ARE YOU ON THE WAITING LIST? WAITING LIST IS GETTING KILLED. YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT: CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. By Saam Aryan.

(Note from the blog's administrator - this article has been submitted to Taxi TownSF and has been published in the interest of free speech.  The following views are those of its author, and not necessarily the views of the blog's publisher.)

  

(By Saam Aryan)

Taxi drivers are self-employed independent contractors. They do not have medical, vacation, sick leave, retirement plan, etc. Medallion waiting list was created for those that choose to have a career as taxi drivers. The extra income generated by getting a taxicab medallion would help them to pay their bills at old age; when they are not able to push themselves and work as much. This was the implied contract of the San Francisco Government.

So far, under SFMTA, 184 Taxicab Medallions has been sold with more under way. In Prop K restructuring, SFMTA agreed that for every sold medallions, they would issue one to the top of the Waiting List. If what SFMTA did was not sale than nothing has ever been sold. These medallions did not go to the top of the waiting list. Let us examine the financial impact:

Because senior drivers, now, under SFMTA, are selling their Medallions

(for disability reasons, etc.) the rate of return/year to top of the medallion waiting list is not going to be even 5 Medallion/year. Years ago, under TAXI COMMISSION, the rate could go as high as 10 Medallions/year to top of the Medallion waiting list. Using this older estimate:

184 / 10 = 18.4 years people on the list could move up the list (and not down).

If we say, medallions skipped 50% of those on the waiting list. Then we have:

2,897 people on the waiting list (list as of Sept. 20, 2011). So 2897 / 2 = 1,448.5

Say the difference between having a medallion and not having one is $20,000/year. (Though companies like for a less valuable RAMP Medallion are paying close to $27,000 and smaller companies are paying around $36,000/year).

The financial impact to half of those on the waiting list is:

$20,000 x (1,448.5 = #of people on top half of the list) x (18.4 = years, because around 50% were pushed down) = $533,048,000

This is the low-end estimate. The high-end estimate is:

$36,000 x (1,448.5 = #of people on top half of the list) x (2 = with 5 medallions to top of the list, the list would move twice as slow x18.4 = years, because around 50% were pushed down) = $1,918,972,800

As of February 23, 2012, based on my information, around 210 Medallions were sold. Making the matter worth for those on the Waiting List, SFMTA wants to keep the newly issued medallions and medallions from dead and disabled to themselves for future renting (around $2,500/month). They want to keep around 500 medallions for this purpose. If the list was moving about 5/year, this way it would come to near halt. Again, as I understand it, this is breach of contract by San Francisco Government (which SFMTA represent).

CHC-SF@LIVE.COM CHC FIGHT-CLUB, PO BOX 426742, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94142415-626-TAXI

TAXI INDUSTRY = CAB COMPANIES + DRIVERS (WITH OR WITHOUT MEDALLION).
WHAT HAPPENS IF TWO LEGS OF THE STOOL BECOME WEAK AND WITHOUT CONTROL? I BELIEVE THAT SFMTA IS MAKING DRIVERS (WITH OR WITHOUT MEDALLION) WEAKER. I BELIVE SFMTA LIKES TO HAVE THREE LAYERS:

SFMTA

CAB COMPANIES (WILL BE CONTROLING ALL DRIVERS; WITH OR WITHOUT MEDALLION)

GAS-AND-GATE DRIVERS ONLY (EVEN IF YOU BOUGHT YOUR MEDALLION, YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT TO A  CAB COMPANIE FOR SOME MONTHLY PAYMENT. EVERYBODY WOULD BE PAYING GATE FEE. YOUR  TAKE HOME MONEY COULD SHRINK AS TIME GOES BY.)

1. THIS MEANS YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO OPERATE YOUR OWN BUSINESS (BUY YOUR CAR, GET YOUR INSURANCE, GET YOUR DRIVER, PAY FOR A COLOR SCHEME). YOU WOULD HAVE TO GIVE YOUR MEDALLION TO A CAB COMPANY AND YOU BECOME A GAS-AND-GATE DRIVER. YOU WOULD BE GETTING SOME MONTHLY CHECK FROM A CAB COMPANY BUT BECAUSE YOU WOULD NOT HAVE THE NEGOTIATION POWER, THEY COULD GIVE YOU SMALLER CHECK IN THE FUTURE AND HAVE A HIGHER GATE FEE.

2. SFMTA WANTS 1/3 OF THE MEDALLIONS TO THEMSELVES (NOT TO THE WAITING LIST). DURING “TAXI COMMISSION”, NEWLY ISSUED MEDALLIONS AND MEDALLIONS FROM DEAD OR DISQUALIFED WOULD GO TO THE TOP OF THE WAITING LIST. SFMTA WANTS THESE MEDALLIONS. MANY WOULD HAVE TO WAIT 500 YEARS TO GET A MEDALLION.

THIS WAS NOT THE CONTRACT (IMPLIED CONTRACT) OF THE GOVERNMENT TO CAB DRIVERS. CAB DRIVERS AVERAGE $35,000/YEAR WITH NO BENEFITS WHILE MUNI AVERAGES $85,000 WITH FILL BENEFITS. MUNI ORGANIZED AND GOT IT WE MUST ORGANIZE TOO. JUST MAKING NOISES AND DEMONSTRATING IS NOT ENOUGH. WE MUST HAVE OUR OWN LAWYER FOR MARCH 6^th MEETING BY SFMTA BECAUSE THEY DO. ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 26^TH , 3PM WE NEED THOUSANDS TO MEET AT PIER 48. IF WE DO NOT SPEND SOME MONEY NOW WE COULD END UP LOSING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR. EVERYONE SHOULD TELL TEN FRIENDS, GET THEIR NAME AND CELL PHONE, AND ASK THEM TO DO THE SAME. HOPE FOR THE BEST BUT BE READY FOR THE WORST.

URGENT

It is widely believed that … was behind the implementation process of “Back-Seat-Terminal,” “GPS based Electronic Waybill” and company based credit/debit card processing. Now, it is believed that he is for ELIMINATION OF AFFILIATES. This means that all medallion holders, which run their own business (buying the cab, doing maintenance, getting drivers, insurance, etc.), must give up their medallions to cab companies, in exchange for say $2,500/month. Because the control would be out of drivers’ hand, in the future, that might become $2,000/month, or even less. They, and all other drivers, would become GAS-AND-GATE drivers ONLY; paying the company’s gate fee.

To cab companies I say, remember that “A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.” Thomas Jefferson

Why SFMTA would wants to give you all the medallions and control of all the drivers? Is it possible that, to divide the taxi industry, first SFMTA promises you what you want to hear? If this is the case then, when SFMTA defeated the taxi drivers and medallion holders, you would be in a weaker position to challenge further advances by SFMTA.

We do not have to bring the example of big government and excessive control of ex-Soviet Union, or the Red China. We already know that if those social models were workable, they would not collapse and they would not turn to free enterprise and smaller government control. We can, and should, look at the management model of SFMTA. Is there a need to say that they are sucking our money into their failed system? With more control in the hand of SFMTA, and less control in the hand of cab companies, medallion holders and cab drivers I believe that we would turn into another failed enterprise.

What can we do? On February 26^th, 3PM we need thousands to meet at PIER 48. We must have enough money to hire a legal representation for March 6^th meeting by SFMTA. Joining forces is necessary. Sitting on the sideline and letting others to sweat would make us all loose. We cannot succeed with limited participation. Everyone should tell TEN friends, get their name and cell phone, and ask them to do the same. We need thousands because this is a DO OR DIE.