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Wednesday July 25, 2007
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 It was back in March of this year when NYC cab drivers were contemplating striking over the Bloomberg administration's decision to install GPS-tracking techonology in every NYC cab. A possible strike still looms, as the New York Taxi Workers Alliance calls for drivers to strike come September if city leaders don't retract their decision.Cabbies are up in arms not only because these GPS systems could be used to track their every move, but also because units will cost between $2,900 and $7,200 for a three-year period, which drivers are expected to pay. In defense, vendors claim that advertising will offset some of the drivers' expenses; the taxi commission says that these GPS systems will only record pickup and drop-off points. "The drivers' alliance plans to specify the date, duration and other details of the potential work stoppage next month." Until cab drivers are sat down and specifically shown how these GPS units will be used and how they will work, the strike seems imminent to me.
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July 25, 2007 1:41 PM
For your information!
FACT SHEET - TLC CUSTOMER SERVICE TAXI TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENTS
--BACKGROUND----BACKGROUND--
MYTH: "TLC Invades Privacy with GPS"
• The "GPS" data is used to display the electronic "real-time" map on the screen, as well as facilitate finding lost property.
• TLC only collects the same data it has always collected via the paper trip sheets; pick-up, drop-off, number of passengers, and fare.
• Electronic trip sheets are used to analyze and assess the needs of the industry. TLC has collected this information for decades.
• Our contracts with our taxi tech vendors prohibit the vendors from sharing information on the off-duty location of a taxicab with the TLC.
MYTH: "Enhancements will "beep" all day and annoy the driver"
• Properly installed systems will not beep when not in use. They will play a tone to notify the driver when a new message is received, as an emergency alert, or for other messages.
• All four system vendors were required to create monitors that allowed for passengers to turn the system off after mandatory safety information is displayed.
MYTH: "TLC Plans to use Data in their Administrative Courts"
• The data the TLC would use is the same data that all drivers are mandated to keep on their trip records; pick-up, drop-off, number of passengers, and fares.
• Drivers were required to keep this information for three years and are mandated to keep it accessible to the TLC at all times. Electronic trip sheets will remove many of the burdens of doing so from drivers and owners.
MYTH: "The contracts for the systems are suspicious"
• Vendors were chosen through an open, transparent competitive bid process open to the public. The city's independent Department of Investigation as well as the Comptroller's Office have reviewed the vendors, contracts, and process, and have found no evidence of wrongdoing.
MYTH: "TLC Moved Forward without Accountability"
• The TLC presented all plans for the new systems in open, public forums where Commissioners, industry representatives, and the general public had many opportunities to review the plans and offer feedback, much of which was incorporated into the final plans.
MYTH: "This is a scam that will only benefit Taxi Bosses, not drivers- not the Riding Public"
• Studies and preliminary data have shown that people generally tip more when they use credit cards, that riders want credit cards in cabs, and will use cabs more often if they are available. An increase in ridership and money spent will benefit drivers.
MYTH: "The Credit Card Systems Take more then Three Minutes to Process"
• All four systems were subjected to extensive testing, and all regularly processed transactions in under 8 seconds- in the event of service disruption, all systems save transactions and process them later. Drivers are not held accountable for processing failures of the credit card system.
MYTH: "Drivers wait up to Two Weeks for Credit Card Payments"
• Fleet drivers are required to be paid at the end of their shifts. Owner - drivers and driver-owned vehicles are paid within 48 hours, depending upon their specific arrangements with the vehicle's medallion owner and/or vendor.
MYTH: "The Enhancements swill create Unfair fees for the Cab Drivers"
• Medallion owners may not raise their lease caps or associated fees past the current TLC regulated "caps."
July 26, 2007 12:58 PM
The big picture is that this is one more step down the road to total slavery for the masses and fulfilment of Bible Prophecy, see Rev 13:16. Ultimately you will not be able to do anything in this country without being tracked. And If you don't allow yourself to be tracked then you won't be able to BUY or SELL just like the Bible says. There are some very evil people out there that want you in total subjection just like the slaves, only now you will be a slave too. WAKE UP STUPID!!!!!!!!!!
September 7, 2007 1:40 PM
GPS systems in cabs and slavery are not even comparable. The GPS systems simply track, for the driver, information the driver is supposed to be tracking anyways. The fact that the drivers don't want them for fear of getting caught doing something they shouldn't be doing anyways is ludicris. For the most part cab drivers are jerks and shouldn't get away with how they treat patrons. If this new technology is one step towards making them more regulated and forcing them to actually do what they law requires then I, as well as most New Yorkers, praise it. Plus, the new systems some of the cabs are already equiped with are awesome.