_Waiting Times_____

Taxi Workers Alliance of Pennsylvania

4233 Chestnut st . Phila.Pa. 19104
www.twapa.org March 2012 (215) 279-0472 twapa1@yahoo.com

Organizing Committee Daway Aden Tekle Gebremedhin Ronald Blount Mike Nwabudike Linda Person Mohammad Boreta Mohammed Shukur Patrick Anamah Satnam Singh Terrence West Moloud Aguidi Ishmael Ibrahim Greisford Speid Kevin Evans Ferdinand Morrison Teddy Williams Shah G. Farid Francis Hamilton
Power cedes nothing without Demand. It never did and it never will Frederick Douglas
TWA Organizer Asmara leading taxi caravan

The Truth about Wheelchair Accessible Taxicabs

Looks as if the PPA has painted itself in a corner regarding wheelchair accessible medallions. Recently a coalition of people with disabilities that included Disabilities in Action, and Liberty Resources to name a few, filed a Federal lawsuit against the PPA for not providing wheelchair accessible taxicabs in the city of Philadelphia. Several medallion owners tried to intervene into the lawsuit after the PPA threaten the industry with converting 300 current medallions into wheelchair accessible cabs by years end and all 1,600 by 2016. The medallion owners wanted to place the lawsuit in their names which would have given them more control to negotiate. The Federal Court didnt buy it and the PPA remains the party that is being sued. The PPA created their own predicament by sabotaging previous legislative bills that would have address the issue. In 2006, both Pennsylvania House and Senate approved House Bill 2545 that would have added 50 wheelchair accessible medallions to the streets of Philadelphia. The PPA had their representative insert a clause that would have given the PPA absolute power.
( Continue on page 3)

TWA Rally, Forces PPA To Revise New Budget

On March 1, 2012 the PPA Taxi and Limo Division held a Public Hearing over their proposed Budget for 2012-2013. This Budget seeked to increase the Medallion assessment fees from $1,250 to $1,500, raise the cost for a appeal hearing from $50 to $75, charge $200 to move the medallion plate from one vehicle to another, and increase the sale of medallion transfer fee to $20,000. When compared to other U.S. cities, the PPA fees are out of step. For instance, in New York, where medallions are selling for $1 million dollars, their medallion transfer fee is $750, and in Boston where the medallions are selling close to $500,000, the transfer fee is $200. The PPA would be pressuring medallion owners to raise the drivers leases in order to compensate for this loss. This $20,000 PPA medallion transfer fee is more than most driver earns in a year. Another problems that drivers found with this budget relates to the PPA determination to include violations, fines, and penalties. The PPA will be creating an atmosphere where it is to their advantage to write more tickets to taxi drivers. The more tickets they write, the bigger their salaries become. ( Continue on page 2 )

TWA Organizers protest with Liberty Resources for wheelchair taxicabs

( Continue from page 1 PPA New Budget )

Since the PPA-TLD salaries depend on the taxi industry, why shouldnt they write more tickets to insure their jobs. Lastly with this new budget, the PPA is overcharging the taxi industry while the limousine industry is getting away with murder. For instance, the PPA proposes to extract $5.4 million dollars from the taxi industry and only $550,000 from the limos. They plan to fine the taxi industry over $200,000 and the limos only $15,000. And who could believe that they will be charging medallion owners $1,500 for assessment and only $350 to limo owners. This budget is unfair in many aspects. To this end, TWA organizers strongly believed that it was in drivers and owner-operators interests to speak out. We decided instead of attending the PPA-TLD public hearing on this proposed budget, it was better to draw public attention to it by way of non-violent direct action. Because of TWA position, only 4 members of the industry attended the public hearing. On the other hand, over 200 drivers attended the Rally in front of 3101 Market street. Drivers that attended the rally enjoyed themselves by reciting several chants that drove the PPA nuts. The drivers chanted, The PPA are robbers, Driver Power, Union Power, and Action Action Direct Action, to name a few. Several drivers spoke about the hardship that drivers already face including the high cost of gas, the overcharging of leases, not paid on time with the credit cards, and the constant raising of PPA fees. After the rally, drivers caravanned down Market street and surrounded City Hall several times. It was the loudest noise the city has ever heard. This action along with some political advocacy pushed the PPA back. They have since revised their budget back to the previous amount for the most part. TWA members should be proud of themselves for standing up for the industry.

$10 Minimum on Credit Cards To Be or Not To Be

In October 2011, the U.S. Federal Reserve Board released the final version of the Dodd-Frank Act, in particular the Durbin Amendment which allows the person at the point of sale to set a $10 minimum on all credit and debit card transactions. The only restriction is that the small business operator cannot discriminate between card holders, meaning that you cannot do it for VISA and not MasterCard. TWA has brought this to the PPA attention on several occasions. Each time the PPA stated that their legal department was looking into it. TWA also had their lawyers look into it and our attorneys believe that this new law does apply to taxi drivers. Just to be sure, TWA contacted the U.S. Federal Reserve Board in Washington, D.C., they also said that the PPA was not exempt from the new law. If the Federal government said that the PPA must follow the new law pertaining to the $10 minimum on credit cards, why would the PPA send out a notice on their GPS monitors that said this law doesnt exist. Many drivers are confused and do not know who to believe. The problem could be solved very simply. All the PPA needs to do, is issue a driver a ticket for setting a $10 minimum on credit cards and have the Commonwealth Court decide. This would settle this matter once and for all. Remember when the PPA said that they were not a State agency and that their rules and regulations were law. It took TWA and others in the industry 5 years to prove them wrong. The PPA has been wrong on many other occasions including holding a hearing without a witness present, charging drivers $50 for the right to appeal a ticket, impounding taxicabs, and a host of other things that we took for granted that their word was true. Recently a wave of militant drivers have begun to challenge the PPA on the $10 minimum on credit cards, and more drivers are joining them everyday. Since the PPA refuses to negotiate on the 5% we pay to VTS, why shouldnt we challenge it. Winning this battle will not only empower Philadelphia drivers, but also taxi drivers across the nation. Driver will be able to have some dignity when passengers say you better take my credit card or Ill report you. Everyone should be able to work with justice, dignity, and respect. Its important that we join together as one, in order to make your job easier.

( Continue from front page wheelchair taxis )

The PPA was trying to avoid oversight from any local, state, or federal authorities. The PPA also was trying to get out of a lawsuit filed by TWA which would have designated the PPA as a State agency and force them to follow the Pennsylvania Document Law. 300 TWA members went to Harrisburg to protest in the steady rain against the PPA amendment. In the end, then Governor Rendell vetoed HB 2545 because of the power it would have given the PPA. The second Bill to introduce wheelchair medallions was HB 1914 sponsored by State Representative Mark Cohen in 2010. This Bill would have put 50 wheelchair taxis on the street and also provide drivers with a disability fund to help out when they were injured on the job. Again, the PPA did not play fair. Since the proceeds of the sale of these medallions were going to the drivers, the PPA protested. The PPA felt that the money should have gone into their budget instead. HB 1914 died in committee because the PPA was unwilling to compromise. Philadelphians with disabilities along with taxi drivers became enraged and frustrated with the PPA constantly blocking of this initiative. Another protest was held last summer in front of the Convention Center with the disabled community and taxi drivers. More than 300 people with disabilities and 100 taxi drivers participated. That same day, a Federal lawsuit was filed against the PPA at the courthouse at 6th and Market street. In this economy with the price of gas and medallion leases at an all time high, drivers are suffering. Any new medallions on the streets will further eat away at drivers ability to earn a living. That is why any monies raised thru the sale of these medallions must go to compensate drivers via a injury relief fund. At the same time, we must provide service to anyone that can afford it. In this case, the PPA must strike a balance that protects everyone interests. They cannot come up with some arbitrary number of medallions to convert into wheelchair accessible taxis. The PPA must deal maturely with people with disabilities, medallion owners, and taxicab drivers in order to implement a successful program.

TWA Organizer Kevin Evans

Building Mutual Relationships !

I would like to share a story about one of my customers who has truly touched my heart. My experience with Anne Bernito who resides around 22nd and Spruce developed into something great. I was referred to her and we instantly established a mutual benefiting relationship. I had the wheels, (my taxi), to get us around and she showered me with much wisdom and insight. It all began with a small ride to Thomas Jefferson Hospital where she had a doctors appointment. The trips continued throughout her surgery for a left knee replacement. Her walks to and from my cab was slow and gingerly. Even hopping off a street curb made her wince in pain. She required the support of my arm to make this journey. I took her around for weeks after the initial doctors visit. It felt nice to have her cuddled on my arms as she ran errands. We were regulars at the 4th and Oregon avenue ACME because of the motorized shopping carts. At first she banged into the food displays and knocked everything over. However, after awhile she began to master the grocery store go-kart. Anne had me running for the special rolls at Sarcone Bakery and the lunchmeat that she adored. She even escorted me to Burlington Coat Factory to purchase, to my surprise, a warm peacoat in which I still wear to this day. I reminisce frequently about the mutual relationship that we developed. Anne would be a great candidate for a wheelchair accessible taxicab. But Im the lucky one to have shared a mutually respectful friendship out there on the streets of Philadelphia.

TWA at PPA Public Hearing about Wheelchair Medallions

muddy the waters. Before the PPA got approval for their new regulations, they made an agreement with Freedom Taxi that allowed them to introduce a totally different GPS/Credit Card machine. So while the rest of the industry was being forced to use the VTS system, including Yellow cab which had a proven system, Freedom Taxi was free to do what ever it wanted. The PPA always had 2 sets of regulations for the industry, one for Simon and son, and the other for the rest of us. Moving forward, the PPA and VTS has reached an agreement that will last until June 2013. The credit card processing fee will remain at 5% even though Freedom Taxi is charging 4%. VTS will be offering members of the industry the opportunity to hold their own merchant account and process credit cards for 4.35%. Thats not much of a difference considering that youll have to do your own paperwork and deal with charge backs. After June 2013, industry members can install any system they choose. From our opinion this should have been done from the beginning. We wonder why the PPA is stepping out of the GPS/credit card business in one year. Could it be that all of the $10 million dollars from the PUC fund has been raided, or given to VTS. The PPA will be leaving the industry in bad shape because drivers and owners would have to pay out of pocket for any new system. Also the dispatch companies would have to acquire the same system in order to be compatible with the drivers. Already, dispatch companies are merging to VTS advantage. All City, Coach, and Checker Dispatch companies are now under the same roof, making it easier for VTS to hold a majority of medallions in their grasp after the PPA steps out. Drivers are the only entity that is paying this 5% credit card processing fee, while fleet owners and dispatch companies are exempt. So why didnt drivers have any say in this extended version of the contract. Over the next few months, drivers will be sent to 7th and Packer avenue to swipe out the old system. This new system has a faster receipt printer, a better meter, and an advertisement TV monitor placed in back of the partition. No one knows if there is a warranty on the monitor. This will be every drivers nightmare when drunks enter the cab. Also, drivers have no share in the advertisement money coming from this monitor but will have to spend valuable time fixing it when it breaks down. It is the advertisement money that will trap medallion owners into signing longer contracts with VTS. Lastly concerning this monitor, it talks too much. Every time a passenger enters the vehicle, the monitor begins talking. Everything that comes out of New York is not gold, they could have kept these talking monitors.

PPA expected to extend contract with VTS until June 2013

In 2006 the PPA engaged in a daring endeavor to install a GPS/credit-card device into taxicabs. They went to the Pennsylvania legislators in order to get the permission to spend $2 million dollars from the PUC fund. The PUC was sitting on $10 million dollars from a previous sale of 165 medallion that was auction in the year 2000. The PUC only used the interests of this money to help fund their regulatory duties. Anyways, the PPA began taking bids for the GPS vendors. Verifone-Taxitronics (VTS) came in with the lowest bid of $2 million dollars. VTS later said that they would need an additional $2 million dollars to fulfill the contract. The PPA then went back into the PUC fund for the rest of the money without the legislators consent. Taking the extra money without the legislators permission is currently being challenged in court by Germantown cab and others. The original contract between the PPA and VTS was suppose to last 3 years, from 2006 to 2009. However, because of so much problems with the system, the PPA had to withhold the last million dollar payment until this day. The system was also suppose to supply the industry with a coordinated dispatch system that would direct dispatch calls to any cab that was closer to the customer regardless of the dispatch company. Needless to say, the coordinated dispatch system was also a complete disaster. After many complaints from drivers, medallion owners, and dispatch companies, the PPA agreed to move forward with the VTS contract as soon as the legislators approved their new taxi rules and regulations. The new PPA regulations were approved in December 2011. But just when you think that the PPA is doing thing the correct way, they always

International Taxi News

Minneapolis, Minnesota : The Minneapolis City Council voted Friday to require taxi cabs in the city to accept credit cards starting this summer. The new ordinance, which passed on an 11-2 vote, was spearheaded by council member Gary Schiff. Schiff expressed concerns about the number of people who are left stranded late at night because they don't have enough cash. Opponents, including the Taxicab Drivers and Owners Association, said it would be a financial burden on taxi drivers who have to pay the bank fees. Atlanta, Georgia : Three men who carjacked eight taxi cab drivers in DeKalb County are to be arraigned next week on more than 30 charges, including armed robbery, aggravated assault and kidnapping, authorities said. In the attacks, the men allegedly brandished a handgun, robbed cab drivers of cash, wallets, cell phones and other goods, and took their vehicles. In some cases, drivers were pistol-whipped, according to the indictments. New York City, New York : A Staten Island cab service has pleaded guilty to scamming the MTA by billing the agency for thousands of rides it never gave to disabled people, officials said Thursday. Investigators found that Wadsworth Car Services had customers sign several vouchers at once and then added in fake dates and times later. In other cases, cabbies filled out bogus forms using their own names, charging the MTA for rides when they were driving themselves around. Chicago, Illinois : In December, Mayor Rahm Emanuel outlined a proposal that would, among other things: allow cab owners to charge higher rates to drivers to lease fuelefficient vehicles. Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Commissioner Rosemary Krimbel is the chief architect of the ordinance. Her department regulates the taxi industry. She says the higher lease costs would be more than offset by gas savings, and that drivers would see an increase of $25 more a day under the new leasing structure. Other provisions in the ordinance include: mandating that new cabs can have no more than 75,000 miles on them, instead of the current 150,000; and prohibiting drivers from spending more than 12 consecutive hours behind the wheel. OKLAHOMA CITY : Local taxi drivers told Okla-homa City Council members Tuesday that a seemingly minor change in downtown metered parking ordinances will be a major problem in their lifestyles. The friction arises from whether taxis are allowed to park curbside in spaces used by the general public while visiting the business district and adjacent Bricktown San Diego, Ca. : A dispute between two friends over who would pay for a taxi fare put a 26-year-old man in a hospital with severe head injuries on Saturday. The fight broke out at about 2 a.m. in front of the 7-Eleven store at Gold Coast Drive and Camino Ruiz in Mira Mesa, said San Diego police Sgt. Ray Battrick. The 26-year-old victim and his friend, a 39year-old man, argued and the victim was pushed and then punched in the head. The victim fell backwards and hit his head on the asphalt in the parking lot, Battrick said. The 26 -year-old man stopped breathing, and another friend gave him CPR until paramedics arrived, he said. Las Vegas , NV. : The normally mundane discussion of allocating extra taxicab permits for special events in Las Vegas erupted Tuesday into an unprecedented display of driver anger over life behind the wheel. The Nevada Taxicab Authority had to recess its meeting twice to allow the tumult -- including frequent chants of "no more cabs" -- from the more than 300 drivers to subside. One driver was escorted out of the Cashman Center meeting room by authorities after he shouted down a taxi company executive during testimony. Another driver later invited arrest by kneeling before the directors' table with his hands behind his back. Both were eventually allowed to return to their seats . San Francisco, Ca. : San Francisco has about 1,500 taxis, double its fleet of 15 years ago. The total gasoline used each year by those 1,500 taxis is about half the total used by the 750, in years past. San Francisco taxi operators are saving millions by using a fleet that is 92 percent hybrid or fueled with Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). San Francisco taxis average a punishing 90,000 miles per year, driving day and night on smooth streets and potholes and killer hills. Under these conditions, gasoline for a traditional taxi costs over $20,000 per year. For a Prius taxi, under $7,000. Even if a taxi operator spent an extra $2,500 every other year for a new hybrid battery pack, they save a fortune. San Francisco taxis have reduced gas use by 2.9 million gallons per year and lowered greenhouse gas emissions by 35,000 tons annually.

Alliance Taxi Dispatch CompanyMedia justice for citizens and Manipulation honor and Mohammad Shohel Shukurdrivers By
By TKW
On Saturday February 3, 2012, a local television station reported on their evening news segment, a story about the taxi industry in Philadelphia. The overall sense of the story was that Philadelphia cabs are in a deplorable condition. They cited dirty, smelly cabs that were poorly maintained. Being a driver, I know that the story was slighted because the majority of cabs in the city are not that way. But this isnt the first time the industry has been attacked by the media. In the late 1990s, a local newspaper reporter ran a year long series on the state of the Philadelphia taxi industry. Most of his facts were distorted and there was no balance to his reporting. However, because of the series, there were distinct changes made in the industry. Regulations regarding car age and mileage limitations were created along with fines for non-compliance to those regulations. One hundred new medallions were released through a sealed auction to bidders who could put new vehicles on the street. Many believe that there was insider information provided to the major players of the time to secure the medallions. Once the smoke cleared, the news story went away. So when I saw the broadcast on Saturday, my first thought was what is happening in the industry to provoke it. When the media starts to manipulate and distort the facts, especially when it comes to the taxi industry here in Philadelphia, it usually means something is behind it. Someone wants the industry to look bad, but why? There are many changes the current big fishes want to put into effect. As discussed in our meetings, wheelchair accessible vehicles, changes to the GPS/credit card system, and possibly more medallions/cabs on the street could be motivating factors. If history tells us anything, then this report is just the beginning of something more to come and we cant afford to be caught by surprise as we were then. Something is coming down the pike and we have to be prepared. We have to change the way we do business. As lease drivers, we have to stay on top of our game, making sure that our vehicles are clean, that our tires are safe, and that we present ourselves as the professionals we are. If our car has a maintenance problem, report it right away. As driver-owners, we have to do the same thing. We dont want to give our opposition anything to use against us. We have to be united now more than ever. Remember, individually we beg , united we bargain ! Alliance Taxi Dispatch Company- The conception came from the experience and dealings with the other dispatch companies. TWA members, organizers, and executive board have always talked about the inappropriate behavior, exploitation, and favoritism practiced by the current dispatch companies. These conditions force drivers to switch dispatch companies in hopes of finding better conditions; however, the switch is very expensive. Depression suffered by drivers is directly linked to both the oppressive working conditions and the inability to switch companies because of financial reasons. The current dispatch companies changed the philosophy that the riding public are the customers, to concentrating on drivers being their customers. Dispatch companies now have no need to advertise for ridership and people outside of Center City cannot call for a cab, missing 70% of our business. Drivers concentrated in a small area gives the PPA more opportunities to collect drivers blood money for nonsense fines and penalties. These conditions deprive drivers of their rights and creates an environment of violence and instability for both drivers and the riding public. Because of all of these negative conditions, it was important and extremely urgent for TWA to consider an alternative. TWA began analyzing the relevant pros and cons of the current dispatch system. After coming up with a clear analysis, TWA did a feasibility study that concluded that drivers can own and operate their independent dispatch company. TWA organizers voted to move forward with a separate entity which was named the Alliance Taxi Dispatch Company (ATDC). ATDC is a separate legal entity from TWA and shall operated as a cooperative that is owned and operated by the taxi drivers. Anyone can be an owner of ATDC if they are a taxi driver and a union member. This is a non -profit company whose profits will be returned to the members by way of benefits such as life insurance and disability coverage. We also will be advertising thru out the region to build back up the ridership base. Any driver interested can reach ATDC at (267 496 4452). The company is expected to open on May 1 2012.
SMohammad Shukur

Freedom is never given. It must be taken. And therefore you only get what you are organized to take! All of history US and world history confirms this statement. Are you able to generate a critical mass of power to counter the existing power relationships to make change? Weve got to be real about that. Otherwise were playing games. As Malcolm X once stated, power only respects power power never takes a step back except in the face of more power. One thing thats very crucial in this period is the role of education and consciousness raising. What Ive learned in my experiences in organizing is that building socio-political movement is about more than simply mobilizing bodies. Its essentially about moving minds and hearts. And education is central, especially in an information age. The technological revolution I alluded to earlier has created this ability to impact on peoples worldviews that ultimately influence peoples political wills, which is what were trying to get at. Today, unlike any other period, these influences work like a 24/7 netwar against the poor as the first line of attack against all of us. If were going to go forward, weve got to resolve this problem of education and theory. The important thing that Ive learned in my political life was that the major defeats and mistakes were largely a result of a lack of a historical perspective that comes from theory, a lack of understanding of political economy that comes from theory, a lack of leadership development that comes from theoretical development. And not having leaders a core of leaders who are connected to the struggles of the poor and dispossessed, who are committed, who are competent, and who are clear in terms of their analytical approach is problematic in terms of your ability to sustain an effort, to stick and stay the course, to go up against the sophistication of the forces were dealing with. What Ive learned most is that the first stage in any kind of organizing is how do you identify and develop those leaders that emerge in those struggles, how you use those struggles to identify leaders and concentrate them into a guiding intellectual force that can then organize the movement. They have to have the sophistication that matches the sophistication of the powers-that-be. I dont think that we understand what were up against. The forces were up against, on the one hand, dont give a damn about us. They go around the world and subject people to the most excruciating horrors. You think theyre not prepared to do that with us? Certainly the history of people of color suggests that they are prepared to do dirty to anybody for dominance and the dollar. This is a tremendous opposition that we face. Weve got to know our enemy and strive to know what they know. For if we only know ABC and they know A to Z then we stand to be outmaneuvered and manipulated. ( Willie Baptist serves as the Poverty Initiative Scholarin-Residence and is the Coordinator of the Poverty Scholars Program at Union Theological Seminary. )

Introducing Willie Baptist:

excerpts:Its not enough to be angry
Any approach to social change, organizing and leadership development has to be based on your assessment of the situation and of the problem. If you have one assessment or one diagnosis, youre going to have a particular prescription and a particular approach to the solution. Either were dealing with a teddy bear or were dealing with a grizzly bear, and either estimate will determine your set of tactics, your organizing approach. If you think youre dealing with a teddy bear and in reality its a grizzly bear coming at you, youre going to be in trouble. So this estimate of the situation is absolutely crucial to the process. You can see the continuing influences on large part of the Left of the 1930s trade union organizing and of the 1960s community organizing, which is heavily shaped by the influences of the Civil Rights Movement and worlds National Liberation Movements. Theres a saying that most generals are always fighting the last war. That is what were finding in the Left. Were dealing with a totally new situation. In this new day you must do things in a new way In organizing today around the issues of poverty and the issues of extreme wealth concentrated in a few hands, to resolve this problem, social hegemonic leadership must come from that segment of the population that is the most directly affected, that is, the poor and dispossessed sections in the struggle. Our organizing and developing leaders today must first focus on uniting this segment. This must be the only basis of developing and uniting revolutionary leaders. Part of an accurate estimate of the social problems we face involves power relationships. In the National Union of the Homeless we coined the slogan, Power grows from organization

Unified Taxi Workers Alliance of Pennsylvania

4233 Chestnut Street www.twapa.org . Philadelphia. PA 19104 (215) 279-0472 twapa1@yahoo.com

Official Membership Form

FIRST NAME : ______________________ LAST NAME:_________________________ Mailing Address :______________________________________ City :_______________________________ State:__________ Zip code :_____________ Phone Number:______________________ Dispatch Company:_____________________ P-Number :_______________ Hack #__________ Date of Birth :______________

E-Mail :_____________________________________________

Contact Name and Phone Number in case of Emegency :_______________________________ Country of Origin:________________________ Years driving taxi:____________

Dues are $60.00 down-payment for 6 months or: IF YOU PAY ALL AT ONCE, DUES ARE $100.00 FOR THE YEAR. Amount Paid :$____________ Check or Money Order Number:_________

I, ________________________________________________, hereby accept membership in and authorize the Unified Taxi Workers Alliance of Pennsylvania to act as my collective bargaining agent for purposes of negotiating my wages, hours, lease agreements and other terms and conditions of employment with my employer and all other entities affecting my working environment.