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SFMTA home > About Us > Meetings > Taxicab Commission > July 22, 2008

TAXICAB COMMISSION MINUTES

July 22, 2008 at 6:30 p.m.

City Hall,1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place

Room 400

STAFF IN ATTENDENCE: Executive Director- Jordanna Thigpen, Executive Secretary Tamara Odisho Benjamin – Taxi Commission and City Attorney Tom Owen

1. Call to Order/Roll Call

· Roll Call: Benjamin, Breslin, Gillespie, Oneto

Absent: Paek, Slaughter, Suval

2. Staff Report and Commissioner Announcements [INFORMATION]

· Executive Director Jordanna Thigpen: Update and overview.

Commissioner Announcements

· Com Breslin: Festival of Sails beginning tomorrow through the weekend. Can we get an update on the Charter reform working group update. Maybe Commissioners can receive the minutes from the meeting?

· President Gillespie: Some things have been addressed by the Rules Committee.

· Com Oneto: Requesting to agendize Yellow cab’s lease agreement for the first meeting in August as an information item.

· Director Thigpen: Has met with Yellow Cab and is receiving calls from Supervisors and constituents regarding the Yellow leases.

· Com Benjamin: Commends medallion number for helping a disabled person who was laying face down in a gutter.

Public Comment:

· Name: UTW passing out flyers making drivers nervous. EDD is requiring this.

· Jane Bolig: President Gillespie has always attempted to be fair with every speaker.

· Barry Taranto: Yellow cab is an issue and should be discussed. Thanks Com Breslin for the taxi stand in front of Macy’s and DPT should enforce that stand.

· Tariq Mehmood: EDD has rules, which we should follow. 600 cabs are on a long-term lease and not all are pre-k.

· Mark Gruberg: If this Commission calendars the item as informational, then the Commission cannot take action before drivers are required to pay the fee. It should have been on either of the last 2 agendas.

· Bill Mounsey: Drivers talk to him all the time and ask him to speak on their behalf at Commission meeting. Drivers cannot afford the full payments and believes there is some reason for this. Item should be addressed. What will be the ramifications if they don’t pay?

· Emil Lawrence: Why do companies have more control than the Taxi Commission? Issue should be addressed.

3. Consent Calendar [ACTION]

· Richard Hybels: Asks drivers to leave his company when they are in multiple car accidents.

· Name Unknown: Dean Najdawi is out of the country until September 12, 2008, would like to continue the item until his return.

· Charles Rathbone: What’s the conflict of interest regarding recusals, shouldn’t be an issue.

· Carl Macmurdo: Andy career driver. Taxi commission staff overtly auditing his waybills.

· Jim Gillespie: Andy has been dispatching since 1984 and a good driver.

· Graham: Contribution of Andy Sinaiko is a success.

· Emil Lawrence: Has seen Andy in the business for many years. To find a few waybills incorrectly filled in shouldn’t be held against him.

· Jane Bolig: Certain discrepancies blamed on DeSoto for not properly having correct stamps on waybills.

· Barry Taranto: Worried that cabs going to SF Taxi color scheme changes will be brokered.

· Mark Gruberg: There are only 4 commissioners and if there is a vote against him, should continue the item rather than vote against it.

· Com Oneto: If any Commissioner votes this down then the item will fail. The item should be continued.

· President Gillespie: The items in question are listed on the memo.

· Com Breslin: Objecting to the summary in the memo and does not like it on the memo. Has heard from a number of people who are typically at odds with each other but support this individual in receiving the medallion.

· Com Oneto: Would like to continue this item to have Scott Leon and Vicky Sui present at the next meeting.

· Com Benjamin: Would also agree. Can staff provide documentation showing the in discrepancies?

· Andy Sinaiko: I thought I went over any and all the issues that are listed here with staff. I can go over point by point any questions in the memo.

· Director Thigpen: Item A- minutes to be continued due to incorrect noticing.

· Pres Gillespie: Items B2, B3, D1, D2- continued due to lack of quorum. C2- Dean Najdawi continued since he is out of the country.

· Com Oneto: Motion to grant color scheme change to B1- Chad Rokeach and B4- Armand Moulia. Remove the following names from the medallion waiting list C1- Parveen Shaikh, C2- Richard Healy, C3- Tadesse Tseggai, C5- John L. Huang

· Com Benjamin: Second motion.

AYES: Benjamin, Breslin, Gillespie, Oneto NO: 0

ABSENT: Paek, Slaughter, Suval RECUSE: 0

SPECIAL ORDER 7:30 – 8:00 PM

4. Public Comment (Please limit public comment to items NOT on the agenda)

· Gudu: Would like a waiver of the notice on the next calendar for a color scheme change.

· President Gillespie: Fine, this will be sufficient notice so you can be on the consent calendar.

· Barry Taranto: President Gillespie should have been at the Sunshine task force hearing. Sunday street closures are going to be an issue. Credit card fees should be allowed. Shouldn’t allow amendments on color scheme applications before the Commission, but should be done outside the meeting.

· Marcos Teffase: Fines from GTU for inspection but should not have to pay. Smart cards are sometimes not working properly and do not replenish. Refund forms are available but refund checks do not come quickly.

· Bill Mounsey: Passenger told him at least 5 limo drivers solicited her at the baggage claim. What is the Commission doing to resolve this issue? Over 25% of business is lost to limo drivers.

· Mark Gruberg: Drivers will not come here and talk about the lease agreements and not many drivers have faith that this commission does nothing for them. Where does the money go and who will be allowed to see the books? No interest on the money will be given to the drivers.

· Tariq Mehmood: UTW published a pamphlet that didn’t publish the whole message only what they wanted drives to see. Asked Yellow for an extension and they granted it to August 15, 2008 from July 15. UTW collects money from drivers and doesn’t pay contributors any interest.

· Emil Lawrence: Hybrid is a toxic and costly vehicle. Diesel vehicles are great and are a part of the green technology.

5. Consideration of Potential Regulations for Reconsideration of Applications for Medallions Heard Prior to 2008 MPC § 1121 Amendments [ACTION]

· Director Thigpen: Overview of the item.

· Com Oneto: Why should we go back and create a law to protect people on this list who didn’t drive and are no longer driving? List of over 400 people which doesn’t include 2005

· Com Breslin: Is this feasible to do this? If we overlooked someone in 2005, would the records be available for the drivers to produce?

· Dir Thigpen: Yes they would be.

Public Comment:

· Carl Macmurdo: In support of staff recommendation but should look into each applicant to see if there is anyone that has left the industry.

· Com Breslin: Are you suggesting we audit this list and check to see if they have A cards?

· Carl Macmurdo: Yes.

· Charles Rathbone: If there are multiple people that get on this list because they were omitted will they be placed at the top of the list?

· Bill Mounsey: If you drive a taxi, you know what the law is. If you need to find out, you go to the Commission office and get the information. All these people who didn’t apply are not driving and this shouldn’t be allowed.

· Emil Lawrence: It’s easy to put a database together and wouldn’t have to mail anyone.

· Jim Gillespie: Companies are required to keep waybills going back 6 years and should have them since 2002.

· Tariq Mehmood: Should review the list of who does or doesn’t have a current A card.

· Mark Gruberg: Supported this due to the failure of notice in 2004. There may be some objections that are not being addressed tonight.

· Com Oneto: Are we sending this certified mail? What if the mail returns? What if the driver quit the business because they were removed from the list?

· Com Breslin: This is to allow current drivers who were disqualified.

· Com Oneto:

· Com Benjamin: Don’t think we should consider this proposal and shouldn’t have to include people who were omitted.

· Com Breslin: This should only be considered for people who are currently driving.

· City Attorney: That would be up to your discretion.

· Com Breslin: This law should only be applicable to current A card holder.

· Com Oneto: Amend language to allow applicant come into the staff office beginning August 1 through October 1, 2008, only sending notice to color schemes and posting on the website, must posses an A-card during years of adverse action.

AYES: Benjamin, Breslin, Gillespie, Oneto NO: 0

ABSENT: Paek, Slaughter, Suval RECUSE: 0

6. Consideration of Proposed Rule 5.H.18, Requiring Designated Managers for Color Schemes [ACTION]

· Director Thigpen: Overview of the item.

· Barry Taranto: Manager should be someone on the payroll, particularly with smaller companies.

· David Pilpel: Charter requires 10 day public notice when a new rule will be adopted.

· Director Thigpen: This item was noticed at the Rules Committee twice. This has been done in the past.

· City Attorney: Commission typically adds an item as information and continue it to the next meeting as an action item.

· Pres Gillespie: Continue this item to the next agenda but take public comment.

· Mark Gruberg: It would be a mistake to limit this to managers or medallion holders, since there are people working for the company that are not paid.

· Tariq Mehmood: The manager should be salaried and paying taxes not a volunteer.

7. Public Comment (Please limit public comment to items NOT on the agenda; also limited to public that did not speak during Special Order)

· Mary MaGuire: Malcolm Heinicke made suggestions at Charter Reform that would sell medallions; we hope that is not the case.

· David Pilpal: Offers his assistance as Sunshine Task Force member to the Commissioners and staff.

· Carl Macmurdo: Thank you for how you handled Daly/Ma. Everyone removed from the list were allowed to appeal which is their legal right, except Ray Delgado.

8. Adjournment

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