LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF DC CAB DRIVERS
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“The Voice of DC Cab Drivers” can be heard Sundays from 7:00 – 8:00 PM on WUST 1120 AM (or at wust1120.com or by phone at 712-432-6620).
I’m honored to be hosting the program, which is sponsored by the Dominion of Cab Drivers. The shows will be archived at TheFightBack.org.
“The Voice of DC Cab Drivers” returns to the air at a critical moment.
D.C.’s taxicab industry is unique in that it has many independent owner/operators, small companies and associations.
Last month, D.C. Councilmembers Harry Thomas (Ward 5), Michael Brown (At-large) and Marion Barry (Ward Eight) introduced the “Professional Taxicab Standards and Medallion Establishment Act of 2011.” The legislation was cosponsored by Yvette Alexander (Ward 7).
The introduction of medallions could quickly lead to a consolidation of the market, as has happened in city after city.
Even John Ray admitted this. Directly following a heated March 30 press conference on the steps of the John A. Wilson Building, the former councilmember and leading mouthpiece for medallions, said, “If you’re asking me, ‘Do I believe down the road that most of the medallions are going to be owned by companies?’ My answer would be ‘yes’ because I think that most individuals, when they sell their medallions, companies are going to offer them more than the individual will.”
Will D.C. have a large number of independent owner/operators, small taxicab associations and companies in the coming years? That depends on the coming weeks and months.
Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells, who chairs the Committee on Public Works and Transportation, intends to hold a hearing on the medallion bill in June.
If the D.C. Council voted on medallions today, drivers would likely lose.
After the March 30 press conference, one driver said: This is my livelihood. This is how I feed my children.
Like many drivers, he is ready to fight back.
Tune in Sunday evenings from 7:00 – 8:00 PM on WUST 1120 AM – or visit TheFightBack.org to listen to past shows – to hear the latest on the push for medallions and how drivers are fighting back.
Related Stories:
“Xenophobia and Taxicab Medallions“
“Medallions May be a Trojan Horse for D.C. Taxicab Industry“
“How many D.C. taxicab drivers on the D.C. Taxicab Commission?” (testimony from Haimanot Bizuayehu, chairman of United Ventures Consortium)
“Taxi Drivers Look to Gray” (interview with John Bugg, member of DC Professional Taxicab Drivers Association)
“Leon Swain, Chairman at Arms“