Vehicle for Hire Licensing Board

Regular Meeting

Burlington, VT · September 12, 2024

Minutes

BURLINGTON VEHICLE FOR HIRE LICENSING BOARD BUSHOR CONFERENCE ROOM, CITY HALL, 149 CHURCH ST. BURLINGTON, VT 05401 MINUTES OF MEETING September 12, 2024 Members present: Paul Hines Stephen Hamlin Youness Jamil Also present: Tenzin Chokden Scot Barker, Chief Innovative Officer Meeting start time: 5:32 PM 1. Agenda 1.1. Motion to amend/adopt agenda Stephen Hamlin made a motion to approve. Youness Jamil seconded. Passed unanimously. 2. Approval of Previous Minutes 2.1. Previous Minutes Stephen Hamlin made a motion to accept the previous minutes. Youness Jamil seconded. Passed unanimously. 3. Public Forum No members of the public spoke. 4. Update from Chief Innovative Officer on Curb 4.1. Future options for taxi metering and dispatch Scot Barker, the Chief Innovation Officer of the City of Burlington, addressed the Vehicle for Hire Licensing Board to share insights gathered from Curb. Curb is a technology company that provides services for taxi drivers, including digital meters, payment processing, and dispatch systems. They have a large customer base of 100,000 drivers and 20 million riders per month. Key features and benefits of Curb: • Digital meters: Provides accurate and efficient fare calculation. • In-car payments: Allows for convenient payment options like tap, swipe, or QR code. • Dispatch system: Offers centralized management of driver and passenger requests. • Cost-effective: Provides competitive pricing for services like credit card processing and digital meters. Potential challenges and considerations: • Minimum transaction volume: There may be a minimum number of credit card transactions required to qualify for the lowest processing rates. • Additional fees: If individual drivers don't meet the minimum transaction volume, they may incur extra charges. Overall, Curb presents a comprehensive solution for taxi drivers, offering various features to improve efficiency and convenience. Youness jamil asked how it works. If you have Curb, do you have to sign in? And if a customer has the QR code and wants to call you directly, can they bypass the dispatcher? Scot replied whoever is logged in when a customer scans a QR code can accept the fare. If you're not working, you won't be logged in. Youness Jamil asked how it works if a customer at the airport wants a ride from the airport to downtown. Scot replied passengers should go to the airport queue to request a taxi instead of using the Curb app. We may need to work with Curb to prevent direct requests. A temporary taxi stand could be set up if needed. Stephen Hamlin asked if the Curb application has the ability for customers to a schedule a ride. Scot Barker believes that ride scheduling could be done using a QR code or phone call. However, he will verify this information. Paul Hines discussed the potential cost of a monthly fee for drivers, which they estimate to be between $30 and $50. He suggests that more research is needed to determine the exact amount. Youness Jamil believes that a $30 monthly fee for drivers is reasonable as long as there is sufficient traffic and business for them to earn income. He believes that many drivers will be willing to pay this fee to avoid waiting in long lines at the airport for fares. He believes that a meeting with all drivers and a representative from Curb could be beneficial in encouraging the adoption of this new technology. Scot Barker agreed and will schedule a meeting with Curb for October. Tenzin Chokden will confirm with the City Attorney whether the Curb presentation would be considered an official Vehicle for Hire meeting or just an event 5. New Business The next meeting is set for 10/23/24 at 5:30 PM. 6. Adjournment 6.1. Motion to adjourn Stephen Hamlin motioned to adjourn. Youness Jamil seconded. Unanimously approved.

Agenda

Vehicle for Hire Licensing Board Thursday, September 12, 2024, 5:30 PM, Bushor Conference Room, City Hall, 149 Church St. Burlington, VT 05401 https://zoom.us/j/94239250619?pwd=i7x0V6XxFZPDnOfdjnBBD4vkb0T8H4.1 1. Agenda 1.1. Motion to amend/adopt agenda 2. Approval of Previous Minutes 2.1. Previous Minutes 3. Public Forum 3.1. PUBLIC FORUM - Verbal Comments 4. Update from Chief Innovative Officer on Curb 4.1. Future options for taxi metering and dispatch 5. New Business 6. Adjournment 6.1. Motion to adjourn

Packet

Vehicle for Hire Licensing Board Thursday, September 12, 2024, 5:30 PM, Bushor Conference Room, City Hall, 149 Church St. Burlington, VT 05401 https://zoom.us/j/94239250619?pwd=i7x0V6XxFZPDnOfdjnBBD4vkb0T8H4.1 1. Agenda Subject 1.1. Motion to amend/adopt agenda Meeting September 12, 2024 - Vehicle for Hire Licensing Board - Thursday, September 12, 2024, 5:30 PM, Bushor Conference Room, City Hall, 149 Church St. Burlington, VT 05401 Type Department Recommended Action File Attachments 2. Approval of Previous Minutes Subject 2.1. Previous Minutes Meeting September 12, 2024 - Vehicle for Hire Licensing Board - Thursday, September 12, 2024, 5:30 PM, Bushor Conference Room, City Hall, 149 Church St. Burlington, VT 05401 Category 2. Approval of Previous Minutes Department Clerk/Treasurer's Office Type Recommended Action 3. Public Forum Page 1 of 4 Subject 3.1. PUBLIC FORUM - Verbal Comments Meeting September 12, 2024 - Vehicle for Hire Licensing Board - Thursday, September 12, 2024, 5:30 PM, Bushor Conference Room, City Hall, 149 Church St. Burlington, VT 05401 Category 3. Public Forum Department Type 4. Update from Chief Innovative Office 5. New Business 6. Adjournment Subject 6.1. Motion to adjourn Meeting September 12, 2024 - Vehicle for Hire Licensing Board - Thursday, September 12, 2024, 5:30 PM, Bushor Conference Room, City Hall, 149 Church St. Burlington, VT 05401 Category 6. Adjournment Department Council and Board Type Recommended Action Page 2 of 4 BURLINGTON VEHICLE FOR HIRE LICENSING BOARD SHARON BUSHOR CONF. ROOM, CITY HALL, 149 CHURCH ST. MINUTES OF MEETING August 14, 2024 DRAFT Members present: Paul Hines Youness Jamil Stephen Hamlin Also present: Tenzin Chokden Meeting start time: 5:35 PM 1. Agenda 1. Agenda 1.1. Motion to amend/adopt agenda Stephen Hamlin made a motion to approve. Youness Jamil seconded. Passed unanimously. 2. Previous Minutes 2. Previous Minutes 2.1. Approval of previous minutes Stephen Hamlin made a motion to approve. Youness Jamil seconded. Passed unanimously. 3. Public Forum 3. Public Forum No members of the public spoke. 4. Annual Board Report to City Council 4. Annual Board Report to City Council Paul Hines reviewed the annual board report to city council with the board. Paul Hines proposed including in the report that inconsistent driver behavior, such as not using taxi meters, has negatively affected taxi business. Page 3 of 4 Youness Jamil agreed, adding that this was because taxi meter rates had not been updated, the cost of living had risen, and drivers were using flat rate fees to make a living. Youness Jamil inquired about the immediate implementation of credit card payments for taxi drivers following the ordinance's passage. Paul Hines clarified that the new requirement would take effect sixty days after the ordinance's approval, and notices would be issued accordingly. Paul Hines sought the board's approval of the revised report for submission to the City Council. Stephen Hamlin made a motion to approve the revised report, seconded by Youness Jamil. The report was unanimously approved. 5. New Business 5. New Business Paul Hines informed the board about an upcoming meeting with Scot Barker, the Chief Innovation Officer. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the potential integration of an online ride-sharing app, such as Curb, into the Burlington taxi system. Hines expressed optimism that such an app could significantly increase business for taxi drivers. He mentioned that there would be fees associated with using the app, which business owners would need to pay the company. Youness Jamil expressed enthusiasm for the potential benefits of the app to the taxi industry, stating that drivers were willing to cover the fees in exchange for increased ride opportunities. Tenzin Chokden shared that, based on the final city council ordinance regarding credit card acceptance, taxi drivers will be required to start accepting credit card payments beginning January 1, 2025. Youness Jamil requested that Paul and Tenzin contact the airport director to inquire about installing additional taxi signs, particularly at Gate 3. He noted that currently, only Uber and Lyft signs are displayed at that location. Paul Hines requested that Youness send him a memo detailing the specifics of the airport sign posting. He would then forward the information to Nic Longo. The meeting is set for 09/12 at 5:30 PM. 6. Adjournment 6. Adjournment Stephen Hamlin motioned to adjourn. Youness Jamil seconded. Unanimously approved. Page 4 of 4