How Would Unions Change The Way TNCs Operate?

Uber Technologies has overcome taxi driver protests, irate government officials, and the occasional self-made controversy. But the next fight for the ride-hailing company and rival Lyft may be with a modern-day Jimmy Hoffa.

BloombergBusiness news article here

Keywords

employee vs independent contractor   fleet insurance policies   labor laws   legislation   regulatory enforcement   Safety & Insurance   TNCs   Uber   unionization   

 

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GCLA Juggles Active Pro-Limo Agenda For 2016

LOS ANGELES — Lobbyists for the Greater California Livery Association outlined industry regulatory ups and downs in 2015 as the group anticipates more enforcement against illegal operators and better background checks for TNC drivers in 2016.

Speaking at the group’s annual holiday party Dec. 15 in Los Angeles, Lobbyists Gregg Cook and Rob Grossglauser of Government Affairs Consulting in Sacramento outlined two key successes and two challenges ahead for the state trade group:

Successes
Gov. Jerry Brown signed two key pieces of legislation in September, helpful to the state’s chauffeured transportation industry.

• AB863, authored by Assembly Member Bill Dodd, D-4th district, will require stretch limousines to need only pop-out windows to meet state requirements for emergency exits. A previous state law prompted by a fatal San Francisco Bay Area stretch limousine fire in May 2013 required a fifth door on all stretches as of this year. AB863 modified that rule in favor of the industry.
• SB541, sponsored by Sen. Jerry Hill, D-13th district, requires the California Public Utilities Commission, which regulated charter-party carriers statewide, to begin spending more money in 2016 on enforcement against illegal operators and for personnel and technology that speeds up the processing of licensing and administrative procedures. Limousine operators pay a percentage of their gross revenues into to the PUC Transportation Reimbursement Account, which amounts to about $3 million per year. The PUC reported in its 2015-16 budget a $9 million surplus in the account, and anticipates another $3 million in 2016. The law also requires that 1) the CPUC allow the GCLA to participate in the development of its plans to implement the funds; 2) the CPUC enforcement division must meet with a GCLA representative at least once per year to consult on enforcement actions against illegal limo operators.

“The legislation tells the PUC you better start doing the job you’re supposed to be doing,” Cook told LCT.

Challenges

• Driver background checks: AB24, a commercial for-hire driver background check bill sponsored by Assembly Member Adrin Nazarian, D- 46th District, failed due to disagreements among legislators about the scope and of the checks. Backed by the GCLA and the California Taxi Association, the bill’s proposals likely will return in another legislative bill during 2016. The bill would require all for-hire drivers, including chauffeurs, taxi drivers and TNC drivers, to get Department of Justice certified background checks before they could work for a ground transportation company in California. However, a requirement that TNC drivers participate in the Department of Motor Vehicles pull-notice program, that alerts employers of driving records, was approved in a separate bill signed by Gov. Brown in 2015.
• Tour bus inspection fees: Following a Nov. 13 accident in San Francisco involving an unregistered double-decker tour bus, the Legislature likely will consider a measure to increase bus inspection fees. But first, legislators and regulators must decide what constitutes a bus. Statues are vague on the issue, with one rule defining a bus as any vehicle that carries 11 passengers or more. Cook explained that bus definitions on the books haven’t kept up with the many advances and varieties of limousine bus, shuttle, mini-bus and van models now commonly used by chauffeured transportation operations. The GCLA has yet to develop an official position on this new, floated proposal.

Call To Action
The lobbyists and holiday party guest speaker, Rep. Adrin Nazarian, called on California operators to help advocate for fairer regulations in the struggle against transportation network companies (TNC)s. Cook advised attendees to join GCLA leaders for the group’s annual Legislative Day in Sacramento on Feb. 10, 2016, where small groups of GCLA operators meet with State Assembly members and Senators throughout the day.

“It’s not worth a damn without you,” Cook said. “We will arrange the appointments for you so they can come face to face with this industry. This is your chance to talk with the legislators who represent you and inform them of the interests of the industry.

Nazarian, who Cook hailed as one of two legislators in the state friendliest to the limousine industry, out of 120 total elected members, encouraged operators to step up and participate.

“I know what it’s like to be an underdog,” said Nazarian, who emigrated to the U.S. from Iran at age 8 and was first elected to his seat in a 2014 race that pitted him against an opponent who outspent him by seven times during the campaign. “I don’t have a problem at all picking a good fight. You have a good partner. Now, what I expect from all of you is to show up, raise your hand and make sure you get heard. That’s why our reps democracy structure works. It does work but you need to show up. You can have this wonderful party, but if you don’t act, I don’t know for how many years you can have this party.”

Nazarian told GCLA members to pick up the phone and meet with their elected officials to advocate for pro-industry legislation and measures. “There is a $3 trillion tech industry in state that doesn’t need to pick up the phone. That’s what you are up against. A lot of those folks invest in companies that compete against you.”

Members and operators interested in particpating in Legislative Day on Feb. 10, 2016 should contact GCLA executive director Tom Garrett at tom@gcla.org.

Keywords

accidents   buses   California operators   charter and tour operators   GCLA   Greater California Livery Association   Gregg Cook   industry politics   legislation   lobbying   regulatory enforcement   state regulations   tour buses   

 

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IATR Annual Conferences – Merci Beaucoup Montreal (for 2015) & Hello San Francisco (for 2016)!

IATR President Matt Daus delivers welcoming remarks at the 2015 Montreal IATR conference, sporting an IATR hockey jersey.

This year brought another highly successful conference of the International Association of Transportation Regulators (IATR) in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The theme of the 2015 conference was “Regulatory Resiliency, Renewal and Regeneration.”

Our 28th Annual Conference was one of the highest rated of all prior conferences. In addition to the high attendance rate, the results of our post-conference survey contained some of the best ratings ever. Over 94% of attendees reported that the conference completely met and exceeded expectations and was worth the investment. Well over 82% of attendees indicated that the entertainment, events, speakers, program theme, and topics were very good, excellent or the “best ever.”

Many people worked together to make this conference so successful, including our conference planning committee, our supportive conference hosts: Aref Salem, Linda Marchand, Kim Thibault, and Marie-Hélène Giguère of Montreal’s Taxi Bureau, as well as our conference planners Bianca Blag and Michelle Iadarola. In addition, the IATR’s new partnership with the United States Department of Transportation’s University Transportation Research Center (UTRC) from the City University of New York, was on full display, where resources were committed from the university to help plan, support and implement the conference. Our thanks go out to Dr. Camille Kamga, Nadia Aslam and Tierra Fisher of the UTRC for their unwavering assistance. Of course, we could never have had such an outstanding conference without the support of our many sponsors who helped us with transportation, booths/displays and participation in our educational sessions.

Our Montreal program sessions addressed every current issue at both the high and granular levels, with experts and peers looking behind and beyond the current state of affairs of the technological disruption movement, while attempting to forecast the fast approaching future. Topics included pressing issues such as: criminal background checks; insurance coverage; wheelchair accessibility; smartphone and related debit/credit payment processing; aggregator and related technology developments; autonomous and connected vehicles; as well as data privacy and security protections and protocols. For the first time, we had a well-received IATR Conference App that was used to provide a paperless format to view the speaker bios, presentations, events, and program. The program can be viewed here: http://ift.tt/1OdzA9U. The papers, PowerPoints, photos, and videos of the conference can be viewed by members in good standing by visiting www.iatr.global.

We were honored to welcome the former Governor of the State of New York, Hon. David A. Paterson, as our keynote speaker, who discussed his historic tenure, his approach and accomplishments in the for-hire transportation arena. Governor Paterson also shared: his new activities and advocacy for clean air and accessible vehicles; safe, secure and efficient technologically based ground transportation services; and the EB-5 immigration program’s transportation funding initiatives. Other highlights of the conference included: (1) the release of the final version of the Model Regulations for Accessibility: http://ift.tt/1NC3izN; (2) review and discussion of the “One Standard for All” report by the City University of New York on best practices for driver criminal background checks: http://ift.tt/1OdzxLm; (3) the first-ever Summit of Canadian Regulators to discuss transportation regulation issues north of the border; and (4) the release of major regulatory reforms by Transport for London, announced at our conference during the “Leveling of the Playing Field” panel discussion by Helen Chapman: http://ift.tt/1RqvYil.

IATR attendees were delighted to spend time in such a dynamic and exciting city as Montreal, where we celebrated its unique culture, history, and outstanding culinary and entertainment options. Among our networking and educational activities, we experienced – first-hand – Canadian pride in the sport of ice hockey, by holding our welcoming reception at the Montreal Forum. Our attendees faced-off in a shoot-out with a live goalie, while sporting their favorite hockey team jerseys on what used to be the ice rink where the Montreal Canadians played for decades. Live Montreal entertainment and cocktail events included an outstanding blues/soul/rock performance by the Sylvie Desgroseilliers quartet, and our grand finale gala dinner at Cirque Éloize at the Gare Dalhouise, included performances by contortionists and acrobats. At our gala event, the IATR Board was pleased to present its annual Regulator of the Year award to Tina Paez of Houston, Texas, who has been a strong and influential transportation regulator, originally introduced to the IATR via a scholarship and who held the line on public safety by ensuring that TNC drivers undergo criminal background checks via fingerprinting. The IATR Board was also delighted to present its annual International Driver of the Year award to David Tuffs, of Chicago, Illinois, for his exemplary service in providing wheelchair accessible service to disabled passengers. It was a conference to remember and an informative time was had by all.

IATR 2016 – 29th Annual Conference – San Francisco, CA

The City of San Francisco is the birthplace of the technology transportation movement, the home of Silicon Valley and all things high-tech, and a world leader in shared mobility, sustainable transportation and mobility management. As the host of IATR’s 29th Annual Conference, the San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Agency (SFMTA) will serve as our hub, showcasing its unique multi-modal transit management and regulatory approach. After almost five (5) years of unprecedented smartphone transportation technology disruptive events, IATR regulators will return to the West Coast and Ground Zero of the Transportation Network Company (TNC) genesis.

The theme of IATR’s 29th Annual Conference is “21st Century Transportation Regulation – A Vision for Shared Mobility, Multi-Modal Integration & Governance.” The SFMTA, which has proven to be a successful experiment in the integration of taxicab regulation into a larger agency that manages multiple transit modes, including buses, subways, bicycles, and traffic management. A true transportation hybrid entity, the SFMTA was ahead of the curve in terms of being ready for the sweeping technology changes that have brought regulatory approaches and competing or diverse transit modes together under one planning and management roof. SFMTA, at this critical time in transportation history, is the perfect host and case study for new and future regulatory models.

This conference is expected to center on high technology developments central to the evolution of 21st century taxicab and for-hire vehicle services. Topics will include the replacement or metamorphosis of the taximeter, autonomous and connected vehicles, Vision Zero safety technology developments, and on-board diagnostics. The use of smartphone technology platforms, aggregation services and integrated technology solutions will be examined, and the most current developments shared with conference attendees.

The establishment of the City of San Francisco involved mining for gold by 49ers searching for riches and fortune as part of the Gold Rush. In the 21st century, we have turned from mining for iron ore gold, to theoretical Silicon Valley gold – the collection and use of data. To this end, the 29th Annual Conference will focus extensively on open transportation data platforms by government and the private sector, and is expected to include the IATR’s first-ever Hack-A-Thon, where technology experts will seek to solve service issues or problems through the analysis of SFMTA taxi and related data, in an exercise that will be shared during the conference.

The IATR’s international footprint continues to grow exponentially, as the transportation technology disruption movement knows no borders. The varied regulatory responses in other parts of the world will be explored, on TNC and other topics. IATR will hold sessions that are dedicated to various continents and countries to highlight and focus on approaches to regulation, including separate sessions for Canadian, European, Asian and Australian regulators.

Finally, this conference will focus on the developing concept of shared mobility – in terms of environmentally sustainable modes of transportation – such as group riding or true ridesharing, bike sharing, car rentals, and other integrated transit solutions that use multiple modes to provide more efficient options, while plugging service gaps. Leading academics, experts and practitioners will share information and knowledge about how transportation professionals are approaching 21st century multi-modal transit planning, and where taxicabs, TNCs, limousines, and other for-hire vehicles fit in.

Merci beaucoup Montreal, and let’s get ready for San Francisco!

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Mobility Ventures Donates New MV-1 Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle to Inspiring Waitress Whose Story Captured Nation’s Attention

Representatives from Mobility Ventures, LLC, along with New Jersey volunteer firefighters, and members of the community, were on hand at an event where a new, fully wheelchair accessible MV-1 was donated to the Woodward family of Mount Laurel, NJ.
 
This past summer, Liz Woodward picked up the breakfast tab for two volunteer firefighters (Paul Hullings and Tim Young  – one of which had just come off of a fire), while working as a waitress in a diner. Taken by her gesture, the firefighters were inspired to action when they learned Ms. Woodward had started the “Woodward Strong” campaign to raise money for her father, who had suffered a brain aneurysm some years earlier and was in need of a wheelchair accessible vehicle. In an act of “paying it forward” the two firefighters helped her boost the campaign from $30,000 to $80,000 and reach over 125 countries.

After hearing her story, Mobility Ventures was inspired to match the generosity of Ms. Woodward, the firefighters and the thousands of campaign donors by providing the Woodward family with a fully wheelchair accessible MV-1 vehicle.

“When we heard about Liz’s efforts to help her father and the incredible support she’s received from her community, we were deeply inspired and wanted to pay forward her kindness,” says Pat Kemp, Mobility Ventures Executive Vice President.  “We’re happy to have a hand in giving her family back their mobility and freedom, and the peace of mind that comes from driving a safe and reliable vehicle.”

“The generosity and kindness the campaign supporters and Mobility Ventures have shown is really incredible and I hope this brings hope to others in similar situations and inspires people to help those in need in any way possible,” said Liz Woodward. “We truly appreciate it.”

The MV-1 is the only purpose built wheelchair accessible vehicle. The MV-1 redefines accessible transportation with a built-in side-entry power ramp, ample head room, and seating for up to five which includes the ability to safely accommodate two wheelchair users at a time—one of whom rides in the front and the other in the spacious passenger area —making it the perfect solution for consumers, commercial use, and government fleets. And at Mobility Ventures, safety comes first.  The MV-1 safety record is unmatched by any wheelchair accessible vehicle, based on federal NHTSA safety recall data for aftermarket conversion vans. Additionally, the MV-1 meets all Buy America requirements.
                  
Information about the MV-1 family of accessible vehicles can easily be found on our website at www.mv-1.us The site includes useful information on building/customizing your own MV-1, vehicle specifications, a downloadable brochure, vehicle photos and the nationwide dealer network locations. Also, please click the hyperlinks below for informative MV-1 customer testimonials.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU-YPOQD910
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifZXRnWVSVs
 
About Mobility Ventures LLC Mobility Ventures is an industry innovator in purpose-built paratransit vehicles for public and private transportation providing design, engineering, marketing, sales, and customer service support. Mobility Ventures is a wholly owned subsidiary, of AM General LLC. Please see more information about Mobility Ventures at www.mv-1.us.

About AM General AM General designs, engineers, manufactures, supplies and supports specialized vehicles for military and commercial customers worldwide. Through its military business, the company is widely recognized as the world leader in design, engineer, manufacture and support of Light Tactical Vehicles, having produced and sustained more than 300,000 vehicles in over 60 countries. Its growing Commercial business includes its wholly owned subsidiary, Mobility Ventures, designer and manufacturer of the acclaimed MV-1, the only American made vehicle specifically engineered from the ground up in support of wheelchair users and people with disabilities. AM General is also proud to have been selected by Mercedes-Benz to be its only contract manufacturer in the United States, producing the R-Class vehicle in Mishawaka, Indiana. AM General has more than five decades of experience meeting the changing needs of the defense and automotive industries, supported by its employees at major facilities in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, and a strong supplier base that stretches across 43 states.

Please see more information about AM General at www.amgeneral.com.

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