Taxi Drivers to Rally Against Sweatshop Conditions--Already won Concessions from PPA
The Unified Taxi Workers Alliance (UTWA) will stage a rally this Wednesday, July 22nd, from 11 am to 1pm at 3101 Market Street, in front of the Philadelphia Parking Authority' headquarters. The demonstration will be to demand fair parking ticket practices, a reduction in the outrageous new fees imposed on the taxi industry, and the return of funds that were wrongly withheld from drivers when doing credit card transactions.
After months of meetings, phone calls, and correspondence between Philadelphia' taxi workers and the Parking Authority, no progress has been made on these issues. Some of the enforcement officers take short cuts and bypass putting the parking tickets on our windshield,declared Femi Olanyni, a long-time taxi driver. This shortcut creates extra penalties and fees and denies us our right to due process," added Mohammad Shukur, a founding member of UTWA.
The PPA's new fees include a non-refundable $50 to appeal a taxi ticket, $200 to replace older vehicles, and $75 to inspect a cab. Concerning credit card transactions, the PPA does not itemize the transactions. Drivers are unable to decipher what they are being paid for and what is missing. During the first three months of being mandated to accept credit cards, $75,000 was missing from drivers’ accounts; imagine how much will be missing after three years.
We are justified in asking that parking tickets be placed on our windshields, so that we may have due process, that all credit card transactions be itemized and monitored to ensure that they rightfully go to the taxi workers, and that a democratic process be developed when increasing new fees in the industry. To their credit, most Parking Enforcement Officers (PEO') write legitimate tickets, and only a small percentage of PEO' are taking these shortcuts. We are requesting that the PPA weed out these loafers.
In the spirit of solidarity, UTWA is asking all of our allies and concerned citizens to support this struggle for justice. In our struggle to end these sweatshop conditions and pick up the torch to end poverty and oppression, please join us on Wednesday in taking back Philadelphia.
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Because of Strength, Cabbies Already Won Concession from PPA
To All Medallion Taxicab Drivers and Owners:
Effective immediately, if you receive a parking ticket on your taxicab and believe you were not at the location on the date and time noted on the ticket, you may request a GPS Investigation by taking the following steps:
* Call the Parking Violations Branch (PVB) at 888-591-3636.
* Inform the person answering that you are a medallion taxicab driver or owner and wish to place a parking ticket you received on suspend while a GPS investigation is conducted.
* Provide the parking ticket number.
* Let the call taker know that you don't believe that you were at the location noted on the ticket at the time the ticket was issued.
The PVB will place your parking ticket on suspend for a period of up to 30 days while an investigation is conducted. An acknowledgment letter will be sent from PVB to the registrant of the TX and/or TLH plate involved depending upon whether the medallion owner is a fleet program participant and has assigned the ticket to the leasing driver. After the investigation has been completed, the person responsible for the ticket will be sent a letter with the results. If the investigation confirms that the taxicab was at the location on the date and time noted on the ticket, the letter sent will provide ticket payment instructions along with directions for contesting the ticket.
If the investigation supports the contention that the taxicab was not at the location on the date and time noted, the letter sent by PVB will indicate that the ticket will be canceled and will provide information as to how to obtain a refund if payment was already made.
Should you have any questions regarding this new process, please contact Manamka Jordan, Manager of Administration and Adjudication at 215-683-9656.
As always, thank you for your cooperation and support.
James R. Ney, Director
Taxicab and Limousine Division
Manamka Jordan, Manager
Adjudication & Administration
Taxi & Limousine Division
(215)683-9656
mjordan@philapark.org