Drivers are forced to buy unreliable equipment and new dome lights ... that aren't available. Then they get fined and towed for not following the new regulations!
Today, the Teamster-affiliated Washington, D.C. Taxi Operators Association filed a lawsuit against the city and taxi commission. The association asked for an injunction to stop the ticketing and the towing.
DCist reports:
Through a complaint and a motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction filed today in D.C. Superior Court, the Association seeks to delay the implementation of modernization regulations, including credit card machines, claiming that some drivers have been placed on an "indefinite waiting list" to install dome lights.You can read the lawsuit here.
Teamsters Local 922 President Ferline Buie said in a statement:
The drivers are facing delays in getting the dome lights and the costs are soaring, but the city’s answer has been to tow and impound taxis, which is shattering families throughout the region by taking away their vehicles without due process ... We have demanded a meeting with Mayor Gray and demanded a moratorium on towing and fines, but the mayor has not acted. As a result, because of this economic emergency, we are seeking relief in the courts.In the lawsuit, one driver described how his vehicle was impounded after he couldn't get an appointment to have a dome light installed by the November 1 deadline. Another driver made 10 trips in October to get a dome light, but was told there were none in stock.
