Accurate Records: Every person who earns income from employement or business activity is required by State and Federal Law to keep accurate, honest books.
However, there is no business I know of that is required to provide financial records to its customers to support a price increase.
Except for certain service providers to the City of Chicago and other governemt contractors, there is no "independent" business in Chicago that is required to submit financial records to support a price increase to the City.
Most businesses rely on market and fiancial data often supplied by local, State and Federal Agencies that track this information for them, and especially their own records, to decide if and when a price increase is justified and/or necessary.
We already know what happens when taxicab drivers "follow the rules" and submit personal fincancial information to the City.
You see, the problem is that the City has the absolute power to say yes or no, inspite of any logoical or reasonable request.
Just in case it slipped anyones' mind, the City said "NO" to the surcharge and publicly stated wrong and incorrect reasons for declining to act.
Who is contradicting what? First they said the gas prices were too volatile. Meanwhile cabdrivers who had already been socked for bled out an extra $100 or more per week on gas prices. Volatile? Fuel prices skyrocketed, but they have not plummeted to new lows have they?
In other words, gas prices are not volatile. Thus, both the Chairman of the Transportation Committee and the Commissioner of Consumer Services are liars, tragically misinformerd.
Then they said they don't have the empirical evidence to authorize an increase. Empirical evidence? What, they didn't read the papers, they don't watch TV or listen to the radio?
The same government agencies that everyone else relies on for critical fiancial information to make pricing decisions publicaly announced that fuel and food costs were the two most critical infaltion factors. Key fiancial reports also predicted continued high prices for fuel through 2008.
Radio, TV and print media all rely on these same government agencies that everyone else relies on for critical fiancial information to make pricing decisions write their stories and reports about the economy.
Again, both the Chairman of the Transportation Committee and the Commissioner of Consumer Services lied.
On the other hand, if they really are as stupid and misinformed as they seem to be, they should be fired, indicted and locked up, at least for their own safety, not to mention the genral public's safety.
Then they said that they did not see popular support of the d rivers to warrant either a surcharge or fare increase even though they knew that the people who testified at the Tranpsortation Committee hearing on June 6th represented several organizations, which adds up to thousands of drivers and owners.
Both both the Chairman of the Transportation Committee and the Commissioner of Consumer Services know this -- they are selectively ignorant, when it suits their purposes.
Again, both the Chairman of the Transportation Committee and the Commissioner of Consumer Services lied.
Small Increase: What we need and what we get are two different things. It is not up to you or me to make such decisions. It is up to the Mayor and his stooges who control abslolute power over the taxicab industry.
We need a surcharge or meter increase or both. We need a lot of major changes to end the City's iron grip on the taxicab indutry and its groos, if not criminal mismanagement.
What we got is the royal shaft from the City and their only "supporting eveidence" was their own lies and twisdted "facts."
So, my friend, drive your cab, shut up, pay your lease, your fines and your taxes -- you have no say and no rghts.
Getting onboard: I don't expect anyone to get on board with our organization.
But the truth must be told, even if everyone else wants to belive in and live the lies.
Our mission is simply to get at the truth -- the cold, hard, truth, the facts, the reality.
We get a lot of spin, misconceptions, lies, incorrect and wrong information -- which are the "tools" that the City depends on, and the way to keep the dysfunctionality of any organizing efforts for and on behalf of the the taxicab industry at its highest levels.
Perhaps we can add Yes and No check boxes to the "wish list" and then people can check vote up or down on each issue.
If we all told our respective alderman what we wanted, they still wouldn't listen if what we want is not in their best interests.
The point is, a person's financial records are personal and private and only the IRS and other tax collecting entities have any right to this information.
This privacy is as "sacred" as one's vote in an election. The City uses this trick because they know it offensive and demeaning for many drivers to bare themselves in this way.
The City can count on the fact that most drivers won't provide the information. Then they can say they don't have enough evidence.
HOwever there a safe and private way to provide what the they want.
If we were to use river's records, they cpould be in abstract report form. Prateek (TWOP) has been developing just such a database using MS Excel.
I use a MS Access for my finacial records. I can produce reports, which I do for my accountant. I have other (tiny) sources of income, but doing corporate taxes is totally beyond my English major brain.
Faarax J. recently wrote "If we start raising cab fares on a regular basis, we run the very real risk of losing business."
This could happen. But Let's look at some of the real world consumer behavior in the midst of inflation.
Fuel Prices: There are no known reports of the big oil companies driving away or losing customers. There are more drivers than ever, despite record high gas and diesel fuel costs. In fact, the oil companies and/or gas producers are reporting record high profits!
Food Prices: People can't seem to get enough groceries -- even with record high food prices. Grocery stores claim higher delivery costs because of record high fuel costs!
Housing - Rent/Mortgages: Rents are going up almost every month. Rental property owners are reporting - yes you guessed it -- record high energy and maintenance costs.
The cost of home loans is going up -- the mortgage lenders want to cover some of the losses for all those bad loans they made -- over one million defaults/foreclosures and still going up.
It may be that the only customers taxicab drivers lose are the ones that tip you a nickel or a dime.
Or maybe we lose a few customers that go on a $3.65 trip after you chased 25 blocks to pick up the dispatch order.
(Gotta love 'em though -- no fare too big or too small! No tip to meager for a heartfelt thank you.)
In the real world, higher costs mean lower profits - less "take-home pay."
Any smart business raises its prices to cover costs to maintain its margin (of profit). No one goes into business to lose money.
I sympathize with riders too, but that sympathy stops when I am called on to finance their life styles by not charging them more because my costs have gone up.
I am all for charity, but not for the taxicab riders, most of whom make more money than I do in the first place.
I want to pay my rent on time, I want to eat healthy and wholesome food, I want to wear nice, clean clothes, pay my utilities and all my bills on time.
It gets harder and harder to do this when my real take-home is shrinking and the "buying power" of the dollar is shrinking along with it because of the higher cost of everything.
In the light of inflation - not charging more for your service is like charging less.
So, to reiterate what I said to the Transportation Committee in live testimony arguing for a surcharge or meter increase, "OUCH!"
Regarding the CIty Law requirement that drivers must submit records to DCS for review to determine an appropriate fare increase, Faarax J. w rote "What I suggest ... every ... cabdriver ... keep a complete and accurate record of your business for a month - how many hours a day you work, how many fares you had per day, the pick up and drop off locations of each fare, the price on the meter, how much tip you received, how much in gas you spent, how much in lunch you spent - take all that information, organize it into an easily accessible format and submit it to the commissioner and City Council. They have told us what they need from us before granting a fare increase. Let's give it to them and see what happens. Then, if they still don't want to act, we can explore other options."
OK, I'm doing it! Pass the word. Reyes wants 40 or 50 drivers with a week's worth of records -- a receipt for each trip and gas receipt as well as any other direct expenses incurred.
A "log" or trip sheet would also do. See above.
Badda bing!
Trip sheet or receipts, keep it honest. Don't ashamed if you have a slow, unprofitable shift. And don't be afraid that if you had a good shift, that it count against a meter raise.
I hope I will live to see the day where one does not have to work two jobs, no matter how large a family one has.
I, for one, am trying to help make such a day possible.
I salute you, sir, and I admire your bravery and dedication to your family. You're an inspiration to lazy old dogs like me!
In all my studies of labor movements and their reasons for striking, I have never heard of or read about an action by any labor organization in which a strike was used simply to "send a message."
A letter, fax or email is a much more efficient way to send a message.
Thumbs Up to the sacrifices made by the cab drivers for better working conditions. We are suffering from the cost of living and staying behind it. We have to depend on regulators as if we work for them. We pay for everything, and often cannot make our own business decisions , particularly in the investment of technology. Take a survey of the lives of your veterans, and you will find them suffering from ailments that aren't treated because of having no health insurance. Take a survey of the regulators and fleet owners, and compare. Don't give up organizing. We are all going to come together throughout this country, and end the exploitation in our lives. We have the same issues in Philadelphia, where I am from and been driving a cab for 20 years. We are not independent anymore. ORGANIZE, ORGANIZE, ORGANIZE!
In solidarity,
Steve Chervenka, member, Taxi Workers Alliance of Pennsylvania
