More than 100 Latino-owned taxi companies picketed at Newark City Hall for close to four hours on Jan. 16. The demonstration was a protest against unsafe conditions, two taxi drivers were killed within a scant four months; high prices for auto insurance; and excessive ticketing by police. An estimated 70 of the taxi drivers are Brazilian.

An increase in safety for the region has long been a demand of the Taxi Drivers Federation.

“Two years ago, we met with the police chief on account of the rise in criminal behavior. Nothing has been done,” explained Federation President Milton Torres.

The cabbie uprising reached its zenith after the recent slaying of two Latinos in the course of four months. One of them, a Peruvian, was working for Navigator cabs and was killed almost four months ago. At 3:30 a.m. on Nov. 4, the police found the body of taxi driver Felix Chininin. The Ecuadorian, who was barely 19 years old, worked for the Milenio cab company; he died on the job.

The crime wave has left Newark’s taxi drivers terrorized.

“We are working in fear. There are many customers who leave without paying and we just let it go, because we are scared. And when we call the police, nobody does anything,” said Milenio taxi driver Ulmer Sarmiento.

The high price of auto insurance is also putting a squeeze on businesses and, consequently, generating unemployment. “The number of cars in the fleet has decreased and taxi drivers end up laid off,” said Jaime Solano of Milenio.

Under Torres’ leadership, the Taxi Drivers Federation scheduled a meeting with City Hall two weeks ago, to discuss the situation preoccupying Newark’s cabbies.

“The mayor didn’t even show his face. Because of this, we decided to protest in front of City Hall,” he said. Mayor Sharpe James did not visit the protest or send a representative. “We are being ignored,” Torres said.

For Golden fleet owner Lúcio Lemon, this is anti-Latino discrimination. “Only the ‘yellow cabs’ get everything they want. They are always the ones who benefit,” he said.

Newark has 10 Latino-owned car service and limousine companies. Cabbies from Gold Lincoln, 5 Star, Milenio, Classic, Ecuamerican, Continental, Royal Limousine, and Navigator participated in the protest. In solidarity with Torres, City Councilmen Luis Quintana, Hector M. Corchado, and Mr. Padilha supported the cabbies.

The Federation scheduled another meeting for Jan. 22, with the City Council. It will be the last attempt at dialogue. If it does not work, the Federation is prepared to appeal to New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey.