12/22/87 Board of Public Works Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING DECEMBER 22, 1987 specific time. He advised that his taxis get tied up as he handles a lot of deliveries. Also, the problem of not having a vehicle available occurs equally during the day or the night. He clarified that it makes no difference to his business whether it is day or night in terms of his vehicles being tied up and unavailable for additional service. Mr. Woods advised that he currently has six (6) cars licensed and he can only provide as much coverage as he has vehicles. Mr. Woods informed the Board that his telephones are manned twenty-four (24) hours a day and that he is the person who answers the telephone after midnight. He indicated that he always tells individuals calling for a taxi how long it will take and offer to call another service if they don't desire to wait. He stated that he was not aware of the manifest requirement until he was asked to provide them. He also stated that he knows how the other companies work and they don't ask for manifests from "leased" drivers. Assistant City Attorney Carolyn V. Pfotenhauer stated that the first complaint against the cab companies is that proper manifests were not kept. She stated that Allied Cab Company had the proper form but they were not being used. Roseland Cab Company utilized their own form but will need to use a form similar to the form utilized by the Allied Cab Company. Mr. Woods advised that he has given all the drivers the appropriate forms at this time. Ms. Lorraine Malane, Dispatcher, Allied Cab Company, addressed the Board and advised that she has previously worked for the Yellow and Courtesy Cab Companies and stated that those companies, just as the Allied Cab Company, have a varying number of vehicles available in the evenings. She stated that if you have a number of vehicles out of town, service cannot be provided immediately. Attorney Kevin Butler, One Michiana Square, South Bend, Indiana, representing his client Yellow Cab Company, 710 North Niles, South Bend, Indiana, advised that Yellow Cab Company owners Bert and Michael Liss were also present today. Mr. Butler stated that transportation is critical and taxi service is very important to people who cannot afford their own transportation. He stated that ninety to ninety-five per cent of the business of Yellow Cab Company is servicing such individuals including the elderly and the handicapped. He informed the Board that the Yellow Cab Company does very little business at the airport. He stated that Yellow Cab Company contends that the Allied and Roseland Cab Companies have been covering the airport service. However, they have not provided the overall City with coverage as required by the ordinance which requires that an office be maintained twenty-four (24) hours a day. He stated that it is their contention that an office is not simply a telephone. Mr. Butler stated that the Yellow Cab Company will be celebrating its 60th year in the cab business and Mr. Liss knows the business. Mr. Butler further stated that Mr. Liss knows the service to be provided and the requirements under the City ordinance and it is important that the provisions be enforced and complied with. He informed the Board that the cab companies have a responsibility to provide service as set forth in the ordinance and that is the reason the complaint was submitted by the Yellow Cab Company to the City Attorney's office. Mr. Butler advised that with respect to service through the night, the Yellow Cab Company understands that the other companies only have one (1) or two (2) cabs working and they have also been informed that in some instances the operations shut down at night. He stated that the Yellow Cab Company provides