SEPTA Police Could Strike

And here’s something that will make SEPTA even more exciting!

The police officers employed by Philadelphia’s main transit agency are threatening to strike after working more than two years without a contract. Talks are scheduled Thursday between the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and the Fraternal Order of Transit Police, along with a state mediator.

SEPTA does not expect a strike, but “we would provide adequate security for our riders” should it happen, said agency spokesman Richard Maloney. City police and private security guards would be used, SEPTA officials said.

Eh, we’ll all be okay, I think. Those SEPTA cops only make 30 grand a year starting salary — what are they, bloggers? Okay, okay.

Transit Police Labor Dispute Could Lead To Strike [AP/NBC 10]

Taxi Drivers Hoping For 0% Approval Rating

By now, you’ve probably ridden in a Philadelphia cab and attempted to pay with a credit card. And, if you’ve done that, you’ve most certainly been told by the cab driver the credit card machine is broken, or you’ve been yelled at for not informing the driver you were intending to pay with a credit card, because, you know, that’s a rule of some sort.

Of course, the credit card machines aren’t broken 24/7, the drivers just don’t want to deal with ‘em. And so, to protest these evil credit card machines (and GPS systems), Philadelphia taxi drivers have begun a two-day strike.

The strike is a joint action in solidarity with cab drivers in New York City. Philadelphia cabs already have the GPS/credit card system installed, while New York cabs will be making the switch over soon. The GPS system does go out somewhat frequently, but the real reason for the strike is cab drivers don’t want to accept credit cards for some reason (they have to report tips accurately?) and they’re being forced to.

Anyway, it’s okay if cabs are on strike; now you can hail a limo!

Linda J. Miller, Parking Authority spokeswoman, said the executive order allowing the city’s 161 limousine companies to fill the vacuum left by striking taxi drivers was also used to cope with a one-day strike in May 2006 that left about 100 cabs operating.

Miller said that the limousines would respond to anyone hailing them on the street but that there would be no central dispatching as with taxis. Anyone calling for a ride would have to pick a limousine company from the phone book.

But here’s the question: Do limos have those credit card machines? Probably not.

2-day taxi strike has begun [Inquirer]

Cabbies Strike, Deliver Cheap Limo Rides

It’s been a little over a month since the last strike — which was kind of a non-strike anyway — so the cab drivers of Philadelphia decided that, hey, what better day to hold a one-day strike than Election Day!

Actually, the strike is timed to coincide with the AIIM Expo at the Convention Center, an event with 20,000 visitors expected to attend. (The AIIM Expo, as you might have guessed, is an exposition of AIIMs.) The cab drivers are angry because of new regulations requiring GPS in all taxis and forcing cabs to be shut down at 250,000 miles.

They’re having a rally now at Dilworth Plaza, complaining about the aforementioned GPS and mileage restrictions, but, as you all know, I’m sure the city of Philadelphia will rally around these cabbies and they’ll get what they want. Erhm, wait.

On the plus side, KYW 1060 reports this interesting fact:

The Parking Authority is allowing limousines to operate as cabs for Tuesday only, in order to pick up the slack.

A ride in a limo for the price of a cab? Count me in!

1,600 Phila. taxi drivers on strike today [Inky]
Philadelphia Taxi Drivers Strike Over GPS Tracking [KYW 1060]
April 10: Hacks Do Hackjob On Travel Plans

Quickies: Perhaps The Boss Will Write A Song About It

• You think Amadou Diallo had it bad? Well, yeah, he died and all. But the Philly PD one-upped ‘41 shots’ and shot a man 42 times! Impressive, boys in blue. [NBC 10]

• Today, if you’re wondering, is Rick Mariano’s last day on City Council, and Action News has an exclusive interview. Aw. [6 ABC]

• The carpenter’s union is on strike! The carpenter’s union is on strike! Oh no! Well, an automated script on their website said it; it must be true. [Inky]

• The boyhood of Chuck Pennacchio: “As an 8-year-old in 1968, Chuck Pennacchio followed Sen. Robert Kennedy’s quest for the Democratic presidential nomination.” Perhaps this is why Pennacchiomentum isn’t sweeping the state like he had hoped. [Doylestown Intelligencer]

Hacks Do Hackjob On Travel Plans

If you’re looking to head somewhere in town today, you better have a car or (even worse) ride SEPTA, since there aren’t going to be too many taxis out there today.

In a protest of new regulations, the Philadelphia Brotherhood of Unified Taxi Drivers and Owners are striking for 12 hours today in protest of new regulations. The regulations bar cabs with 250,000 miles or more on them, and also require all cabs to have GPS in them by October.

While I understand the cab drivers’ plight — last time I checked, gas was about $4 a pint — I don’t know if this strike is going to do much. You see, there’s only about 400 members in the Brotherhood. And there are 5,000 cabs cab drivers in this city and 1,600 cabs. Five thousand! Sixteen hundred! Think about that next time you’re standing on Walnut Street in 20 degree weather and you can’t get a taxi.

If you can’t find a cab today, the head of the Brotherhood has something to say to you, according to KYW 1060: “[Muhammad] Chungthai apologizes in advacne to customers for the inconvenience.”

It’s cool, Muhammad. Just don’t make everyone ride SEPTA again. Or don’t get all 5,000 cabbies to strike.

Update: My mistake. There are 5,000 cab drivers in this city and 1,600 cabs. Thanks to JS for writing in.

Phila. cabdrivers plan protest today [Inky]
Phila. Cabbies Threaten Work Stoppage [KYW 1060]
Photo by lunchtimemama