At last Monday's Taxi Advisory Council (TAC) meeting April 24, 2011, the council passed a motion making a preliminary recommendation to continue selling medallions beyond the duration of the pilot program, and to continue selling indefinitely. The motion, introduced by Carl Macmurdo and seconded by Athen Rebelos, passed with a 9-5 vote. The aye votes were Jim Gillespie, Laurie Graham, John Lazar, Athen Rebelos, David Khan, Dmitry Nazorov, Richard Hybels, Dan Hinds, and Carl Macmurdo. The no votes were John Han, Chris Sweiss, Barry Korengold, Bill Mounsey, and Bill Minikel. Timothy Ajaegbu was absent.
During the Council Liasons Report, Michael Harris of SFMTA Taxi Services, said he would schedule two, all day long town hall meetings at the request of the MTA Board, to discuss credit card fees and electronic waybills. He said that the MTA Board is expected to also schedule more public meetings of its own on credit card fees and electric waybills, in addition to the May 17th meeting already scheduled. That May 17th meeting is to discuss a taxi meter rate increase. No dates for the new meetings have been announced.
The taxi town hall meetings are informal style meetings open to the public and are typically held at One South Vanness Ave. on the 2nd Floor, in the Atrium. The MTA Board of Directors holds regular meetings every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month, unless otherwise noted, at 1 pm, at City Hall, Room 400. Schedule of dates and agendas for meetings can be viewed here.
During public comment at Monday's TAC meeting, driver Tariq Mehmood said a protest against 5% credit card fees and electronic waybills is expected on May 3 at the steps of City Hall, Polk St. side.
Hey John
ReplyDeleteCan you please tell me if the top 500 on the list are ever going to get a medallion or is there simply no hope, has our light bin stamped out. To make as we all know a long story short, What are the realities of this, Iv bin driving 20 years about 12 years on the list and I feel stabbed in the back, kicked below the belt and completely uterly gutted like a dead fish, should I Suffer on or look for other employment. When the MTA took over Christian H said they would work diligently to move that list along but thats not happening is it, not for the likes of others and myself who have set our goals around getting it. IS IT ?????
Hard to say. I wish I could tell you better if the top 500 will ever get there medallions. What's certain is the list movement seems significantly effected... much slower. Obviously, I'm not comfortable telling you how to handle it.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like the set-up of the "advisory council" is just like Willie's Taxi Commission -- those sympathetic to the drivers are outnumbered by the owners and companies. They might as well quit playing their part in this farce and get back out on the street where they can have some effect.
ReplyDeleteD.Kiernan