San Francisco Town Hall Meeting Concerning Independent Cab Driver Medallions Issue
Will Be Held On Tuesday, October 9th at 1 South Van Ness, 2nd floor Atrium
at 1:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
October 8, 2012 (San Francisco, CA) -- The battle raging at City Hall between independent taxi drivers (operating as small businesses) and the Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) over rights to medallions (i.e. cab permits issued by the City) has a chance for resolution at the
Town Hall meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, October 9th. The plight of cab drivers on the medallions waiting list currently hangs in the balance.
This meeting will give drivers and their advocates a chance to learn what MTA's intentions are. Advocates will push hard to unite cab drivers to turn out for a follow-up meeting currently scheduled for October 16th where attendance numbers will matter the most. The future of the medallion waiting list will be decided at the second meeting. Final confirmation about date and time of the crucial second meeting will not be made public prior to the meeting tomorrow.
For working S.F. cab drivers, medallion ownership brings significant relief including increased income and outlook for security after retirement. Prop K, passed in 1978, allowed drivers who could never have afforded the purchase of a medallion to obtain one and to thereby have their own stake in the taxi industry. For the public this type of medallion system means a more experienced workforce, driving safer vehicles.
Currently about 1,400 drivers are on the medallion waiting list, including San Francisco native Iza Pardiñas, one of very few women cabbies in the City. Cab driver
Advocate Mark Gruberg has asked the Board of Appeals to take jurisdiction over an appeal of the permit decision. Gruberg explains "If they let us appeal, it will go forward at a date that will be determined. If not, the company permits are a done deal unless someone takes the MTA to court."
Independent taxi drivers in San Francisco still hope local government representatives, like
Supervisor Malia Cohen of
District 10, will come to their aid.
Cab driver advocate Mark Gruberg and SF cab driver Iza Pardiñas are available for interviews, please contact Fly PR for details:
T. 323-667-1344
E.
flypr@flypr.net