![SummaryofRecommendations
Accessible Taxi Subcommittee
April 18,2013
1. Background andRecommendationstoEnsureGoodOversight:
a. AtlantaPoliceDepartmentVFH Sectionissupportedthroughfeesimposedonvehiclesfor hire.
Feerevenuegenerates approximately$300,000inthemostrecentyear.Actualcostsfor the VFH
Sectiontoregulatevehiclesfor hireareabout$1,400,000forthatyear, accordingtothe City.
Thisrepresentsashortfall ofrevenuesunderexpendituresof some$1,100,000.
This means thatfeesimposed onvehiclesfor hire arenotcoveringthe costof
doingtheVFHenforcement functionwithintheCity. Thus,Citytaxpayersanditscitizens
aresubsidizingthis functionof Atlantacitygovernmentthrough their property taxdollars.
TheCityshouldlevyfeesauthorizedtobeimposed intheTaxi Ordinanceinsuchan amountto
coverthecostsofperformingthis functionof Citygovernment,andnothavegeneral City taxpayers
subsidizingthis armof government–whichbenefitsmanynon-residents oravery small
portionofcityresidentswhorideinvehiclesforhire, whoshouldbear the burden of
payingforthis functionofCitygovernment.
To builda strongtaxicab/VFHindustry,toimpose stronger standardsonitsoperation, to
improveitsservice standardsand to ensure adequatepolicingof the industry,theAccessible Taxi
Subcommitteerecommendsthat:
Allfees,fines,orotherrevenue-producingcomponents oftheTaxicabOrdinance
shouldbeincreasedtoalevelwhich is four(4)timestheircurrentlevel, toensure that fees charged
aresufficient tocovertheoperatingcoststoregulatetheVFHoperationsandstaffingneeds
ofgovernment. Thislevelofincreasewillcoverthe
existingshortfallbetweenrevenuesraisedthroughthis functionofCity
governmentandthecostofitsbeingperformed.
[This recommendationaimsatraising revenuessufficient to go from$300,000to$1.4million,
aboutafourfoldincrease infunds raised.Ifdeemed politically necessary, feescouldbe
increasedforatwo yearperiod to gaugeitsimpact, with anadjustmentmadeaftersufficient
experience is
gained to determinethe level necessary tocoverVFHoperatingcosts.]
b.Whenfees,finesand otherrevenuesareincreased
tocovertheshortfalldescribedabove,properprotectionneedstobeprovided todriversorlesseesof
cabs fortaxicompanies whichwill
beinitiallychargedwithincreaseswhentheyareimplemented.Simplypassingonincreasedfeesthroug
hhigherleasingfeessolelytodrivers isnotwarranted.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/accesstaxisub4-17summaryofrecommendations-130514141011-phpapp01/85/Access-taxi-sub-4-17-summary-of-recommendations-1-320.jpg)
Access taxi sub 4 17 summary of recommendations
- 1. SummaryofRecommendations Accessible Taxi Subcommittee April 18,2013 1. Background andRecommendationstoEnsureGoodOversight: a. AtlantaPoliceDepartmentVFH Sectionissupportedthroughfeesimposedonvehiclesfor hire. Feerevenuegenerates approximately$300,000inthemostrecentyear.Actualcostsfor the VFH Sectiontoregulatevehiclesfor hireareabout$1,400,000forthatyear, accordingtothe City. Thisrepresentsashortfall ofrevenuesunderexpendituresof some$1,100,000. This means thatfeesimposed onvehiclesfor hire arenotcoveringthe costof doingtheVFHenforcement functionwithintheCity. Thus,Citytaxpayersanditscitizens aresubsidizingthis functionof Atlantacitygovernmentthrough their property taxdollars. TheCityshouldlevyfeesauthorizedtobeimposed intheTaxi Ordinanceinsuchan amountto coverthecostsofperformingthis functionof Citygovernment,andnothavegeneral City taxpayers subsidizingthis armof government–whichbenefitsmanynon-residents oravery small portionofcityresidentswhorideinvehiclesforhire, whoshouldbear the burden of payingforthis functionofCitygovernment. To builda strongtaxicab/VFHindustry,toimpose stronger standardsonitsoperation, to improveitsservice standardsand to ensure adequatepolicingof the industry,theAccessible Taxi Subcommitteerecommendsthat: Allfees,fines,orotherrevenue-producingcomponents oftheTaxicabOrdinance shouldbeincreasedtoalevelwhich is four(4)timestheircurrentlevel, toensure that fees charged aresufficient tocovertheoperatingcoststoregulatetheVFHoperationsandstaffingneeds ofgovernment. Thislevelofincreasewillcoverthe existingshortfallbetweenrevenuesraisedthroughthis functionofCity governmentandthecostofitsbeingperformed. [This recommendationaimsatraising revenuessufficient to go from$300,000to$1.4million, aboutafourfoldincrease infunds raised.Ifdeemed politically necessary, feescouldbe increasedforatwo yearperiod to gaugeitsimpact, with anadjustmentmadeaftersufficient experience is gained to determinethe level necessary tocoverVFHoperatingcosts.] b.Whenfees,finesand otherrevenuesareincreased tocovertheshortfalldescribedabove,properprotectionneedstobeprovided todriversorlesseesof cabs fortaxicompanies whichwill beinitiallychargedwithincreaseswhentheyareimplemented.Simplypassingonincreasedfeesthroug hhigherleasingfeessolelytodrivers isnotwarranted.
- 2. Tofurtherthisend, theCityandtheordinancerevisions toincreasefeesandfines should “grandfather” existingcharges imposedforincreased fees andfines topreventunjustenrichmentof companiesattheexpenseof drivers. The “grandfather”provisionsshouldextend for atleasta twoyear period, especiallyif an adjustment tofeesandfines levelsis deemed appropriateas discussed insubsection(a)above. Moreover, Taxi Companieswillbenefitfromenhancedservicestandards, newervehicles,and other incentivesprovided inotherways in theOrdinancerevisions tojustify this “grandfathering”of feescharged. Everyeffortshouldbe madeto ensurethatthereis no “hiking”offees by companiesinadvanceofthe effective dateofthe Ordinancerevisions inanticipationofthe increasedfees. c. The Cityshouldencouragethe MARTA Boardtoconsiderimplementingprogramssimilarto thosein manyareasof thecountrywherebytransit agenciesenterintocooperativepartnershipswith privatetaxi companies tohelpprovideparatransit service withthe transit system. Existing modelsexistinSanAntonio,DenverandChicago,withmany otherstolook tofor guidance. These partnershipmodelshaveserved toimprovecustomerservicetothedisabilitycommunity,savetax dollars,andfrequentlystrengthenthe local taxi industrywheretheyareimplemented. 2. Providing a FundingSourcetohelpTaxi Owners getaccess tocapital toBuyAccessible Taxis: a. A revolving loanprogramtoprovidecash totaxi cab ownersfor purchasing accessible taxicabsshouldbeestablished.Itwouldbe capitalizedasdiscussed below. b.The Cityof Atlanta wouldsell 10 of thecurrently 49 unsoldCPNCs remainingin its inventory atopenly-advertised,public auction. c. Therevenuesfromthis sale(totalvalue@$60,000estimated marketvalue/perCPNC = $600,000)shouldbeused to establishaseparate“AccessibleTaxi RevolvingLoanFund”for taxiowners todrawupontohelpthempurchaseaccessible taxis.Todrawuponthefund,vehiclesmustmeetnationallyrecognized standards for accessibletaxicabs, andwouldberequiredtobe inspectedbytheCityVFHSectiontoensurethat funds loaned arebeingused for properaccessiblevehicles. d.Maximumloansof$10,000- $12,000/pervehicleshouldbe madeavailable fromthis Fundwith adedicatedusefor theFundsolelyforenablingmoreaccessibletaxis tobeputin service. This fundshall notbeused for anyother Cityof Atlantabudgetpurpose. e. Proceedsfromrepaymentof loans shallgobackto thetrustfundandnotthe City’s General Fund.
- 3. 3. ProvidinganOngoing AdvisoryFunctiontoAssess Progress onAccessible Taxi Availability: a. The Cityshouldestablishona permanentbasisan“AccessibleTaxi AdvisoryCommittee” tothe VFHSection,tobecomposedof disabilityrepresentatives, taxiowners,one designatedMARTArepresentativeas designatedbytheGeneralManager/CEO,andVFHstaff tomonitor progress towardmeetingthegoals (1)setforth intheTaxiOrdinanceoftheCityofAtlanta as regards accessibletaxis, and(2)anytaxipartneringactivitybetweentheCityandMARTA. b.Thereshallbe nomorethannine(9) totalmembers oftheAdvisoryCommittee. c. The chairofthe AdvisoryCommitteeshall beadisabilityrepresentativewhoservesontheCommittee,andthecommitteeshall atleastquarterlyandannuallyreportto theMayor andCityCouncilonitswork and makerecommendationstotheMayor andCityCouncil stemmingfromit. 4. Taxi OrdinanceLanguageRecommendations: a. A fixednumberand percentageof the companytaxi fleetinAtlanta shall beaccessible. b.Authorized lifeofaccessible taxisshall be 10years beforetheymustbetaken outof service, thus givingan added2yearmaximumstreetlifeforthesevehicles. c. Staged accessiblecab requirementsshall bestated intheOrdinanceas followsfortaxi companieswith25cabsormoreintheir business: - By2014, 10%of fleetor3cabs in service - By2015, 20%of fleetor5cabs in service - By2016, 30%of fleetor8cabs in service - ByJanuary1,2017, if accessible requirementssetforthabovearenotmet,the companyshall loseitsoperatingpermit. d.Accessiblecabsmust meetrecognized national accessible standards, andbeinspectedbythe Citypriortobeingputintoserviceand/or authorizedfor participationinthe loanprogram. e. Driversmustpass acourse developed andapproved bya competentnationally-recognized disabilityagencybeforebeingallowedtodriveaccessible vehicles. f. Accessiblecabswould gotothefrontof thelineattheATLAirportandat hotelandsportingvenues.
- 4. g.Accessibletaxistands clearlymarkedas suchshallbeplaced throughouttheCity. h.Whentherecommended annual licensefees(andpenalties)forallcabs areimposed ascalled forin 1(a) above,accessiblecabfeeandpenaltylevelswill bereducedto½thelevelestablishedinthe Ordinance. DRAFT AccessTaxiSubcomm JK/4-17-13