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Taxi drivers and medallion holders press supervisors over long-term lease changes
Summary
Multiple speakers at public comment urged supervisors to oppose Yellow Cab and other companies' shift to annual long-term leases and to preserve existing leasing and driver flexibility; the issue drew repeated public comment but no immediate board action on item 58.
A string of taxi drivers, medallion holders and labor representatives used the Board of Supervisors9 public comment period on June 12 to press the board on industry changes proposed by major companies, including notices that monthly shift leases would be phased out in favor of annual leases.
Speakers described notices from companies such as Yellow Cab and Luxor that they intend to replace monthly leases with annual contracts requiring substantial advance payments. One public commenter said the companies9 notices required an advance of $2,928 and would ban subleasing and short shifts, leaving drivers with little flexibility if they fell ill or could not work. Drivers and medallion holders said the notice would increase financial exposure for drivers and could make illegal, unregulated cabs more attractive in the marketplace.
Why it matters: The proposals, if implemented, would change how drivers pay for and access vehicles and could shift costs and risks to drivers. Speakers urged the board to refrain from regulatory changes that would disadvantage drivers and urged the taxi commission and this board to consider the growth of unregulated private-for-hire services as context for policy decisions.
Public comments: Represented organizations included United Taxicab Workers (UTW), the Taxicab Medallion Holders Association and multiple individual drivers who described decades of taxi service in San Francisco. A medallion-holder speaker said the industry is already heavily regulated and warned that more regulation during a period of technological change could push activity into an unregulated market.
Board action: The comments occurred during general public comment and during a later calendar item; the record shows no final board action on item 58 during the June 12 meeting. Several speakers asked the board to defer intervention until the taxi commission9s review of the "drive your own" rule and lease practices was complete.
Quotes: "Drivers are frightened to death," Mark Gruberg of United Taxicab Workers said of notices requiring advance payments and banning short shifts. "These companies are taking advantage in the most callous, most shameless way of their workers," another speaker said.
Next steps: The taxi commission and board were expected to continue debating leasing rules; speakers asked supervisors to avoid imposing heavy-handed rules that would push drivers toward unregulated services.
