DNC host committee assures taxi drivers they'll be paid
Host committee reassures drivers they'll be paid
By Daniel J. Chacon, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published August 19, 2008 at 7:45 p.m.
Photo by @The Rocky
Michael Hancock wants to ensure taxi drivers "feel confident."
The 5,000 delegates coming to Denver for the Democratic National Convention will each be getting $40 transportation vouchers.
But the vouchers may be worthless in the eyes of some taxi drivers.
City Councilman Michael Hancock said some taxi company owners are concerned their drivers won't accept vouchers out of fear the Denver 2008 Host Committee won't reimburse them.
"We want to make sure that taxi drivers feel confident that they'll be taken care of . . . and that we don't have uncomfortable taxi drivers out there," Hancock said Tuesday. "They don't make very good ambassadors."
Hancock revealed the taxi drivers' reservations about the voucher program during the final City Council briefing on the DNC, which opens Monday.
Ross Alexander, regional general manager of Yellow Cab and Super Shuttle, said Denver shouldn't be too concerned.
"The city should not believe that the whole cab world is going to thumb their nose at the DNC host committee on this," he said. "I don't believe for a minute that it's more than 100 guys . . . If those 100 guys don't take the vouchers, there's 900 others who will."
At a "celebrity car wash" for taxi drivers Tuesday, Alexander said every driver he talked to said they would accept vouchers.
Chris Lopez, spokesman for the local host committee, which is responsible for raising the money to put on the DNC, said cabbies will be made whole. "We will make good on every voucher," he said.
William Mitchell, director of government and community affairs for the Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the host committee is contractually obligated to provide the delegates transportation. Delegates, however, will have to pay the remainder of a fare if it's more than $40, he said.
Mitchell, who helped bring the taxi companies together with the host committee, said he has no reason to believe that drivers wouldn't be reimbursed.
"These vouchers are almost like a credential," he said.
Late Tuesday, Hancock said he talked to one of the taxi company owners who voiced concerns and was told drivers were going to accept the vouchers because they want to be good representatives of the city.
"But he is very concerned about it working effectively," Hancock said.
chacond@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5099
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August 19, 2008
8:29 p.m.
Suggest removal
The_Punnisher writes:
" Chris Lopez, spokesman for the local host committee which is responsible for raising the money to put on the DNC, said cabbies will be made whole.
"We will make good on every voucher," he said. "
The costs for the DNC, a PRIVATE party, keep going up and up.
My advice: SHOW ME THE MONEY.
AKA " No tickee, no washee "
( an old chinese saying before PC set in )
August 19, 2008
8:40 p.m.
Suggest removal
mmannino writes:
I would not take Democrat vouchers. Cash, credit, or no ride. The Democrats should not be treated differently than others.
August 19, 2008
8:52 p.m.
Suggest removal
yaakovwatkins writes:
The headline is not supported by the story. No cab drivers said that they were worried (unless mmannino is a cab driver which I doubt). The Democrats would not dare to stiff the cab drivers. It would make national headlines.
This is not a story.
August 19, 2008
9:14 p.m.
Suggest removal
HopiMedicineMan writes:
I'm with you Yaakov. There's no indication here of any pending disaster. It's a non-story. Whoever was supposed to talk didn't return a phone call. Cabbies can accept the vouchers or not. The real concern, as a former cabbie myself, is they won't get their standard tip. Seems to me $40 is low from DIA to downtown. If a driver anticipates a battle to get full fairs, plus tips, he'll work elsewhere. My strategy would be to avoid that airport line and concentrate on the other routes cabbies won't be working. What concerns me more are these ACLU member delegates who'll be looking for opportunities from cab companies, restaurants, hotels, what have you.
August 19, 2008
10 p.m.
Suggest removal
GetReal writes:
"these vouchers are almost like a credential."
Sounds like the Dems trying to pass off Obama as legitimate Presidential material.
August 19, 2008
10:47 p.m.
Suggest removal
555 writes:
You have to understand the reason why cab drivers will not going to take a voucher. every driver that services a voucher trips is going to pay 10% fee to cash it from the cab companies,plus hours of waiting time that drivers put in to cash the voucher itself. when a driver has more than $200 in vouchers they wait days to get their money back from the companies.same reason with the credit cards drivers pay fees up 10% to cash it. drivers are already payinghigh lease fees why do they have to pay money outside the lease.just tell a driver no fees to cash and they will do it and smile.
August 20, 2008
12:49 a.m.
Suggest removal
watcher1 writes:
Radio, television and newspapers require political ads to be paid in advance--with good reason.
They need "vouchers" for taxi rides?
I take it these are not going to be the big spenders 16th Street Mall was looking for.
August 20, 2008
5:13 a.m.
Suggest removal
ham writes:
Maybe the Democrats will pass out $40 worth of Carbon Credit Coupons, printed in various "inclusive" colors. The cabbies should be happy to get those, knowing that they will be doing their part to save the world from global warm, err, climate change. And that would offset Al Gore flying into Denver in his private jet.
August 20, 2008
6:50 a.m.
Suggest removal
youngman writes:
It amazes me the little baby democrats can't pay for their own taxi cabs.....wow..what a country...what a party
August 20, 2008
8:02 a.m.
Suggest removal
FCZ writes:
Vouchers are worthless .
Watch out for fake dollar bills.
Do not take any wooden nickles.
August 20, 2008
8:57 a.m.
Suggest removal
treecat writes:
10% discount with cash?
August 20, 2008
11:14 a.m.
Suggest removal
redwhiteandBLUE writes:
Downtown taxi drivers worried about not getting paid ?
When they never give change back!
I hope they all get fake money!
August 20, 2008
12:12 p.m.
Suggest removal
FlyfishDude52 writes:
555 - What is your source for the 10% fee to cash the vouchers? Just curious.
DIA to downtown, depending on exactly where, is about $57. Or was a couple of years ago.
This sounds like a new country printing their own, new currency. I wouldn't touch the vouchers with a ten foot pole & don't blame the hacks if they don't either regardless of whether there is a cahing fee or not. I suspect it's a way to "gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today." Which Tuesday? What month? This is a crock of hammered-up doggy doo.
August 20, 2008
12:12 p.m.
Suggest removal
imPatrickBateman writes:
I thought this was supposed to be a "green" convention. Shouldn't the delegates be walking or riding their bikes to the convention?
August 20, 2008
12:57 p.m.
Suggest removal
arvada_mark writes:
"They don't make very good ambassadors."
No kidding. I wouldn't make a very good employee either if I wasn't sure if I was going to be paid. Is something wrong with handing out a couple of $20 bills? Hint, cash spends better than the paper you guys are trying to spread in its place. I suppose no cash could be construed as them having worries about the morality of some of its delegates, however. Since they won't tell us, we can only asume.
"First, it was not a strip bar, it was an erotic club. And second, what can I say? I'm a night owl." -- M. Barry, Mayor of Washington, DC
August 20, 2008
1:22 p.m.
Suggest removal
JB writes:
Apparently nobody here has ever been bumped off a flight, or rerouted to Colorado Springs. The vouchers that are being mentioned are standard practice (although yes, the cabbies do have to pay a fee and wait to cash them).
On a recent trip I volunteered my airline seat in exchange for a couple of free tickets. The only other flight they could put me on that day was to the Springs, so they gave me a voucher that was good for the cab ride back to Denver...and the cabbie was thrilled! (mind you it's a much bigger fare than DIA to Downtown)...BUT all of the whining and talking about "fake money" and all that garbage is just ignorant.
August 20, 2008
2:42 p.m.
Suggest removal
bigmikecraft writes:
The DNC is not really in the loop about cab fares. $40.00 for the week is not going to make any driver any money after the first day. Remember these people in the DNC are bossed by ex-Governor Bean of Vermont. Vermont has less than one half the population of the city of Denver. He is also an ex-doctor. Good Luck to all the Cab Drivers. While you are on your computers go to www.youtube.com/obamasong2008 for the best theme song. Call your radio stations, this song is the best. Sincerely bigmikecraft
August 20, 2008
5:37 p.m.
Suggest removal
junglegymco writes:
Wait - Am I understanding this? The republicants on here are going to tell the dems how to distribute funds? Cause they're so smart with money? The same party that brought you a $3 trillion war and STILL hasn't caught bin laden?! PLEASE . . .
August 20, 2008
5:45 p.m.
Suggest removal
HopiMedicineMan writes:
Nickels (555) is a cab driver. If you're really interested in this story, pay close attention to what he's saying. These vouchers were a bad idea. The drivers are going to be stiffed by Dems insisting they accept the voucher as payment for a hundred-dollar fare. The project is going to backfire with a possible ... labor action. God bless you Nickels and avoid the Port.