The Voice of DC Cab Drivers, August 7, 2011: Taxi leader Haimanot Bizuayehu discusses the medallion bill, the new Taxicab Commission chair and the growth of The Small Business Association of DC Taxicab Drivers

The Small Business Association consists of the following driver-owned cab companies and associations: Allied Cab, Ambassador, Black Pearl, Camel, DC Professional, Dominion, Grand, Luxury, Pleasant, Seasons, Swift, Travelers, UCC, Washingtonian, Welcome, and Wonder Cab.

We begin our look back over the last five months with a review of the medallion bill.

The Small Business Association of DC Taxicab Drivers was already in existence when, on March 15, Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas introduced the medallion bill, along with Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry, At large Councilmember Michael Brown and Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander.

We now turn to an audio clip from the March 15 legislative meeting of the D.C. Council.

[March 15 D.C. Council legislative meeting]

Two days after the introduction of the medallion bill, the D.C. Taxicab Commission held a sudden meeting. As if the timing of the meeting wasn’t problematic enough, then-Chair Leon Swain wore gun and then-general counsel Dena Reed attempted to ban Fox 5 photojournalist Jason Smith. Here’s a report from the March 17 meeting of the D.C. Taxicab Commission.

[March 17 D.C. Taxicab Commission meeting]

The push for medallions continued with a March 30 press conference on the steps of the John A. Wilson Building. The event was put together by the so-called “Taxicab Drivers/Owners & Fleet Owners Coalition,” which was headed up by John Ray, the former councilmember-turned-lobbyist.

Ray’s group had just a few speakers, including the wife of D.C. taxi mogul Jerry Schaeffer and Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry. Drivers got wind of the press conference and showed up in large numbers to express their disapproval of the medallion bill.

Here’s a report from the March 30 press conference on the steps of the John A. Wilson Building.

[March 30 press conference]

On April 27, former councilmember-turned-lobbyist John Ray held a meeting to discuss the medallion bill with selected drivers and fleet owners at the offices of Jerry Schaeffer at 3399 Benning Rd, NE. Initially, Schaeffer told me that I was welcome to attend the meeting. However, when Ray arrived he threw me out, and then proceeded to throw out most of the drivers in attendance, including Ermias Wosenu, who I caught up with standing outside Schaeffer’s garage.

[April 27 meeting at Schaeffer’s offices]

The Small Business Association got word of another private meeting with John Ray on June 12 at Guildfield Baptist Church in Northeast D.C. I attempted to attend the meeting, but was kicked out, yet again. As I stood in the parking lot outside the church, I caught up with John Ray, or at least tried to, as he arrived late to his own meeting.

[June 12 meeting with John Ray]

As Ray continued with his secret private meetings, The Small Business Association of DC Taxicab Drivers continued to organize against the medallion bill. Drivers passed out thousands of fliers and had countless conversations with passengers.

Then the media weighed in with several important pieces, including the lead May 22 Sunday Washington Post editorial entitled “Taxi trouble in the District.” At the gas station at 15th and U St, NW, driver Akinola Adetayo read the first paragraph of the Post editorial.

[Akinola Adetayo]

Drivers continued to organize, to spread the word, to pass out fliers. And the pressure on the D.C. Council continued to grow. Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells, then-chair of the Committee on Public Works and Transportation, had committed to holding a hearing on the medallion bill before the Council’s July recess. But in mid-June he reversed himself. Here’s a clip of an extended interview with Mr. Wells.

[Councilmember Wells]

I’m joined in studio by Haimanot Bizuayehu, board member of The Small Business Association of DC Taxicab Drivers.
[Conversation with Bizuayehu on creation of The Small Business Association and fight back against the medallion bill]

Haimanot, I want to turn a clip of what you had to say at the June 1 rally outside the John A. Wilson Building.

[June 1 taxi rally]

In addition to the medallion bill, one of the main issues raised at the June 1 rally was the rewriting of Title 31, the regulatory code that governs the taxicab industry.

At the May 11 meeting of the D.C. Taxicab Commission, driver Abebe Abadi questioned then-Interim Chair Dena Reed about her amendment which would require drivers to buy a new car every five years. Here’s a report from the May 11 meeting of the D.C. Taxicab Commission.

[May 11 meeting of the D.C. Taxicab Commission]

The Small Business Association of DC Taxicab Drivers organized a petition against the hasty rewrite of Title 31. In a matter of days, the petition had more than 900 signatures, but when drivers attempted to deliver it to the Taxicab Commission they were pushed out, the doors were locked, the lights were turned off, the police were called, and drivers were referred to as “a mob.”

Here’s a report on the May 27 incident at the D.C. Taxicab Commission.

[May 27 at D.C. Taxicab Commission meeting]

We’re joined in studio by Haimanot Bizuayehu and Ali.

[Conversation with Bizuayehu and Ali]

April 26, Leon Swain was fired as chair of the D.C. Taxicab Commission. A press release from Mayor Vincent Gray’s office read “City Administrator Allen Y. Lew informed Mr. Swain at close of business April 26 that he would not be reappointed and thanked him for his years of service to the Taxicab Commission and District government.”

Swain was then replaced on an interim basis by Dena Reed. And now Ms. Reed returns to being general counsel to the Taxicab Commission with the appointment of Ron Linton as chair.

Directly after Mayor Gray’s July 27 press conference announcing the new chair, I caught up with Linton. While much of what he had to say was encouraging, these comments were somewhat concerning. I want to play them and then get your response, Haimanot and Ali. Here is Ron Linton, just after Mayor Gray named him chair of the D.C. Taxicab Commission.

[Ron Linton]

Ali, Haimanot, your response.

[Conversation with Ali and Bizuayehu]

June 22, reporter Jim Epstein of Reason TV and I were arrested at a public meeting of the D.C. Taxicab Commission. Directly following our arrests there were calls to eliminate the Taxicab Commission.

The Small Business Association of DC Taxicab Drivers is opposed to the elimination of the Taxicab Commission, fearing that if taxi regulation is folded into a much larger agency, like DDOT, drivers will get lost in the shuffle.

Here on The Voice of DC Cab Drivers we hosted a debate with drivers and two of the leading voices calling for the restructuring of the Taxicab Commission, Mike DeBonis of the Washington Post and David Alpert of Greater Greater Washington.

Haimanot and Ali, you took part in this debate. I wanted to play a clip from it and get your response.

[Debate on future of D.C. Taxicab Commission] * For drivers interested in staying up on the D.C. taxi industry’s latest news, you can join the Saturday night 9:00-11:00 p.m. phone conference which is conducted in both Amharic and English. I work with Ermias Wosenu to produce the English segment of the phone conference. The call-in number is (712) 432-3100 and the code is 140-465.Past Shows:

• Gray Names New Taxicab Commission Chair, July 31, 2011
• Examining Taxi Issues in D.C., Prince George’s and Arlington, July 24, 2011
• A Discussion on Service Animals in Cabs; Wells Removed as Chair of Transportation Committee, July 17, 2011
• A Debate on the Future of the D.C. Taxicab Commission, July 10, 2011
• P.G. County Pushes Forward with Anti-Taxi Driver Legislation, July 3, 2011
• Journalists Arrested at Public Meeting of Taxicab Commission, June 26, 2011
• Wells Calls Off Hearing on Medallion Bill, June 19, 2011
• John Ray Continues His Private Meetings on the Medallion Bill, June 12, 2011
• The Freedom Plaza Rally, June 5, 2011
• DCTC Locks Drivers Out, May 29, 2011