Metro taxi

[Guest Guest]

I love the story in today's Observer about the poor taxi company in Kearny. They had to go down to one car. You didn't go out of business because the other guys are cheaper. You went out of business because the community changed around you and you didn't adjust. In any business, you have to analyze and change. The Car services guys speak Spanish. If you had a Spanish speaking dispatcher and a spanish speaking driver, you would be in business. Your best bet is to sell your business to the new guys and retire.

Love Concilwoman Sherry trying to protect the old company. Times have changed Barbara and if it weren't for Santos you'd be out of business too.

[Guest Law Abider]

I love the story in today's Observer about the poor taxi company in Kearny. They had to go down to one car. You didn't go out of business because the other guys are cheaper. You went out of business because the community changed around you and you didn't adjust. In any business, you have to analyze and change. The Car services guys speak Spanish. If you had a Spanish speaking dispatcher and a spanish speaking driver, you would be in business. Your best bet is to sell your business to the new guys and retire.

Love Concilwoman Sherry trying to protect the old company. Times have changed Barbara and if it weren't for Santos you'd be out of business too.

You missed the most important part of the story. (Why am I not surprised!) It is against the law for livery vehicles that don't meet the state requirements regarding insurance and registration to operate as "taxis" in this or any other municipality. Without that registration there is no method for oversight and they are virtually unregulated. Local police departments have no handle on which companies are coming into town, so if a violation of local law is committed either by the driver or a passenger, it becomes very difficult to track them down. Are you endorsing the breaking of state and local laws?

I applaud the Councilwoman for "protecting" established town businesses, which by the way employ several Spanish-speaking people. I think that is part of her job. Telling the truth, enforcing the law and fairness shouldn't change with the times.

Sherry and Santos make a great team---one young, one mature; one born American, one naturalized American; one educated through academics, one through life experience. May their "business" prosper for a long time.

[Guest Limo Driver]

You missed the most important part of the story. (Why am I not surprised!) It is against the law for livery vehicles that don't meet the state requirements regarding insurance and registration to operate as "taxis" in this or any other municipality. Without that registration there is no method for oversight and they are virtually unregulated. Local police departments have no handle on which companies are coming into town, so if a violation of local law is committed either by the driver or a passenger, it becomes very difficult to track them down. Are you endorsing the breaking of state and local laws?

I applaud the Councilwoman for "protecting" established town businesses, which by the way employ several Spanish-speaking people. I think that is part of her job. Telling the truth, enforcing the law and fairness shouldn't change with the times.

Sherry and Santos make a great team---one young, one mature; one born American, one naturalized American; one educated through academics, one through life experience. May their "business" prosper for a long time.

It seems a nerve has been hit. Sorry Barbara.

If you call a limo to pick you up to go the the airport (or to a friend's house, or work), that is not illegal.

What is illegal is to solicit folks off the street.

The people who are using the limo services are calling the limo service and waiting to be picked up. There is nothing illegal about that.

The Observer, as usual, only got half the story. A balanced article would have gotten some information from Limousine Companies. The limousine companies carry insurance. Otherwise they would have been off the road because their drivers would loose their driver's licenses and their car impounded.

Take a look at the cars driven by these so-called gypsy cab drivers and take a look at the regular taxis in Harrison, Kearny and even Newark. Let me know which cars are in better shape.

I bet that Metro taxi had no spanish speaking drivers and/or dispatchers. Metro simply didn't adjust and its business suffered because a Spanish speaking person called a spanish speaking limo service rather than Metro. If Metro had upkept its cars, hired multilingal drivers and dispatchers it would still be thriving.

The Kearny Police are correct. The only time they can pull a limo over for soliciting a ride is if they see them actually being flagged down. But if the person called for a limo and is waiting on the corner and waves the limo down, is that soliciting or is that just letting the taxi know your the person going to the airport (or your friend's house or work)? Kearny police are professionals and they aren't going to put their jobs on the line to please a Councilmember. If you pull someone over without probable cause you violate their constitutional rights, no Kearny cop is going to do that. Kearny has one of the best Police Chiefs and police officers in the County. They do their job but won't violate people's constitutional rights.

Metro is better off revamping its staff, its cars, rather than wasting time lamenting to the Observer reporter.

Sherry needs to figure out how to lower my property taxes. Maybe she can get some of her family members a job with Metro and take them off the town's payroll. At least the limo drivers aren't causing my property taxes to go up.

Long live the Limo companies. They provide a valuable service. Let us not forget that its a dangerous job. Several have been killed in the past few years. Hard working folks trying to make a living.

[Guest Guest]

It seems a nerve has been hit. Sorry Barbara.

If you call a limo to pick you up to go the the airport (or to a friend's house, or work), that is not illegal.

What is illegal is to solicit folks off the street.

The people who are using the limo services are calling the limo service and waiting to be picked up. There is nothing illegal about that.

The Observer, as usual, only got half the story. A balanced article would have gotten some information from Limousine Companies. The limousine companies carry insurance. Otherwise they would have been off the road because their drivers would loose their driver's licenses and their car impounded.

Take a look at the cars driven by these so-called gypsy cab drivers and take a look at the regular taxis in Harrison, Kearny and even Newark. Let me know which cars are in better shape.

I bet that Metro taxi had no spanish speaking drivers and/or dispatchers. Metro simply didn't adjust and its business suffered because a Spanish speaking person called a spanish speaking limo service rather than Metro. If Metro had upkept its cars, hired multilingal drivers and dispatchers it would still be thriving.

The Kearny Police are correct. The only time they can pull a limo over for soliciting a ride is if they see them actually being flagged down. But if the person called for a limo and is waiting on the corner and waves the limo down, is that soliciting or is that just letting the taxi know your the person going to the airport (or your friend's house or work)? Kearny police are professionals and they aren't going to put their jobs on the line to please a Councilmember. If you pull someone over without probable cause you violate their constitutional rights, no Kearny cop is going to do that. Kearny has one of the best Police Chiefs and police officers in the County. They do their job but won't violate people's constitutional rights.

Metro is better off revamping its staff, its cars, rather than wasting time lamenting to the Observer reporter.

Sherry needs to figure out how to lower my property taxes. Maybe she can get some of her family members a job with Metro and take them off the town's payroll. At least the limo drivers aren't causing my property taxes to go up.

Long live the Limo companies. They provide a valuable service. Let us not forget that its a dangerous job. Several have been killed in the past few years. Hard working folks trying to make a living.

Our Town issues liscences to these livery guys.

[Guest Limo Driver Fan]

It seems a nerve has been hit. Sorry Barbara.

If you call a limo to pick you up to go the the airport (or to a friend's house, or work), that is not illegal.

What is illegal is to solicit folks off the street.

The people who are using the limo services are calling the limo service and waiting to be picked up. There is nothing illegal about that.

The Observer, as usual, only got half the story. A balanced article would have gotten some information from Limousine Companies. The limousine companies carry insurance. Otherwise they would have been off the road because their drivers would loose their driver's licenses and their car impounded.

Take a look at the cars driven by these so-called gypsy cab drivers and take a look at the regular taxis in Harrison, Kearny and even Newark. Let me know which cars are in better shape.

I bet that Metro taxi had no spanish speaking drivers and/or dispatchers. Metro simply didn't adjust and its business suffered because a Spanish speaking person called a spanish speaking limo service rather than Metro. If Metro had upkept its cars, hired multilingal drivers and dispatchers it would still be thriving.

The Kearny Police are correct. The only time they can pull a limo over for soliciting a ride is if they see them actually being flagged down. But if the person called for a limo and is waiting on the corner and waves the limo down, is that soliciting or is that just letting the taxi know your the person going to the airport (or your friend's house or work)? Kearny police are professionals and they aren't going to put their jobs on the line to please a Councilmember. If you pull someone over without probable cause you violate their constitutional rights, no Kearny cop is going to do that. Kearny has one of the best Police Chiefs and police officers in the County. They do their job but won't violate people's constitutional rights.

Metro is better off revamping its staff, its cars, rather than wasting time lamenting to the Observer reporter.

Sherry needs to figure out how to lower my property taxes. Maybe she can get some of her family members a job with Metro and take them off the town's payroll. At least the limo drivers aren't causing my property taxes to go up.

Long live the Limo companies. They provide a valuable service. Let us not forget that its a dangerous job. Several have been killed in the past few years. Hard working folks trying to make a living.

So. No response. The Councilwoman must be at her shore house or Mayor Santos forbid her from posting on KOTW.

Long live the multi-lingual Limo drivers. They provide a valuable service to our community.

[Guest Guest]

So. No response. The Councilwoman must be at her shore house or Mayor Santos forbid her from posting on KOTW.

Long live the multi-lingual Limo drivers. They provide a valuable service to our community.

Only Schuyler and Metro are allowed to pick up fairs in Kearny, anyone else who wants to has to get a Taxi Driver License and Taxi Owner License from the town of Kearny. As of now, Schuyler and Metro are the only companies to have done that. Therefore, whether an individual calls an outside taxi or flags one down, it is still illegal in Kearny.

[Guest Limo Company Owner]

Only Schuyler and Metro are allowed to pick up fairs in Kearny, anyone else who wants to has to get a Taxi Driver License and Taxi Owner License from the town of Kearny. As of now, Schuyler and Metro are the only companies to have done that. Therefore, whether an individual calls an outside taxi or flags one down, it is still illegal in Kearny.

That is not correct. A Taxi from another town can pick up a fare that calls them to pick them up. Example: Bloomfield Taxi picks up folks in Kearny. A Limo from another town (or in town) can pick up a fare that calls them to pick them up. Neither (the outside Taxi or Limo) can solicit or pick up from a taxi stand (or other place) a passenger. The license is for regulating persons who want to set up taxi stand in town.

[Guest Town Watch]

Not a supporter of Sherry or Santos but she is absolutely correct on this issue. I hate to give her any credit but she is on the right page for a change.

[Guest Correct the Correction]

That is not correct. A Taxi from another town can pick up a fare that calls them to pick them up. Example: Bloomfield Taxi picks up folks in Kearny. A Limo from another town (or in town) can pick up a fare that calls them to pick them up. Neither (the outside Taxi or Limo) can solicit or pick up from a taxi stand (or other place) a passenger. The license is for regulating persons who want to set up taxi stand in town.

No, YOU are not correct. The ordinance clearly states that any taxi company can drop off in Kearny, but only those registered by the KPD and whose drivers all have a Kearny taxi driver's license can pick up in town. Example: Harrison Cab is licensed in the Town of Kearny. The regulations for having a taxi headquarters or taxi stand in town are also addressed in the ordinance (5-70.1-5-70.12).

[Guest Travis Bickle]

Not a supporter of Sherry or Santos but she is absolutely correct on this issue. I hate to give her any credit but she is on the right page for a change.

She is wrong as are you.

Go to the Town website.

Go to Council Meetings.

See how many of these Livery Drivers get thier licences renewed each month.

They pay a fee to operate in the town.

The Town gladly accepts thier money.

[Guest Correcting the Correction]

She is wrong as are you.

Go to the Town website.

Go to Council Meetings.

See how many of these Livery Drivers get thier licences renewed each month.

They pay a fee to operate in the town.

The Town gladly accepts thier money.

Yes, they pay a fee to renew their LIVERY LICENSE, not a TAXI LICENSE. They are two different certifications with different requirements. They are not interchangeable. You have not been paying attention!