WPCNR TAXI STAND. By John F. Bailey. July 30, 2008: Paul Wood, Executive Officer for the Mayor told WPCNR tonight the city will not recognize District  Council 9 of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades as the negotiating representative of the White Plains independent cab owners. He said the city would not negotiate taxi work rules and fees and assorted issues with the union.  The District Council 9 of the IUPAT announced a majority of the 400 White Plains drivers had joined the union Wednesday after a membership drive last week.

Paul Wood said the city is looking at a metered cab system. This is a typical Pulsar Cab Meter, costing from $259 to $329 to install. It also has credit card acceptance accessories. Mr. Wood said it was to be determined whether the city would pay to install  meters or whether cab drivers would have to pay for them themselves or the cab companies. To furnish all 400 cabs would cost the city approximately $130,000, using this model. No model meter has been selected by the city. This is a typical best-selling meter available at http://www.andystoplites.com/pages/pulsar-taximeters.html, provided as an informational supplement by WPCNR

 “We negotiated for a year with Mr.  Mario Alfonso, whom we thought represented the drivers, and we are through negotiating,” Wood told WPCNR Thursday afternoon. “The Taxi Advisory Committee will be issuing its recommendations in a press conference in about a month with its recommendations for White Plains taxi service.”

Wood said the Mayor wants “a cleaner service, a more customer-friendly service, and a “greener” service.” He said the Advisory Committee is leaning towards meters in cabs and doing away with the traditional fare zones in the city (as established for decades in New York City), and even a one fare per cab rule.

He said that an increase in the gas tax surcharge was possible if the cab drivers agreed to improve their service. Wood said the taxi situation in White Plains has gone on for years and it was no longer acceptable to the administration.  

Asked if the city was considering declaring cab medallions obsolete and putting them up for auction, Wood said possibly, or the city could possibly issue new licenses for cabs in the city.  Wood said cabdrivers could likely expect dress codes, new work protocols and a host of changes.

Wood said Mayor Delfino wants to create a customer friendly taxi operation that would erase the poor image the cabs of White Plains have demonstrated for decades: dirty cars, ride sharing, and chaos at the station, among other observations.