Taxi Driver Online

New York taxi advocate suggests drivers use race profiling


NEW YORK | Wed Dec 8, 2010 6:23pm EST

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The head of a New York taxi driver organization came under fire on Wednesday for suggesting that cab drivers should racially profile passengers before picking them up to help avoid getting attacked.

The controversial remarks by Fernando Mateo, president of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, came after livery cab driver Trevor Bell was shot and wounded by a passenger last week.

Police say they are seeking a suspect in the attack described as a Hispanic male wearing a hooded sweatshirt. The driver remains in critical condition at a New York hospital.

Racial profiling addresses "a controversial reality that the people committing most of the crimes against drivers are Hispanics and blacks," said Mateo, who is of black and Hispanic origin.

"It's very hard to admit the truth when the truth affects your own community," he said on Wednesday. "What I'm trying to do is expose a very serious problem that we have been facing as a community for a very long time."

The head of the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission slammed Mateo's remarks.

"Choosing which passengers to serve on the basis of race is illegal, downright wrong and simply unacceptable," said David Yassky, the head of the commission.

Activist Rev. Al Sharpton said: "It is understandable that we have outrage when attacks like this happen.

"But I don't think two wrongs make a civil right," he said.

Mateo said roughly 300 taxi drivers in New York City are robbed or assaulted each month. There are some 13,000 taxis in the city and more than 40,000 other for-hire vehicles.

Mateo said cab drivers should watch out for passengers wearing "gang colors, someone that is hiding his facial features and someone whose behavior isn't appropriate."

"We need to profile their behavior in order for us to save ourselves from the criminal element in our community," he said.

Mateo said he's undergone a barrage of criticism from several civil rights groups since first making similar remarks over the weekend.

"I'm advising Hispanic and black drivers to watch out for Hispanics and blacks that represent a criminal element of our community," he said.


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Dougie, you want this!!!!!

Taxis only 25% of the hire car market?

Fecking nutter that you are Dougie. FFS grow up!!!

_________________
Skull, "You are a police inspector, aren't you?"
Cab Inspector Smith, "Yes."
Skull, "So, are you going to tell Mr Taylor what his rights are?"
Smith, "And ... What rights?"

According to Dougie, who believes in the New York model, and going by that model, Edinburgh should have another 3,000 private hire cars.

You're quite a business guru Dougie.

Dougie, why do I get the impression that Lord Sugar doesn't have your fone number on his mobby?

_________________
Skull, "You are a police inspector, aren't you?"
Cab Inspector Smith, "Yes."
Skull, "So, are you going to tell Mr Taylor what his rights are?"
Smith, "And ... What rights?"

And loads more buses.

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IDFIMH

I think we all know that Dougie means he thinks a New York style for taxis only, not the entire for hire public transport system

On the singular point you raised, how big is New York compared to Edinburgh?

13,000 licenced Taxi's to pick up of the street is 10 times the amount of Taxi's in Edinburgh, Edinburgh is probably 50 times smaller than New York.

To suggest Edinburgh could support 4,000 phc is BONKERS!!!

The Medallion value to company's is nearly $600,000 dollars, the number of medallions are restricted but it's the regulator or LA that set the base price, the medallions are then auctioned to the highest bidder, this raises money for projects within New York

I'm for a similar system where our council sets a much higher New Licence fee granted amount for Blacks and Phc, doubling per plate held, if held by a company who are a mass plate holding company, this way doesn't affect the individual, we cannot restrict the number of phc plate's but we can squeeze out the profiteers and infiltrators of the phc trade by bringing in a similar model to New York

Now stick that in your PIPE and smoke it

If my views are significant they will influence, if not who gives a feck

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Alway's been about Tightening the Grip!

After reading Dougie's I trust you now know how wrong you are and how bonkers Dougie is.

The guy is certifiable.

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Skull, "You are a police inspector, aren't you?"
Cab Inspector Smith, "Yes."
Skull, "So, are you going to tell Mr Taylor what his rights are?"
Smith, "And ... What rights?"

once again

tell us how this can be achieved

one point at a time please

step by step,one foot in front of the other! Dougie.

because we are all sick of you falling over and making an erse of yourself.

its flecking embarrassing

btw i hate to tell you this Dougie but its new York in the USA.
not York in england .

different country and a completely different set of laws.

Trust me Dougie, your views are deranged. Thankfully even our politicians couldn't make such a hash of it.

_________________
Skull, "You are a police inspector, aren't you?"
Cab Inspector Smith, "Yes."
Skull, "So, are you going to tell Mr Taylor what his rights are?"
Smith, "And ... What rights?"

If I read this correctly your saying 1 plate =£100, 2nd plate =£200, 3rd, £400 and so on. Seems feasible in theory, but probably impossible to introduce. Why not just go for 1 plate per individual, and make the entry criteria more prohibitive?

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My heart is heavy, but my consience clear,
I voted Yes, without any fear.

Precisely. Driver quality controls. The value invested in the professionalism of the driver.

It's the driver who works the shift. No driver no taxi. It doesn't matter how many taxis there are, if you can't attract a qualified driver your taxi aint going anywhere.

Owners have a choice. Rentals at levels which make it senseless for drivers to put on their own vehicles. Work longer to make up any shortfall in lost rentals. Or leave the trade.

Working to make up rental is only necessary, or sustainable, in the short term adjustment period because owners will be operating according to their existing business model. In time this will change to a sustainable de-restricted alternative. Adjusting the deal for drivers in the short term will allow the transition to take place relatively painlessly.

Good owners will not lose their drivers. Their model, somewhat adjusted, could prevail.

But, at the end of the day, the public are going to get a much better, more readily available service. This will afford the opportunity to restore the value of the service we provide, help build customer loyalty and enhance the reward package for the increasing professionalism of the drivers.

The alternative is to allow Edinburgh's private hire to expand to the level of Glasgow, where the first choice for many is a minicab which outnumbers taxis by around two and a half times. Or New York, as Dougie wants, where private hire outstrips taxis by three to one.

If we want to avoid this, then the quality and numerical superiority has to remain with the hacks where we dictate our worth and we don't have it forced on us by the council and the competition.

Is this such a difficult choice

_________________
Skull, "You are a police inspector, aren't you?"
Cab Inspector Smith, "Yes."
Skull, "So, are you going to tell Mr Taylor what his rights are?"
Smith, "And ... What rights?"

Grumpy:


I normally would agree with this point, but, it was pointed out to me that if it became one driver one plate there wouldn't be any available for full time rent and I think rented vehicles should be available. How and on what grounds would you make it more prohibitive?

Jasber:


What quality controls would you like to see in a de-restricted area?

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

A limited company or LLP is in law a person.
Anyone can have as many such entities as they want, each holding just one plate.

Any move to bar companies from holding plates would be met with much resistance - not least in Edinburgh, where it would effectively end the plate market overnight.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

If the plate holder chose not to be a full-time driver then that problem sorts itself. Many would be in partnership with a.n.other to off-set cost of owning/running the vehicle, in any case. So one plate per owner(s) may be a better way of describing it. In that scenario there may be room for said a.n.other to also have a plate available to rent out a second cab if the cash/need/opportunity presented itself. The renter(s) of that vehicle could then attain the new enhanced criteria for ownership thus allowing a gradual growth in the numbers. or am I talking out my anus?

I think we all agree that our trade has for too long been diluted by all and sundry coming into it with no real desire to provide a service. It's a way of staying off the dole/supplementing the pension/saving dipping into the redundancy money/getting a job without needing to re-train etc. With that in mind I would like the LA's and training bodies to work together with taxi drivers with experience of the trade to create a proper qualification that bears some resemblance to what is needed. (No offence to you toots) but I've yet to hear of anyone who thinks the NVQ or BTec fits that bill. There should be schools to train prospective TAXI/PHV drivers before they enter the trade. Only those who really want to be here will take the course and get the qualification. Hopefully we would then see more harmony in the trade.

I know what I've written is more relevant in a future sense, but if something akin to it isn't adopted the trade will be even more [edited by admin] up than it is now.

If all of the above is B/S sobeit, but it's as I see it.

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My heart is heavy, but my consience clear,
I voted Yes, without any fear.

No offence taken I never came up with the stupid qualification anyway. I've only ever said that drivers should be trained

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

What's so complicated with a qualified driver having unfettered access to the tools of his trade?

There is no reason I can see to deny anyone the choice to own or drive. The only barrier to driving a taxi should be the qualification to earn the licence. Once you have achieved your licence renting or owning is then a fundamental right.

What, you can rent a taxi, but you just can't own a taxi, unless you buy what is, in fact, council property through the back-door of a limited company?

There is nothing complex about a driver earning a living driving a taxi, especially his own taxi.

You lot are fecking mad.

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"