Management 41-25 36th Street Long Island City, NY 11101 (718) 361-0055 TLC#202 LICENSED BROKERS TO BUY MEDALLIONS Briarwood Transfer Services LLC @Melrose Credit Union Center 139-30 queens Blvd. Briarwood, NY 11435 (718) 658-9800 ext. 1019 TLC# R0057 D&J Management of Queens 34-14 64th Street Woodside, NY 11377 (718) 458-6609 TLC#236 Chelsea Taxi Brokers 287 10th Avenue NY, NY (212) 947-9833 (212) 695-0601 TLC#R0004 Eddie’s Management 40-08 24th Street LIC, NY 11101 (718) 707-0072 TLC#A0280 Jericho Taxi Brokers 36-16 Skillman Avenue Long Island City, NY 11101 (718) 392-7000 TLC#R0001 JTL Management 36-16 Skillman Avenue Long Island City, NY 11101 (718) 392-7000 TLC#213 LOMTO Generation Brokerage 435 West 45th Street New York, NY 10036 (212) 582-5721 TLC#R0018 McGuinness Management 330 McGuinness Blvd. Brooklyn, NY 11222 (718) 349-8448 TLC#A0259 Mystic Brokerage Inc. 330 McGuinness Blvd. Brooklyn, NY 11222 (718) 349-7610 TLC#R0050 On Our Way Management Corp. 6814 5th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11220 (718) 833-8125 TLC# A0249 Pearland Transfer Corp. 36-01 43rd Avenue LIC, NY 11101 (718) 361-0033 TLC#R0020 S & R Medallion 625 West 51st Street New York, NY 10019 (212) 957-9200 TLC# A0224 Westway Medallion Sales 657 Tenth Avenue NY, NY 10036 (212) 977-4590 TLC#R0039 Taxifleet Management LLC 54-11 Queens Boulevard Woodside, NY 11377 (718) 779-5000 TLC#307 Friendly Group Ltd. 287 10th Avenue New York, NY 10001 (212) 947-9833 Taxifleet Management LLC 34-14 31st Street LIC, NY 11101 (718) 361-6363 TLC#A0308 Winners Garage 34-14 64th Street Woodside, NY 11377 (718) 458-7000 TLC#110 INSURANCE COMPANIES FOR WORKER’S COMPENSATION: Hereford Insurance Company 36-01 43rd Avenue Long Island City, NY 11101 (718) 361-9191 LOANS/FINANCING All Boro Funding, LLC 330 McGuinness Blvd. Brooklyn, NY 11222 (718) 349-8448 Bay Ridge Federal Credit Union 1750 86th Street Brooklyn, NY 11214 (718) 680-2121 LOMTO Federal Credit Union 50-24 Queens Boulevard Woodside, New York 11377 (212) 947-3380 Melrose Credit Union 139-30 Queens Boulevard Briarwood, NY 11435 (718) 658-9800 Rapid Funding 657 Tenth Avenue NY, NY 10036 (212) 977-4083 TLC FACILITIES TLC Headquarters 33 Beaver Street, NY, NY 10006 (212) 676-10003 Licensing and Adjudications 32-02 Queens Boulevard LIC, NY 11101 (212) 852-4636 Uniformed Services Bureau 24-55 BQE West Woodside, NY 11377 (718) 267-4555 TAXI TECHNOLOGY VeriFone Transportation Systems (d/b/a Taxitronic) 37-01 21st Street LIC, NY 11106 (718) 752-1656 CMT (Creative Mobile Technologies) 11-51 47th Avenue Long Island City, NY 11101 (718) 349-7700 PRINT & GRAPHICS SERVICES Dragonfly Graphics LLC 4 Court Square • 2nd Floor Long Island City, NY 11101 (718) 392-7042 PAGE 30 • TAXI INSIDER • AUGUST 2016 DMV & TLC Summonses Michael Spevack Attorney-At-Law You Can Receive the Finest Representation At Reasonable Fees ! All TLC & DMV Problems G Customer Complaints • Moving Violations • Wills • House Closings Buying Or Selling A Business • Personal Injury Cases & Other Legal Work 212-754-1011 Call For An Appointment: All Bankruptcy Matters Handled Including Chapter 11, 13 And 7. Call For Free Initial Consultation. If you have been arrested, I can help you with TLC and in Criminal Court. DON’T DELAY! Call me now for the best representation. I work with a top notch Criminal Law Firm to help you get out of trouble. (212) 754-1011 97-77 Queens Blvd. • Suite 1120 Rego Park, 11374 160NY East 56th Street, Floor 7 • NY, NY 10022 www.traffic-summons.com GGGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG AUGUST 2016 • TAXI INSIDER • PAGE 31 the Pearland Office Conveniently Located Near You! 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For news and information regarding efforts to ensure that all PAGE 32 • TAXI INSIDER • AUGUST 2016 TAXI CAB OUTLET NEW 2016 TOYOTA PRIUS V NEW NEW 2016 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2016 TOYOTA CAMRY LE AUGUST 2016 • TAXI INSIDER • PAGE 33 EVENTS AND MORE IN THE BIG APPLE Recommendations to passengers always increase the opportunity for a big tip! Here is is a listing that will help keep all taxi drivers in the loop on what's going on in New York City! Mention these events & promotions and watch the tips grow ! Movie Guide For New York City Sunday, August 7 “Rocky Business” (Habana Outpost Events): Habana Outpost 757 Fulton Street, Fort Greene - 8 p.m. Monday, August 8 “High Plains Drifter” (Bryant Park Summer Film Festival): Bryant Park Lawn, 42nd Street - 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday, August 9 “Reservoir Dogs” (Red Hook Flicks): Valentino Park and Pier 8:30 p.m. or as soon as it’s dark enough “My Blind Brother” (LOFT’s The LOL Movie Series), Solar One at the pier, 23rd Street and FDR, Peter Cooper Village - 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, August 10 Audience selection (SummerScreen): McCarren Park, Williamsburg Sundown Audience vote: “Mary and Max” vs. “Carol” vs. “The Warriors” (Summer on the Hudson): Pier I, Riverside Park South, Upper West Seating starts at 6:30 p.m.; screening begins at dusk around 8:30 p.m. “Suzhou River”: International Film Festival at Socrates Sculpture Park, Astoria Pre-screening performance at 7 p.m.; film screening at sundown Thursday, August 11 “Selma” (Movies with a View): Pier 1, Brooklyn Bridge Park, DUMBO - 6 p.m. “August Rush”: LIC Landing and Hunters Point South Park, Long Island City - Sundown “Grease”: (Summer in the Square): Union Square Park, North Plaza (17 Street and Union Square East) - Film begins at dusk Sunday, August 14 “The Land Before Time” (FMCP Movie Night): Lawrence Playground, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Corona - 8 p.m. “The Good Dinosaur” (Outdoor Movie Night): Randall’s Island Connector, Randall’s Island Park - 8 p.m. “Viva Las Vegas” (Habana Outpost Events): Habana Outpost 757 Fulton Street, Fort Greene - 8 p.m. Monday, August 15 “The Big Chill” (Bryant Park Summer Film Festival): Bryant Park Lawn, 42nd Street - 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday, August 16 “Pitch Perfect” (Red Hook Flicks): Valentino Park and Pier, Red Hook 8:30 p.m. or as soon as it’s dark enough Wednesday, August 17 “Auntie Mame” (Summer on the Hudson): Pier I, Riverside Park South, Upper West Side Seating starts at 6:30 p.m.; screening begins at dusk around 8:30 p.m. “Aguirre, the Wrath of God”: International Film Festival at Socrates Sculpture Park, Astoria Pre-screening performance begins at 7 p.m.; film screening at sundown Thursday, August 18 “A League of Their Own” (Movies with a View): Pier 1, Brooklyn Bridge Park, DUMBO - 6 p.m. Saturday, August 20 “Rooftop Shots: Closing Night Shorts” (Rooftop Films): Industry City, Sunset Park - Doors open at 8 p.m. Monday, August 21 “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” (Bryant Park Summer Film Festival): Bryant Park Lawn, 42nd Street - 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. “The Last Dragon” (Habana Outpost Events): Habana Outpost 757 Fulton Street, Fort Greene - 8 p.m. Tuesday, August 23 “Norm of the North” (FMCP Movie Night): 111th Street Parking Lot, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Corona - 8 p.m. “Labyrinth” (Red Hook Flicks): Valentino Park and Pier, Red Hook 8:30 p.m. or as soon as it’s dark enough Wednesday, August 24 “Embrace of the Serpent”: International Film Festival at Socrates Sculpture Park, Astoria Pre-screening performance at 7 p.m.; film screening at sundown NYC Thursday, August 25 Screening choice to be selected by public vote (Movies with a View): Pier 1, Brooklyn Bridge Park, DUMBO - 6 p.m. “Zootopia”: LIC Landing at Hunters Point South Park, Hunts Point Sundown Sunday, August 28 “Inside Out” (Outdoor Movie Night): Touchdown of the 103rd Street Footbridge, Randall’s Island Park - 8 p.m. “House Party” (Habana Outpost Events): Habana Outpost 757 Fulton Street, Fort Greene - 8 p.m. Tuesday, August 30 “Aliens” (Red Hook Flicks): Valentino Park and Pier, Red Hook 8:30 p.m. or as soon as it’s dark enough Thursday, September 8 “Girlhood” (Films on the Green): Columbia University, Morningside Heights - 7:30 p.m. Thursday, September 16 “Ghost”: LIC Landing at Hunters Point South Park, Hunts Point, Long Island City - Sundown For news and information regarding efforts to ensure that all livery vehicles are complying with the law, go to www.ourridenyc.com Dragonfly Graphics llc. •Design and Print media experts. •Over 25 years experience in Graphics. •Certified Union Printers. 4 Court Square Long Island City, NY 11101 (718) 392-3460 Fax (718) 786-5931 www.dragonflygraphics.info e-mail: dragonflygrraphicsny@gmail.com PAGE 34 • TAXI INSIDER • AUGUST 2016 Upcoming Events Around Town Harlem Week (July 31st - August 27th) Harlem is one NYC neighborhood with a rich cultural history, and even a month-long celebration doesn’t cover it all. Throughout August, Harlem is offering a jam-packed schedule of more than 100 events, which includes a gospel showcase, fashion show, auto show, free gallery tours, outdoor film screenings, a small-business expo, and more. With activities fit for any age and attendees from around the world, this celebration is sure to highlight this incredible neighborhood’s continued accomplishments. Tap+Cork Brooklyn Beer & Wine Fest (August 4th - 6th) NYC Island Hopping Move over, Manhattan. The 13-mile long island may be the city’s most famous (and populated), but with dozens of tiny islands littering NYC’s waters, it’s certainly not alone. Most of these are owned by the government and kept as bird sanctuaries to protect the local wildlife, but a handful are open to the public—and accessible by public transit. City Island With its perfect combination of boutiques, restaurants, and scenic strolls, City Island makes a great date night or daytime getaway. You can even get a 2-for-1 island deal by crossing over to High Island; at low tide, the two isles are connected by sandbar. Roosevelt Island Taste your way through more than 30 brews and 25 wines (all on tap) at this annual event in Bedford-Stuyvesant. The celebration begins on August 4th, with two days of free parties to kick off the festivities. The main event on August 6th offers six hours of sampling various craft beers and wine, snacks from dozens of local vendors, plus live music performances and guest DJs. Admission comes with 15 sample tastings and a commemorative sampling cup, and additional sets of tasting tickets can be purchased for $5 once you get there. Restoration Plaza - 1368 Fulton Street, Bed-Stuy Getting to Roosevelt Island is as easy as swiping your MetroCard. But instead of a sweaty underground slog, prepare yourself for a scenic, romantic tram ride over the East River. The island is only two miles long, so you can easily stroll from The Octagon at its northern tip to Four Freedoms Park in the south in your summer sandals—no walking shoes required. On the way, stop by Main Street Sweets for a cold scoop and Island Shakespeare for an outdoor show in the beautiful Eastwood Amphitheatre. Summer Streets (August 6th, 13th & 20th) Take a free ferry from Manhattan to this scenic little spot, home to festivals like Pig Island, 4Heads, and Fête Paradiso. When the circus isn’t in town, the island makes the perfect place for a relaxing picnic—sans wicker basket, thanks to the tasty dishes served up at the Liggett Terrace Food Court. After the 2015 turnout of more than 300,000 participants, Summer Streets is returning to Manhattan. For three Saturdays this month (between 7AM and 1PM), almost seven miles of city streets from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park will be free of cars and open to runners, walkers, cyclists, and rollerbladers. What else can you look forward to aside from a car-free road? How about a 300-foot-long inflatable slide, plus a zip line, hammocks, and fitness classes? LIC Block Party (August 2oth) Come one, come all to Long Island City’s SculptureCenter, which, along with the full length of Sculpture Street, will be transformed into a block party later this month. Spend the afternoon enjoying live dance performances and DJ sets, art activities for all ages, and even an Artists’ Market. Try your hand at one of the creative activities being offered like donut-making, coffee ground readings, balloon twisting and creating mixed media sculptures, and be sure to visit the social media photo booth. SculptureCenter - 44-19 Purves Street, Long Island City Brooklyn Comedy Festival (August 21st - 28th) Sit back and laugh your way through Brooklyn during this fourth annual comedy festival, featuring a diverse mix of known and up-and-coming comedians. Created to celebrate comedy and give newcomers the opportunity to perform in numerous Brooklyn venues, this eight-day festival features special editions of the borough’s comedy staples (like Night Train at Littlefield), a charity event, a rooftop show in Williamsburg, daytime panels, shows from IFC Comedy Road Tour, and even a children’s festival. August Bus Tours Hop on the Pizza Bus for Outer Borough Adventure Our big yellow school bus leaves Manhattan to explore at least one of the outer boroughs. Our stops rotate weekly, but always include a variety of styles and locations fit for the serious pizza adventurer. This tour covers the most ground and tackles more slices than any other on our public schedule. Tours are already scheduled through June 2017, but here’s a look at where we’re going this month. August 7 - Manhattan + Queens Adventure. Excitement. A pizza lover craves BOTH these things! August 14 - Tri-Borough Pizza Bonanza Let’s make use of the open roads and hit three different boroughs while all the New Yorkers are chillaxing in the Hamptons. August 21 - Manhattan + Brooklyn It’s my mom’s birthday! Bring a birthday card for her and I’ll give you an extra slice. August 28 - Manhattan + the Bronx The only time the bus has ever taken off without the whole group was on a Bronx trip. Just letting you know. Walking Tours Walk the Path of Pizza History *Crosstown Pizza Walk - Mon, Fri, Sat @ 11am The history of pizza in NYC as Governors Island Canarsie Pol Also known as Small Marshland Island, this miniscule patch of land is accessible by kayak. Rent a boat from Canarsie Pier and trek out alone or on one of many ranger-led paddle trips. Just be sure not to disturb the birds, the islands only inhabitants. Randall’s Island While it may be best known as home to some of New York’s biggest (and rowdiest) music festivals, Randall’s Island offers family-friendly fun all summer long. Come visit the Urban Farm on one of their Exploration Days for a peek at the world of sustainable city agriculture, stroll through the island’s scenic themed gardens, or walk along the East River enjoying the yearly FLOW art installation, open all summer long. Broad Channel Formally known as Rulers Bar Hassock, this Queens neighborhood boasts one of the prettiest—and longest—subway rides in all five boroughs. Hop off the A train and straight to Smitty’s Fishing Station to rent a boat and line, or visit Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge to wander through the wilderness. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, be sure to swing by All American Bagel for a bite. Brooklyn has loads of great pizza! We’re concentrating on Cobble Hill every Saturday afternoon and Williamsburg Thursday afternoon & Saturday evening. Private Tours told through three pizzerias in Soho and Greenwich Village. *Greenwich Village Pizza Walk Thurs + Sun @ 11:15am The global history of pizza as told through three pizzerias in Greenwich Village and Soho. *LES / East Village Pizza Walk - Sun @ 4:30pm Pizza hot spots in the Lower East Side and East Village. Super popular with New Yorkers. *Brooklyn Pizza Walk - Sat @ 11:45am in Downtown Brooklyn, Sat @ 5pm in Williamsburg, Thurs @ noon in Williamsburg Create Your Own Custom Pizza Journey. • Flexible start times available • Tour by bus or on foot • DELUXE option includes wine pairings • SUPREME option includes wine pairings, salads, appetizers, and MORE! • All group sizes welcome Check out Tours @ https://www. zerve.com/PizzaTours/Bus/calendar AUGUST 2016 • TAXI INSIDER • PAGE 35 THE TAXI DAVE SHOW Brought To You by Melrose Credit Union ATTENTION TAXI DRIVERS! TAXI RADIO EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT NEW YORK’S #1 TALKER WOR-710AM Sunday 8:00 – 9:00 PM PAGE 36 • TAXI INSIDER • AUGUST 2016 taxi news from around the world DUBAI Drivers Must Pass English Test Prospective taxi drivers must now pass a series of psychometric and English-language assessments to work in the emirate as part of a new program introduced in advance of Dubai Expo 2020. The Roads and Transport Authority said it expects about 5,000 prospective drivers each year to sit the Test of English for International Communi- cation (TOEIC) Bridge, a one-hour multiple-choice exam consisting of 50 listening and 50 reading questions. The language testing is needed to ensure that the drivers’ English skills are proficient enough to allow them to properly communicate with their customers, according to the RTA. The drivers’ English language skills are being tested even before they arrive in Dubai, said Rula Dajani, country director for Amideast, which administers the assessments on behalf of the RTA. “If they need to hire drivers from India, they are being tested there – India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Uganda, Nepal. So they are being tested over there and, if they pass, then they provide them with a resident visa,” said Ms Dajani. Amideast also issues a psychometric assessment to prospective drivers to ensure they have the right professional attributes to work as a taxi driver. “They do something called the WorkFORCE Assessment for Job Fit,” said Ms Dajani, who added that the UAE is the first country in the region to use the assessment. “It’s a psychometric but it analyses six attributes of behaviours for a taxi driver.” Spain Madrid To Get World’s Largest Electric Taxi Fleet Of Nissan Leafs Choose Your Car Defensive Driving Class Available Free The Nissan Leaf is not only the world’s best-selling electric car, but also probably the world’s most popular electric taxi. Leaf taxis operate in several European countries, enduring the same demanding conditions as gasoline, diesel, and hybrid cabs. One of those countries is Spain, and it’s about to get a whole lot more Leaf taxis. At the 2016 Madrid Motor Show, Nissan and taxi company Ciudad del Taxi announced an order of 110 Leaf taxis for service in the Spanish capital. This is the largest fleet order for electric taxis so far, according to Nissan. It will also put Madrid in contention with Amsterdam—which has around 100 Leaf taxis in operation—for the world’s largest fleet of the vehicles. All of the Leafs in the Madrid order have the larger 30-kilowatt-hour battery pack that was introduced for the 2016 model year. Spain is already one of the largest markets for Nissan electric taxis, along with The Netherlands and the U.K. In addition to the Leaf, Nissan sells a taxi version of the e-NV200 electric van. That model is actually built in Spain, at Nissan’s Barcelona plant. The internalcombustion version of the e-NV200— just called NV200—is New York City’s standardized taxi. Nissan has demonstrated Leaf taxis in the U.S. before, but there has been no large-scale attempt to deploy them here. New York studied electrification under the administration of previous mayor Michael Bloomberg, but the effort seems to have lost traction under current mayor Bill De Blasio. Elsewhere, Nissan claims to have sold more than 800 Leaf and e-NV200 taxis, most of which operate in Europe. Taxi Hochelaga said last year that it would deploy 2,000 electric taxis in Montreal by 2019. If owners follow through with those plans, that would likely give the Canadian city the world’s largest electric-taxi fleet. Given its popularity elsewhere, it wouldn’t be surprising with the Leaf made up a large portion of that fleet. In Canada, a Montreal taxi company has also discussed adding a fleet of electric cars. AUGUST 2016 • TAXI INSIDER • PAGE 37 Events For You and Your Passengers in The Big Apple Broadway Shows Off Broadway Shows ALADDIN New Amsterdam Theatre 214 West 42nd Street LES MISERABLES Imperial Theatre 249 West 45th Street AVENUE Q New World Stages 340 West 50th Street AN ACT OF GOD The Booth Theatre 222 West 45th Street LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT American Airlines Theatre 227 West 42nd Street BLACK ANGELS OVER TUSKEGEE Actors Temple Theatre 339 West 47th Street LOVE. LOVE. LOVE Laura Pels Theatre 111 West 46th Street BLUE MAN GROUP Astor Plae Theatre 424 Lafayette Street MATILDA THE MUSICAL Shubert Theater 225 West 44th Street CAGNEY Westside Theatre 407 West 43rd Street AN AMERICAN IN PARIS Palace Theatre 1564 Broadway BEAUTIFUL THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL Stephen Sondheim Theatre 124 West 43rd Street BLACKBIRD Belasco Theatre 111 West 44th Street BRIGHT STAR Cort Theatre 138 West 48th Street CATS Neil Simon Theatre 250 West 52nd Street CHICAGO Ambassador Theatre 219 West 49th Street CIRQUE DU SOLEIL PARAMOUR Lyric Theatre 214 West 43rd Street DEAR EVAN HANSON Belasco Theatre 111 West 44th Street FIDDLER ON THE ROOF Broadway Theatre 1681 Broadway FINDING NEVERLAND Lunt-Fontanne Theatre 205 West 46th Street FUN HOME Circle in the Square Theatre West 50th Street HAMILTON Richard Rodgers Theatre 226 West 46th Stret HOLIDAY INN Studio 54 254 West 54th Street JERSEY BOYS August Wilson Theater 245 West 52nd Street KINKY BOOTS Al Hirshfield Theater 203 West 45th Street NAPOLI, BROOKLYN Laura Pels Theatre 111 West 46th Street NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 Imperial Theatre 249 West 45th Street ON YOUR FEET! THE STORY OF EMILIO AND GLORIA ESTEFAN Marquis Theatre 1535 Broadway DRUNK SHAKESPEARE The Lounge at Roy Arias Theatre 300 West 43rd Street FUERZA BRUTA The Daryl Roth Theatre 101 East 15th Street GAZILLION BUBBLE SHOW New World Stages 340 West 55th Street HIMSELF AND NORA Minetta Lane Theatre 18 Minetta Lane SCHOOL OF ROCK Winter Garden Theatre 1634 Broadway IT’S JUST SEX Actors Temple Theatre 339 West 47th Street SHE LOVES ME Studio 54 254 West 54th Street MONDAY NIGHT MAGIC Theatre 80 80 Saint Marks Place SHUFFLE ALONG, or THE MAKING OF THE MUSICAL SENSATION OF 1921 AND ALL THAT FOLLOWED Music Box Theatre 239 West 45th Street MY BIG GAY ITALIAN FUNERAL St. Luke’s Theatre 308 West 46th Street SOMETHING ROTTEN St. James Theatre 246 West 44th Street THE BOOK OF MORMON Eugene O’Neil Theatre 230 West 49th Street THE CHERRY ORCHARD American Airlines Theatre 227 West 42nd Street THE COLOR PURPLE Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre 242 West 45th Street THE CRUCIBLE Walter Kerr Theatre 219 West 48th Street (Continued on Page 38) MY BIG GAY ITALIAN WEDDING St. Luke’s Theatre 308 West 46th Street MY SON THE WAITER: A JEWISH TRAGEDY Stage 72 at The Triad Theatre 158 West 72nd Street NAKED BOYS SINGING Kirk Theatre 410 West 42nd Street NEWSical Kirk Theatre 410 West 42nd Street PERFECT CRIME Snapple Theatre Center 210 West 50th Street RUTHLESS St. Luke’s Theatre 308 West 46th Street SAM EATON’S THE QUANTUM EYE MENTALISM & MAGIC SHOW Theatre 80 80 St. Marks Place SEX TIPS FOR STRAIGHT WOMEN FROM A GAY MAN The 777 Theatre 777 Eighth Avenue SHEAR MADNESS New World Stages 340 West 50th Street SISTAS: THE MUSICAL St. Lukes Theatre 308 West 46th Street STOMP Orpheum Theatre 126 Second Avenue THE BERENSTAIN BEARS The Marjorie S. Deane Little Theatre 5 West 63rd Street THE FANTASTICKS Snapple Theater Center 210 West 50th Street THE JACKIE MASON MUSICAL St. Luke’s Theatre 308 West 46th Street THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM Laura Pels Theatre 111 W 46th Street THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES Kirk Theatre 410 West 42nd Street THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR SHOW Acorn Theatre 410 West 42nd Street THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF SONG: THE MUSIC OF HAROLD ARLEN St. Luke’s Theatre 308 West 46th Street PAGE 38 • TAXI INSIDER • AUGUST 2016 June Book Signings Museums along Museum Mile El Museo del Barrio at 104th Street Museum of the City of New York at 103rd Street Jewish Museum at 92nd Street Cooper-Hewitt National Museum of Design at 91st Street National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts at 89th Street Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum at 88th Street Metropolitan Museum of Art from 82nd to 86th Streets Goethe House German Cultural Center at 82nd Street Other Museums Asa Akira, adult film star, signing copies of Dirty Thirty 8/8/16 6:00 PM at Barnes & Noble Union Square. New York, NY Kiefer Sutherland, star of “24”, signing copies of Down In A Hole 8/13/16 2:00 PM at Barnes & Noble Union Square. New York, NY. Amy Schumer, star of “Trainwreck”, signing copies of The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo 8/16/16 6:00 PM at Barnes & Noble Union Square. New York, NY. 8/17/16 7:00 PM at WORD Newark Avenue. Jersey City, NJ. 8/18/16 7:00 PM at Book Revue New York Avenue. Huntington, NY. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,NBA Hall of Famer, signing copies of Writings On the Wall 8/23/16 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble Union Square. New York, NY James “Slim Jim Phantom” McDonnel, drummer for The Stray Cats, signing copies of A Stray Cat Struts 8/23/16 6:00 PM at BookEnds East Ridgewood Avenue. Ridgewood, NJ. 8/24/17 7:00 PM at Book Revue New York Avenue. Huntington, NY. Jamie Lee Curtis, film and TV star, signing copies of This Is Me 9/19/16 7:00 PM at BookEnds East Ridgewood Avenue. Ridgewood, NJ. Photo by David Pollack Left to right- Abraham, Arthur and Ely Bangiyev. The Bangiyev family has been in the yellow taxi industry in NY since 1991 and in Russia for 49 years. The Museum of American Finance, the nation’s only independent public ... Museum of American Finance, 48 Wall Street African Burial Ground - corners of Duane and Elk Streets American Folk Art Museum 45 W. 53rd St. American Museum of Natural History 77th St Central Park West Children’s Museum of the Arts 250 Lafayette St # A, Children’s Museum of the Arts Free Art Island Outpost Program at Governors Island Harbor Defense Museum - 230 Sheridan Loop, Brooklyn Italian American Museum-155 Mulberry St Kehila Kedosha Jania Museum-280 Broome St Luxce Project 53 Stanton St The Morgan Library and Museum-225 Madison Ave. Museum of Chinese In America-211 Centre St Museum of Jewish Heritage- Holocaust Edmond J. Safra Plaza - 36 Battery Place Museum at FIT-Seventh Ave. Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) 11 W 53rd St Museum of Modern Art Design-81 Spring St # A National Museum of the American Indian Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, 1 Bowling Green New Museum of Contemporary Art-235 Bowery New World Art Ctr-250 Lafayette St # 5 New York City Police Museum-100 Old Slip Poets House - Ten River Terrace Queens Museum of Art-49th Ave. and 111th St. Rubin Museum of Art-150 West 17th Street Skyscraper Museum - 39 Battery Place South Street Seaport Museum - 12 Fulton Street The Tenement Museum-108 Orchard St Whitney Museum of American Art-945 Madison Ave Broadway Shows (Continued from Page 37) THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME Ethel Barrymore Theatre 243 West 47th Street THE LION KING Minskoff Theatre 200 West 45th Street THE ENCOUNTER Golden Theatre 252 West 45th Street THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Majestic Theatre 242 West 45th Street THE HUMANS Helen Hayes Theatre 240 West 44th Street THE PRICE American Airlines Theatre 227 West 42nd Street THE ILLUSTIONIST Lunt-Fontanne Theatre 205 West 46th Street WAITRESS Brooks Atkinson Theatre 256 West 47th Steet THE KING AND I Lincoln Center 70 Lincoln Center Plaza WICKED Gershwin Theater 222 West 51st Street AUGUST 2016 • TAXI INSIDER • PAGE 39 A leader in medallion management since 1983. 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