Okaloosa County BOCC — September 6, 2016 — Ground Transportation Meeting Minutes — reading text

GROUND TRANSPORTATION MEETING DESTIN – FORT WALTON BEACH AIRPORT November 10, 2015 Please see attached list for attendees. Mr. Stage convened meeting at 2:02 PM. Mr. Stage welcomed everyone and introduced himself and everyone in the room introduced themselves. Mr. Stage briefed everyone on status of the taxi building project. The funding was pulled and the project has been cancelled. Mr. Stage and Mr. Kennedy also briefed everyone on the baggage system. Mr. Stage briefed everyone that personal property (lawn chairs, fans, etc.) are being left in the queue area. In order to alleviate conflicts no one should leave personal property at the Airport. Mr. Stage briefed everyone on Transportation Network Companies, UBER. Mr. Stage briefed that the Airport has been working on a contract for several months and after several conference calls UBER sent a contract and the County Attorneys reviewed the contract and made changes and now the contract is back to UBER for review. UBER will have one slot in the pre-arranged parking area and two slots in the cell phone lot for their queue. UBER will not be allowed to pick up anywhere on the Airport except in the pre-arranged area. They will not be allowed on the front curb or in the taxi queue area. UBER will pay $2.50 per pick up and this will be monitored by a geo fence that UBER will install at the Airport. Mr. Stage introduced Mr. Jon Morris to brief on taxing the permit fees. Mr. Morris briefed everyone on the Department of Revenue requirements for taxing the permits which is a State Law. Mr. Stage opened the floor for questions/comments/suggestions. Christopher Scott, Carters Carriage, asked if the taxi drivers could be dual permitted meaning work for UBER. Mr. Miner stated no. Through the conference call with UBER they stated no. Passengers could not be picked up in a marked vehicle. Several individuals stated we already have several individuals who are UBER drivers. Chris Ferry, Destin Airport Shuttle, stated UBER has a commercial vehicle exception and asked if taxis can be UBER in the queue area. Chief Johnson stated that we do not have any information on that but UBER stated no to commercial vehicle pickups and no to UBER vehicles in the queue line. Don Fischer, Fischer’s Shuttle Service, asked if the Police can see the UBER vehicles. Chief Johnson stated yes. The Police have the UBER app on their phones. Miguel Rosario, M & R Shuttle, stated they are having a problem contacting the Police about UBER and some Police says they cannot do anything about UBER that Admin said they cannot do anything to UBER. Chief Johnson stated to contact the Airport Police and they will handle the situation. Chief Johnson said do not come into the Airport or to their office looking for Police just call the AOC at 651-7166 and they will dispatch an officer. Don Fischer, Fischer’s Shuttle Service, asked if UBER can turn their phones off. Chief Johnson stated yes they do and it is hard to locate them on the property. With the agreement they will not be allowed to turn their phones off because UBER will know and that is not allowed. Justin Jackson, Jay’s Checker Cab, stated that UBER drivers do not carry the correct insurance. Their insurance is for a private vehicle and not a commercial vehicle. Mr. Stage stated that UBER has a One Million Dollar policy that covers their drivers. Jerry White, A AAA All FL Airport Shuttle, stated an umbrella policy does not cover the UBER drivers in the State of Florida. According to Florida Statutes the owner of a commercial vehicle has to have a $300,000 commercial policy. Mr. Stage stated we will check into this. Melonie Holbrook, A Catch Cab, stated she can see customers on their phones calling UBER. She asked if we could post signs in the baggage claim area stating that UBER is not allowed to pick up at the Airport. Mr. Stage stated no all you have to do is contact the Airport Police. Chief Johnson stated that passengers do not see or adhere to signs. Example would be the front curb. Cars park on the front curb daily and there is a sign on every post stating no parking. Christopher Scott, Carter’s Carriage, stated signs would help that customers just do not know. Mr. Stage said the Airport will look into signage. Russell Sconyers, Bay Limousine, stated that UBER will be paying $2.50 per pickup and asked if it would be possible for their limousine company to pay the same. Currently they are paying $400.00 for an annual permit and they do not pick up at the Airport that often. Mr. Stage stated the Airport will look into that. No other questions or comments so Mr. Stage adjourned meeting at 2:50 PM. Minutes of meeting approved by: Tracy Stage, A.A.E. Interim Airports Director  GROUND TRANSPORTATION MEETING DESTIN – FORT WALTON BEACH AIRPORT Wednesday March 30, 2016 2:00 P.M. AGENDA 1. Welcome and Introductions 2. New Airlines 3. Transportation Network Companies 4. Permit Fees plus Tax 5. Questions/Comments/Suggestions  GROUND TRANSPORTATION MEETING DESTIN – FORT WALTON BEACH AIRPORT March 30, 2016 Please see attached list for attendees. Mr. Stage convened meeting at 2:07 PM. Mr. Stage welcomed everyone and introduced himself and everyone in the room introduced themselves. Mr. Stage announced our new airlines including their destinations (Little Rock, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Memphis, Knoxville, Ft. Lauderdale, and Oklahoma City) and the amount of tourism and money (estimated $14 million) that it will bring to our economy. Mr. Stage briefed everyone on Transportation Network Companies, UBER. Mr. Stage reminded everyone that the Airport has been working on a contract for several months and after several conference calls UBER sent a contract and the County Attorneys reviewed the contract and made changes and now the contract is back to UBER for review. He is fairly confident that it will be going to the board by the end of May. UBER will have two slots in the cell phone lot for their queue. They will have one spot on the front curb when they have a pickup only, but will not be allowed to wait/park. The UVER driver in the first spot in parking will move to the spot on the curb marked “Rideshare.” UBER will pay $2.50 per pick up and this will be monitored by a geo fence that UBER will install at the Airport. Mr. Stage opened the floor for questions/comments. Melanie Holbrook, A Catch Cab, asked if customers can walk up to the Rideshare sign and wait for UBER. Chief Johnson stated that the customer will get on the app and request a ride. The driver will then come forward to the curb to pick up. But, they will not be allowed to sit and wait for a customer looking for a ride. They will not waiting like the cabs. They will only move forward upon request. Miguel Rosario, M&R Shuttle, stated that it’s not fair for cabs to pay $424.00 per year when UBER only pays $2.50 per pickup. Several others jumped in and agreed saying that they dish out all kinds of money each year for their permits. They feel like they’re losing money and UBER is gaining a lot more. Mr. Stage stated that we have gotten more money out of UBER than any other airport down to Gainesville. The other airports get bombarded with UBER drivers and we didn’t want that to happen here. Our goal is to provide a level playing field. We didn’t want them to operate at free-will like at the Pensacola Airport. We will monitor UBER cars and so will UBER with the geo-fence. Janalee Scott, Carters Carriage, asked with the tracking system will they stop sneaking onto the property. Mr. Stage said we know they’re doing it now, and the police will chase them down. There won’t be any more sneaking around. Janalee Scott, Carters Carriage, UBER is telling their customers to walk out to the bridge out front for pickup, will that stop? Mr. Stage stated that area is out of our jurisdiction and there is not a thing that we can do about it. We know they do it, and if a customer wants to drag their luggage and family out the front gate of the airport, there’s nothing we can do if they want UBER that bad. After an agreement is in place, UBER will deal with it and that will all stop. Miguel Rosario, M&R Shuttle, asked if he sees a customer and asks if they need a ride and they tell him they already called UBER. Where do we go from there? Mr. Stage said if it’s right now, call AOC. Chief Johnson told them to call AOC immediately if this situation comes up. Don’t wonder around the terminal looking for an officer. AOC runs 24 hrs. a day, seven days a week, someone will always answer. They will get on the radio and call us and we’ll go find them. Our number one priority is the security of the airport. Mr. Stage reminded them of the county ordinance saying they must have an agreement with the county board to operate a business at the airport. UBER will be in attendance at the board meeting hopefully in May and they will answer all of your questions, not me. So, if you have questions for UBER, go to the meeting and ask them questions. We’re doing our best to keep this as level as we possibly can. Janalee Scott, Carters Carriage, asked if UBER will be getting yearly inspections like we do. Mr. Stage-no. How about background checks and driving records etc.? We have to get them all the time here, even though they do one yearly on base for our drop offs. Mr. Miner stated that we only do the background check every 3 years, not every year. Mr. Stage asked Mr. Stenson to cover the stipulations in the agreement. Mr. Stenson stated that UBER doesn’t have to do that anywhere. When a driver registers their vehicle with UBER, it must be a late model with substantial insurance. And then UBER provides a million dollar reliability coverage for their drivers. Jerry White, A AAA All Florida Airport Shuttle, said that it only covers the driver, not the passenger. Mr. Stenson said that this is something the public has asked us to address and to take to the board. We’re doing what we think is best for all companies, we aren’t saying whether we want it or not, we’re just taking it to the board. It was then asked why it’s done the way it is for cabs to get inspected every year and pay fees. Mr. Stenson said because the county ordinance says so. Adam Brookway, Miramar Beach Shuttle, asked what happens if an UBER driver beats up on a woman or rapes her. Mr. Stage-the same thing if anybody does that. If you do something illegal, it’s going to be dealt with. We’ve seen what’s been in the media. And UBER has the million dollar policy for their passengers. Adam Brookway, Miramar Beach Shuttle, asked if UBER has to do the same thing as cab owners, to add additional coverage to operate at the airport. Mr. Stage-UBER covers the insurance for the passenger, while they’re working. The agreement that we have right now, that is a fact. Melanie Holbrook, A Catch Cab, said, and their vehicles will be inspected each year likes ours. Mr. Stage-no, I didn’t say that. Christine Norris, Crown Cab, I think that’s what we’re all wondering is why they would not have to be inspected the same as us. We pay $400 per vehicle to have a sticker put on our vehicle, are they required to do the same that we have to. They should have to pay the same amount. We have done everything that we possibly can from the administration stand point. Mr. Stenson said that at the last meeting, they asked who would like to pay $2.50 per pickup and only a few responded and they were limos. We don’t have a specific date yet, possibly the end of May. If UBER even signs the agreement. They have the final agreement and it’s in their court. When we receive it back signed, it will be added to the agenda.