"If the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) approves these new rules, the taxi industry is condemned to oblivion, mainly harming Hispanics," said Victor Deschamps, vice-president of the New York Taxi Drivers Coalition, in an urgent meeting in Corona, Queens.

NY al Día, the only media present at the meeting, became aware of the unease and concern of the attendees, mostly Latino, caused by the new rules that would take effect July 1, if approved. City Council Members Miguel Martinez and Julissa Ferreras also attended the meeting, uniting their voices against the proposed measures.

According to Felix Suero, president of Dominicana Car Service, the TLC hired a private company to study the taxi industry and present proposals, without taking into account the opinion of the taxi drivers and the owners of the taxi companies. The concern regarding the new rules is that if a taxi driver is fined, the driver not only has to pay the fine, but he will acquire a "point" on his license; if he accumulates three points, his license will be immediately suspended and the company he works for will receive a point as well. When the taxi base receives five points, its operating license will be suspended, affecting an industry that is dominated by Latinos.

"We are coming to the second-class funeral [of the taxi industry]. Imagine that a base has 100 drivers. In just one month, they would accumulate those points and the base would have to close. My question is, what will happen with all those drivers?" said Mario Cabrera of Central Car Service.

Among the other new regulations, the companies would be required to have parking for at least half of their affiliated cars within one mile of the base, and would have to place three new permits on the windshields and rear windows on their cars. The bases would also be responsible if drivers pick up passengers on the street without being sent by the base.

Taxi drivers united

As agreed at the meeting, the Taxi Drivers Coalition will seek to counter-attack these measures with two proposals that will be presented to the TLC before April 17. The Coalition hopes the proposed TLC measures will be postponed while a package of possible solutions is developed by all the stakeholders, which regulate drivers and taxi companies without hurting either one. At the same time, the organization will seek the help of the City Council to apply political pressure to the TLC, so that at least the point system will not be applied, since it would hurt both drives and their bases.

"I recommend that you all identify the council member in the areas where you live and where the base is located, because that will allow you to count on two people who can help face these problems," said Council Member Julissa Ferreras, District 21.

According to Mario Cabrera, the proposed rules will harm the Black Cars, Limousine, Car Service and Livery Committee throughout New York. In the case of the Car Service association, 80 percent of its affiliates are Latinos.