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SFMTA home > About Us > Meetings > Taxicab Commission > February 27, 2007

MINUTES

Commission Chambers

February 27, 2007 at 6:30 p.m.

City Hall,1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place

Room 400

Present: Gillespie; Breslin; Benjamin; Heinicke; Paek; Oneto; Oka

Absent: None

President Gillespie called the meeting to order at 6:32 P.M.

STAFF IN ATTENDENCE: Executive Director Heidi Machen, Deputy Director Jordanna Thigpen, Junior Analyst Jack Brodnax, Executive Secretary Tamara Odisho – Taxi Commission, Tom Owen– City Attorney

· Heidi Machen, Executive Director: Turn-off cell-phones, interferes with phone systems and we get feedback.

1. Call to Order/Roll Call

5. Public Comment: (This item was taken first)

· RobertCezano: Why did the survey go out to only the first 200 people, questions were inappropriate.

· Ruach Graffis: Announcement of free health screening would be held at SFO over the weekend.

· Thomas George Williams: Tax Collector fee is being protested and driver should not pay

· Tariq Mehmood: Market crashed, there are many problems facing the world.

· Chuffa: Commission should be paranoid about the future.

· Mike Spain: Goldman School research would be good for the healthcare issue. Add fare for picking up in the Sunset.

2. Consideration of the Consent Calendar. [ACTION]

· Director Machen: Recommends severing items D1 &3; E, F & G

· President Gillespie: Agrees.

Public Comment:

· Mark Gruberg: Commenting on his new color scheme. Not moving medallions just yet.

· Com Heinicke: What are the plans for Green Cab? Not all dispatch companies are equal. If your dispatch isn’t generating business, would you move your company to another dispatch?

· Mark Gruberg: Wants to pursue best business practices, and generate calls through dispatch, if dispatch isn’t performing, will move company to another dispatch service.

· Com Benjamin: Only all green cabs?

· Mark Gruberg: Yes, hope to have all prius vehicles.

· Com Oka : Concerns with Regents dispatch since they don’t pick-up ramps.

· Mark Gruberg: Customers don’t typically call Regeants for pick-up Green cabs hopes to change this.

· Ruach Graffis: Companies should hire drivers that take radio calls, which will be something Green Cab does.

· Dan Hinds: Shouldn’t color scheme have a permit? TXC should not fine James Gillespie.

· Chuffa: Jim Gillespie the best in the industry. TXC should hear the whole story.

· Charles Rathborn: Jim Gillespie respected person in the industry.

· John Lazar: Item F; small fleets not performing at levels that larger medallions are. Taso’s application should not be applied.

· Carl McMurdo: Support Jim Gillespie.

· Taso Zografos: Jim Gillespie is a good guy.

· Mike Spain: Green Cab good idea, good luck.

· Tom Stanghellini: Jim Gillespie shouldn’t be penalized.

· AbdulhadiYassin: Both Yellow and Luxor began as small companies, they shouldn’t be hard on the small companies now.

· Tariq Mehmood: Recently picked up a customer who was waiting for a Luxor cab for over 45 minutes.

· Pres Gillespie: Public comment closed, vote on A, B, & C

· Com Oneto: Motion on A, B & C

· Com Paek: 2^nd Motion

AYES: Benjamin, Breslin, Gillespie, Heinicke; Paek, Oka, Oneto NOES: 0

ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: 0

· Abdulhadi Yassin: He didn’t realize he was supposed to speak on his item.

· Pres Gillespie: Strike vote on Item C1

· AbdulhadiYassin: Claims that as a MUNI driver, should get credit for driving a taxi.

· City Attorney: Must operate a privately owned vehicle, MUNI is public vehicle.

· Com Heinicke: No more debate, on this item should vote. Motion to vote on C1 to remove his name from the medallion waiting list.

· Com Benjamin: 2^nd Motion

AYES: Benjamin, Breslin, Gillespie, Heinicke; Paek, Oka, Oneto NOES: 0

ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: 0

· Com Heinicke: Has a problem with color scheme changes from a high scoring dispatch company to a lower scoring dispatch company. Green is a new company would not be an issue?

· Com Breslin: Feels the same way except the “reason” section on the application not convincing.

· Pres Gillespie: Finds it troubling that the Commission would continue the color scheme changes based on PC&N. Feels there’s a need to approach this differently. Dire need for centralized dispatch.

· Com Heinicke: We have this information now, we should act and try to do something and not continually pass this issue. If not now, when?

· Pres Gillespie: Should we continue it?

· Com Oka : Does there need to be a formal motion?

· Steve Anton: We respond to ½ the calls we receive. We are a small company and have 2 paratransit cabs. We receive 12 calls/month for ramp.

· Com Breslin: Wants stability in the fleets, no reason for cabs to jump from one company to another. Wants good “reasons” for drivers to change companies.

· Pres Gillespie: Should only certain companies receive ramps?

· Com Heinicke: Dispatch companies who received a low rating should be put on watch. Motion to continue Items D1 & 2.

· Com Breslin: 2^nd motion

· Com Oka: Should make rules before denying anyone’s request.

· Director Machen: Roll call on D1

AYES: Breslin, Heinicke; Paek, NOES: Oneto, Oka, Gillespie

ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: Benjamin

· Director Machen: Roll call on D2

AYES: Benjamin, Breslin, Heinicke; Paek, NOES: Gillespie, Oka, Oneto

ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: 0

· Com Gillespie: Dispatch issued to be continued until March 27, 2007 for Discussion and Action

· Com Onteo: Should establish a criteria for dispatch. Also please continue D3 since Sgt Reynolds is investigating this case.

· Com Paek: Continue D3

· Com Oka : 2^nd motion

· Director Machen: Line item E; Taso Zagraffos

· Taso Zagraffos: We thought we needed this application but we do not. We will conduct tests but do not need the dispatch lines. Withdrawing application.

· Director Machen: Line Item F

· Com Breslin: Lots of Q&A regarding this issue, what’s the difference between this or the color scheme change?

· Com Heinicke: There is a difference between color scheme change and new color scheme issuance. Different situation.

· Com Breslin: Motion to approve Item F

· Pres Gillespie: 2^nd Motion

AYES: Benjamin, Breslin, Gillespie, Heinicke; Paek, Oka, Oneto NOES: 0

ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: 0

· Pres Gillespie: Recuses himself from Item G.

· Com Breslin: Proceed with Item G

· Jack Brodnax: Summary of Case

· Com Heinicke: Questions regarding fine.

· Com Benjamin: What’s the fine per day?

· Bill Ward; Attorney for James Gillespie: Review and summary of case. Doesn’t feel hearing officer recommended admonishment. Sent letter of lease to TXC staff in November has not received a response.

· Director Machen: Letter was received but no documents to show proof of lease.

· Com Heinicke: Not here to re-review the case, but to make a decision and stick to the rules which needs to be followed. Did the hearing officer have the information needed to make an appropriate decision.

· Com Breslin: Where was the fine amount derived from?

· Director Machen: Doesn’t think hearing officer knew what the lease fees were.

· Com Heinicke: Remand of the fine findings from the hearing officer.

· Com Breslin: Continues the item without a vote.

· City Attorney: Commissioners can review the hearing tape.

· Com Breslin: No need, wanted to know if staff created the fine or not. Also disagree with finding No 5.

· Director Machen: Findings 1-5 are hearing officers.

3. Public Convenience and Necessity [INFORMATION and ACTION]

Public Comment:

· Warren King: Ramps should not be going to the airport, but servicing the City.

· Karen Trailer: Hard to get a wheel chair van and it’s gotten worse. 50 are needed.

· Mike Spain: Can’t measure this by population but should measure it on needs.

· Cheryl Domingo: 50 more ramps are needed. Recognizes problem and is trying to solve it.

· Susan Mizner: MOD Director: No questions that the ramps are not working most problematic in Commission. Need for compliance and more medallions. Com Oka is the only one who is speaking for the disabled community.

· Mary McGuire: Who is Erik, looked like Tristan Bettencourt.

· Tom Stanghellini: Does the TXC want better service or more cabs? Give ramps to people who drive them.

· Com Oka : Wants to make a difference, not here to agree or disagree with the Commission.

· Jim Gillespie: Concerned about Ramp issue doesn’t think ½ are appropriately functioning. Peak-time medallions not feasible.

· Laurie Graham: If you issue more medallions, may lose ramps. I would accept it, getting to old for the program, plus the money isn’t what it should be.

· Mark Gruberg: Many people are eager on the list and will take anything including the peak-time medallions.

· Corey Lamb: There should be incentives for ramp drivers. Cabs should only take about 20 minutes to get around the City.

· Thomas George Williams: No more cabs during an election year. TXC should put efforts into enforcement. Ramps should not belong to the TXC, but to the MTA

· Com Benjamin: We need incentives for the ramp program. TXC should focus on the ramp program. Measure the number of disabled members in our community and create a shuttle program specifically to address the need.

· Com Oka : Want cabs not special vehicles. Should have an equal opportunity. Riders should be apart of the decision making process. This discussion has been going on since 1992.

· Com Heinicke: Service is an issue. Peak-times make sense, but in the abstract not reality. Frustrated with Prop K, which doesn’t give much flexibility without statute. Propose 125 medallions; 50 now; color schemes should be scrutinized, GPS should be a requirement.

· Com Breslin: We should reserve some ramps.

· Com Heinicke: Do we need to reserve ramps?

· Director Machen: No you do not.

· Com Benjamin: Could the paratransit community work on reviewing the ramp medallion recipients?

· City Attorney: Another body cannot be created because of Prop K.

· Pres Gillespie: Supports 25 ramp medallions with the support of the paratransit body

· Com Breslin: Will “City” only cabs work? They would be required to stay in the City.

· Pres Gillespie: That would be difficult to enforce. 25 regular and 25 ramp medallions with review by the paratransit group should suffice at this time.

· City Attorney: This would be ok, however the group does not get the last say as to who does or doesn’t receive a ramp medallion and cannot go through the list and pick ramp holders.

· Com Paek: There is a need for this and we should approve it.

· Com Oka : Motion to approve 25 ramp medallions with review by the paratransit council.

· City Attorney: The TXC can stipulate medallions but under CEQA the medallions are required to undergo an environmental review.

· Com Paek: 2^nd motion

AYES: Benjamin, Breslin, Gillespie, Heinicke; Paek, Oka, Oneto NOES: 0

ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: 0

· Com Henicke: Would like to issue regular medallions.

· Com Paek: Not in favor of issuing the ramp medallions

· Com Onteo: Believes the increase would stress out the drivers. This isn’t fixing the problem.

· Com Breslin: The public’s problem is that there is not enough service and needs more, and wants to address that.

· Com Benjamin: The industry can absorb the medallions.

· Com Heinicke: Motion on 25 alternate fuel and hybrid medallions

· Com Paek: 2^nd Motion

AYES: Benjamin, Breslin, Gillespie, Heinicke; Paek, Oka NOES: Oneto

ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: 0

4. Staff Report and Commissioner Announcements [INFORMATION]

· Director Machen: Update

· Sgt Reynolds: Update

6. Adjournment

Respectfully Submitted,

Tamara Odisho
Executive Secretary

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