ARCHIVES

 

JANUARY 2010

FEATURED ARTICLES ----------------------------------------------------- 1/3 of Home Fire Deaths in the U.S. Occur During Winter Months ----------------------------------------------------- Winter Season Home & Business Building Perils: Frozen pipes and other ice and snow damage ----------------------------------------------------- IMPORTANT INSURANCE TOPICS - Dependent coverage extension—the “Age 29” law - Maintaining Your Smoke Detectors - How to insure collectibles - What’s involved in a home inventory? - NY Safe driving law took effect in November. - Personal Umbrella ----------------------------------------------------- Industry in Review ----------------------------------------------------- The Plaza Hotel Renovated ----------------------------------------------------- The New York Botanical Garden and The Holiday Train Show. ----------------------------------------------------- TLPA: Cost of Maintaining a Taxi in the U.S. & the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Myth ********************************************************************* TAXI AND LIMOUSINE COMMISSION NEWS - TLC Unveils Livery Stand Pilot Plan; Invites Participants - TLC Will Begin enforcing New FHV Rules Between Jan. 1-31, 2010 - TLC Defers Black Car MPG Requirement Regulation For a Period of Six Months - Major Crackdown on Unlicensed Ground Transportation Hustlers at JFK & LaGuardia Airports - TLC initiates "Taxi of Tomorrow" Search ----------------------------------------------------- NEW YORK CITY TLC COMMISSIONER'S LETTER - Multiple-fare Taxi & Livery Rides *********************************************************************

 

FEBRUARY 2010

FEATURED ARTICLES ----------------------------------------------------- 2010 Insurance Legislative Issues — Independent livery bases must prove WC coverage as of Jan. 1, 2010 — Explanation of No-Fault Auto Insurance Issues ----------------------------------------------------- Credit Cards: New Law Protects Consumers From Surprise Fees, Rate Increases & Other Penalties ----------------------------------------------------- Credit Card Repayment Calculator ----------------------------------------------------- Federal Reserve Announces Final Rules Prohibiting Institutions From Charging Overdraft Fees on ATM & One Time Debit Card Transactions ----------------------------------------------------- Industry in Review ----------------------------------------------------- New Gehry Designed 59 Story Residential Building, Hotel & Performing Arts Center to be Created in Theatre District ----------------------------------------------------- New York City Jazz Clubs ----------------------------------------------------- NYC is Nation's Most Popular Tourist Destination: Leisure & Hospitality Sector has Fully Rebounded & Surpassed Pre-Recession Levels ----------------------------------------------------- Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association: 2009 Drivers of The Year ----------------------------------------------------- Vehicle Maintenance — Pain at the Pump Returning as Gas Prices Head for $3 — Car Care Council reports 80% of Vehicles Need Service & Parts ********************************************************************* TAXI AND LIMOUSINE COMMISSION NEWS - New Cell Phone Rules and Penalties For All TLC-Licensed Drivers Drivers, Owners and Bases: - TLC Began Enforcing New FHV Rules Between January 1 & 31, 2010 - TLC Extends Livery Stand Pilot Participation Period to February 16, 2010 - Service Animals Must Be Welcomed In All TLC Licensed Vehicles ----------------------------------------------------- NEW YORK CITY TLC COMMISSIONER'S LETTER *********************************************************************

 

MARCH 2010

FEATURED ARTICLES ----------------------------------------------------- Spring Season Insurance Topics ----------------------------------------------------- How to Win Your TLC Case: 15 Powerful Strategies for Avoiding Costly Fines and Guarding Your Legal Rights at a Hearing ----------------------------------------------------- All Time Record Low NYC Traffic Fatalities in 2009 ----------------------------------------------------- Oscar night in New York City: New York City's Official Oscar Night America Celebration ----------------------------------------------------- Industry in Review ----------------------------------------------------- Car Care Council - Vehicle Exhaust systems do More - Keep Your Car Powered ----------------------------------------------------- Taxi, Limousine and Paratransit Association: TLPA 2009 Operators of the Year ----------------------------------------------------- Latin Dance Parties in New York City ----------------------------------------------------- Mayor Bloomberg and Fire Commissioner Cassano Announce the Lowest Fire Fatalities in City History ********************************************************************* TAXI AND LIMOUSINE COMMISSION NEWS - Taxi and Limousine Commissioner Matthew W. Daus to Leave TLC for Private Sector Opportunities - Relief Stand Locations - Group Ride Plans - "You The Man" (Reducing Driving While Intoxicated) Campaign ----------------------------------------------------- NEW YORK CITY TLC COMMISSIONER'S LETTER ----------------------------------------------------- ********************************************************************* COVER ILLUSTRATIONS & CREDITS: LATIN DANCE CLUBS IN NEW YORK CITY - SUBJECT & CREDITS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: ----------------------------------------------------- CARLOS JIMENEZ ONSTAGE AT GONZALEZ Y GONZALEZ - WWW.CARLOSJIMENEZ.NET ----------------------------------------------------- SOB’S STAGE - WWW.SOBS.COM ----------------------------------------------------- TROPICAL BIRD DECORATIONS - WWW.SOBS.COM ----------------------------------------------------- LIVE PERCUSSION AT BEMBE - WWW.BEMBE.US ----------------------------------------------------- PERFORMERS AT SOB’S - WWW.SOBS.COM ----------------------------------------------------- ROBERTO POVEDA - WWW.REVERBNATION.COM CENTER PHOTO - CARLOS JIMENEZ - WWW.CARLOSJIMENEZ.NET

 

APRIL 2010

FEATURED ARTICLES ----------------------------------------------------- What Insurance Should My Business Have?—Small Business Insurance Essentials - Insurance for a Home Based or Very Small Business - Other Types Of Policies You May Need - Should I Buy A Package Policy? - What is a business owner's policy? - How Much Insurance Do I Need? - How Can I Keep Premiums Down? - Finding The Right Agent - Working With Your Agent - Who Regulates Insurance? ----------------------------------------------------- IRS, States Cracking Down on Independent Contractor Status; IRS & State Agencies Hunt for Employers & Employees Falsely or Mistakenly Representing Services as Independent Contractors - Employee vs. Independent Contractor–Ten IRS Tips for Business Owners - The State of Montana 15 Point Independent Contractor Test ----------------------------------------------------- Industry in Review ----------------------------------------------------- Taxi, Limousine and Paratransit Association: 2010 TLPA Spring Conference & Expo in Historic Charleston, SC, 4/19-21 ----------------------------------------------------- Harlem Renaissance - History - Landmarks - Dining & Nightlife - Music & Drinks - Hotels ********************************************************************* TAXI AND LIMOUSINE COMMISSION NEWS - Taxi and For-Hire Vehicle Relief Stands - Meter Rate Code Change Alert ----------------------------------------------------- NEW YORK CITY TLC COMMISSIONER'S LETTER - Review of Achievements Over 14 Years of Service at The TLC - Every Aspect of Agency Made More Efficient & Transparent - Road Map for Future Reform Which Will Hopefully be Followed; First Time The TLC Has Ever Had a Strategic Plan - Gratitude to Those Who Participated in The Collective Efforts - Continued Service in Transportation Industry as Staff Member of U.S. Department of Transportation Funded University Transportation Research Center and as President of International Association of Transportation Regulators

 

	FEATURE ARTICLES • MAY 2010

Flood Insurance: What Is a Flood For Insurance Purposes?

Green Taxis and the ALERT Drivers Act - A Presentation Before the Air Ground Transportation Association (AGTA) in Washington, DC, by Matthew W. Daus, Esq.

Industry in Review

TLPA: Assessing the Full Cost of Implementing An Accessible Taxicab Program—New TLPA/TLPF Publication Is Now Available

NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission Mission & Structure - 2009 Annual Report

• Charter Mandate

• Commission Board Structure

• Commission Meetings

• Scope of Regulated Industries

• Types & Numbers of TLC Licenses

• Call Center

• Budget & Number of Personnel

• Adjudications

• Licensing

• Inspections

• Enforcement Division

• Taxi of Tomorrow Project 42

TLC NEWS

Commissioner's Letter

TLC, DOT, EDC Announce RFP (Request for Proposals) For Dedicated Livery Stand at Staten Island Ferry Terminal

Reminder: Group Ride Service at Three Pilot Manhattan Group Ride Locations

Flat Fares for Group Rides Along Convenient Routes to Popular, Shared Destinations

TLC Board of Commissioners: Biographies

TLC Adding Saturday DMV Inspection Appointments for May 2010

 

	FEATURE ARTICLES • JUNE 2010

Insurance Rate Factors and Coverage Review

Tony Awards 2010

Top 10 New York City Tours

Industry in Review

TLPA Spring Conference & Expo in Charleston, South Carolina, April 19-21, 2010:
Eighth Largest Spring Conference in TLPA History

New Debt Collection Regulations To Protect New Yorkers From Debt Collectors

$700 Milion East Harlem Multi Use Development: Will Create 1,500 Permanent Jobs,
4,000 Construction Jobs, 600 Affordable Housing Units, Dedicated Community Space,
a Public Plaza, New Retail and Office Space, and a Hotel

TLC NEWS

IATR - In Focus: Counteracting Illegal Operators:
A Regulatory and Transportation Planning Perspective

Commissioner's Letter

21,819 Taxicab Drivers Guilty of Rate 4 Passenger Overcharge

Addendum To The Request for Proposals (RFP) For The Taxi of Tomorrow

Taxi and Limousine Commission Releases Rate Code 4 Overcharge Review Findings

COVER ILLUSTRATIONS & CREDITS

Tony Awards 2010, NYC & CO.

Clockwise from top left: American Idiot, Courtesy, mellopix.com • Million Dollar Quartet, Photo: Joan Marcus • Memphis, Photo: Kevin Berne • Lend Me a Tenor, Photo: Joan Marcus • Fela!, Photo: Monique Carboni • Center: A Little Night Music, Photo: Joan Marcus

 

	FEATURE ARTICLES • JULY 2010

Insure Your Future

New York City Summer Night Life Guide

Best Smart Phone Applications for Small Business Owners

Five Cheap Ways to Boost Your Presence on the Web

Industry in Review

Arizona's "Clean Elections" Act Provides Taxpayer Money to Political Candidates to Offset Privately Funded Candidates

Top Ten New York City Attractions

Coolant (Antifreeze): What is it?

Automatic Transmission Fluid

Tires and Wheels:

• Tire Inflation

• Tread Depth

Clean, Well Maintained Car Worth 50% More

TLC NEWS

IN FOCUS: Sustainable Transit: Developing An Action Agenda - The Challenges Facing Transit Systems Including Political Gridlock and The Concept of Carbon Avoidance

Commissioner's Letter: Taxi of Tomorrow, Group Riding Expansion, Livery Car and Van Decals

Request For Information Regarding In-Vehicle Camera System Improvements

TLC Approved Cameras

COVER ILLUSTRATIONS & CREDITS

TOP TEN NEW YORK CITY ATTRACTIONS, NYC & CO.

clockwise from top RIGHT: Central Park, Photo: Alex Lopez • Times Square, Photo: Joe Buglewicz • Brooklyn Bridge 125th Anniversary, © Julienne Schaer 2008 • Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Unisphere, Photo: Phil Kline • El Museo del Bario, Photo: Whitney Cox.

 

	FEATURE ARTICLES • AUGUST 2010

Insurance Q and A

TLPA: Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association’s 92nd Annual Convention & Trade Show in Los Angeles, October 28 – 31, 2010

Industry in Review

Benefits of Repowering Engines

Your Engine: Repower Or Replace?

Complete Vehicle System Component Parts & Service Notes

How to Shop For an Engine Warranty?

What is a Repowered Engine?

Remanufacturing Your Engine: The Original Recycling

Cost Comparisons Examples: Repowered Engines v. New Vehicles

TLC NEWS

IN FOCUS by Matthew Daus: Regulation of Various Forms of Philadelphia For-Hire Ground Transportation

Commissioner's Letter: TLC Commissioner Announces Pilot Program For Commuter Group Ride Van Services to Pick Up and Discharge Passengers at Fixed Stops Rather Than Roaming Freely as Commuter Vans Do

TLC Launches New Group Ride Stand at York Avenue Between East 70th & 71st Street

Taxi Group Ride Van Services to Help New Yorkers Scrambling to Replace Lost MTA Commuting Options by Deputy Mayor Stephen Goldsmith and Commissioner David Yassky

Black Car MPG Rules Deferred Pending Upcoming Rule Making

Solicitation to Owners of Commuter Van Services and For-Hire Vehicle Bases to Participate in Pilot Program to Test Commuter Van Group Vehicle Ride Program

 

	FEATURE ARTICLES • SEPTEMBER 2010

Insuring Your Personal Automobile

The London Mercedes Vito Taxi

Industry in Review

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO): Growing Freight Demands Reaching Highway Transportation Crisis

TLPA

• The History of The Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA)

• The 92nd Annual Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association Convention & Trade Show, October 27-31, 2010 Los Angeles, CA.

TLC NEWS

IN FOCUS: Presentation Before the 12th World Conference on Transport Research (WCTR) in Lisbon, Portugal

Commissioner's Letter

• Three New Group Ride Stands - Port Authority Bus Terminal, The Marine Air Terminal & Delta Shuttle

• Taxi Etiquette Class: The TLC License is a Privilege


TLC Launches New Group Ride Stands at La Guardia Airport Terminals

The United States Court of Appeals Affirms the Lower Court’s Ruling Against the Taxi Limousine Commission’s Hybrid Taxi Rules in Favor of The Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade (MTBOT)

 

	FEATURE ARTICLES • OCTOBER 2010

Apartment and Condo Insurance Complexities

Brighton Beach: Colorful Shops, Food Emporiums, Restaurants, Nightclubs

Industry in Review

TLPA - Taxi, Limousine & Paratransit Association:

• Easter Seals Project ACTION (ESPA) Offers Free Taxi Training Tool kit to Industry Members to Improve Access to Public Transportation for People with Disabilities
  
  
• TLPA’s 92nd Annual Convention & Trade Show Being Held in Los Angeles, October 28-31, 2010
  

La Guardia Airport: History, Terminals, Airlines, Contact Numbers

TLC NEWS

IN FOCUS: Federal Licensing and Safety Requirements Applicable to Motor Carriers Now Apply to All Limousine Businesses Who Conduct Any Type of Pick-up or Drop-off Within the Tri-State Region for Any Distance Whatsoever

Commissioner's Letter

• Private Operators Offer Group Ride Transportation Service in Areas Previously Served by Five Former MTA Bus Routes
  
  
• New Dedicated Livery Stand Established at The St. George Ferry Terminal
  
  
• TLC Externals Affairs Office Hosts Livery Industry Summit Meetings With TLC Licensees in All Boroughs to Enable Passengers to Determine Which Vehicles are Legitimate and Safe

Group Ride Vehicle Service To Begin in Four Service Areas in Brooklyn and Queens

• Private Operators Offer Group Ride Transportation Service in Areas Previously Served by Five Former MTA Bus Routes
  

New Livery Stand Launched at Staten Island St. George Ferry Terminal

 

 

	FEATURE ARTICLES • NOVEMBER 2010

Insuring Your Personal Automobile

Higher Fuel Economy Standards Will Increase Clean Diesel Car & Truck Choices for Consumers

What is "Cap and Trade" and What Will it Do to Small Business

Card Check Agreements: Bad for Employees and Small Business

Industry in Review

Kennedy Airport: History, Terminals, Airlines, Contact Numbers & Links

Cold Facts About A/C Refrigerant

Proper Washing And Waxing Add Value To Your Vehicle

Bells & Whistles" Enhance the Value of Your Vehicle

TLC NEWS

IN FOCUS by Matthew Daus:

• New legislation would allow all regulators around the country
  to obtain access to Federal criminal histories and conviction records for taxi industry applicants from other states
  
  
• Developing a national legislative agenda for Canada and to assist regulators from other countries in developing new agendas
  
  
• Launch of a network in New York City in a Webinar event jointly sponsored by the City University of NY’s Transportation Research Center (Region 2) and the IATR

Commissioner's Corner

• Manhattan District Attorney’s Office to charge 59 taxicab drivers with criminal violations as an outgrowth of the infamous Rate Code 4 debacle
  

Commuter Vans Now Required to Display Passenger Bill of Rights & Driver’s TLC License; All Displayed Markings Must Be in English

The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) and DDS (DDS Wireless International, lnc.) have agreed not to renew DDS' contract to provide the TPEP (Taxi Passenger Enhancements Program) systems in use in New York City taxicabs

 

	FEATURE ARTICLES • DECEMBER 2010

Winter Safety and Insurance Tips

Mayor Bloomberg and Taxi Commissioner Yassky Announce Three Finalists To Be The New Exclusive New York City Taxicab. The “Taxi of Tomorrow” will be First Ever Taxicab Custom Built
for New York City

New York City Taxi of Tomorrow: The Karsan, The Nissan, or The Ford Transit Connect

New York City Taxis of Today

New York City Taxi History

• The Early Years: 1907-1935

• Regulation And Prosperity: 1935-1960

• The Modern Taxi: 1969-2010

New York City Taxi as an Icon

Industry in Review

Robert McBride to Lead The Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association in 2011

TLC NEWS

IN FOCUS by Matthew Daus:

• New Study - Airports Morphing into Taxi Regulators
  
  
• TLPA Conference - Los Angeles: Wheelchair Accessible & Clean Taxicab Mandates
  
  
• Limo Digest Show – Atlantic City: New US DOT Laws for Limousine Businesses

Commissioner's Letter: The Taxi of Tomorrow

New Tools to Help The Riding Public Choose Safe, Legal For-Hire Vehicle Services

New Deadline is January 31, 2011 for Opportunity to Participate in a Pilot Program to Test Livery Stands at Select Locations

Reminder: Group Ride Stand at East 79th Street & York Avenue is a Dual Use Stand: Passengers May Request Either Group or Regular Rides

New Taxi Relief Stand Established on Park Row