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

co-insurance at the airport to cover the liability to take someone off of that curb. In addition we need a business license as well as one for each individual driver. Please don’t be offended, but if we follow this today, which you all have put in much effort to make it happen, but technology is becoming stronger than an ordinance. I get that customers want this, but they’re being misinformed that they’re riding in a vehicle that is insured. This could all be resolved if you said come on Uber, fill up all the spaces, but you have to have a business license for Okaloosa County and for your drivers, and you have to have $300,000 in commercial insurance, name of drivers included, and you have to get a $400 permit at the airport because we’re protecting the people that play by the rules. Uber will tell you that they don’t have any cash or drivers because they’re an app, so sue me, because I’m simply an app. It would be nice if the Airport Administration would say by god that makes sense, Uber still gets to come and we get to make a living. Charles-level playing field! White-make them play by the rules. I’ve been here for 13 years. And just because Johnny Good from google, hey I salute him, he has a great app and a brilliant mind. But it’s ignorance, they don’t have commercial liability insurance. I hope administration goes to the board and tells them that they want Uber to play by the same rules. Let’s all play by the rules and may the best cab company win. Stage-thank you for your comments. Asbell-we’ve lost 30%-50% of our business this summer. Stage-no, we’ve done nothing but increase your business this summer, we’re up 30%. Asbell-what I’m saying is that Uber is picking up and taking that from us. Stage-not here, you have not lost 30% of your business because Uber is picking up here, that’s not true. Asbell-we would have more business if they weren’t here. Oberg-Uber is going to just be circling around the airport all day, more than two of them at a time. For an aggressive company, they are not a rideshare, they are aggressively attacking drivers all over this nation, this world. They’re aggressively trying to take over this driving industry. And they’re recruiting new drivers all of the time just building their forces and that is why their prices are so low, because they have no cost overhead. All these customers that are calling requesting Uber, are those calls all documented? How do you know that it’s not Uber drivers themselves calling and saying yeah, we need Uber at the airport? Are they regular and good standing customers or what? Because this is the situation I get all the time, customers tell me that they won’t ever use Uber because they don’t trust them, I’d like to see the records of these calls. Charles-check with Pensacola, last week one was arrested for drugs and another one I believe for stabbing. Oberg-what happens when this is set up and you find out that Uber is cheating? Stage-then they’re in violation of their agreement and it’s shut down. Charles-that won’t take long. Pelliciotti-if Uber gets into an accident, that won’t affect us right? Stage-Uber’s contract has nothing to do with you guys. My understanding is that they will have a million dollar coverage while operating as Uber, while their app is turned on. So if they have an accident, I hope it’s within that threshold. Walker-the million dollars does not apply when they are on their way to the airport or after the passenger is dropped off. The million dollars is covered when there is a passenger in the Uber vehicle. White-if every Uber driver operated like Walker, we’d have no problems because we’d all be playing by the same rules. Look, I know yall have worked so hard to make this airport different than the rest of the 70% that you mentioned before. Stage-thank you for that comment because it’s absolutely true. I understand where you’re coming from and that’s why we worked so hard on this. I also have the other side, the passenger, the customer. I’m telling you, we’re going to do whatever the passenger is demanding because they’ll go to another airport. We’re trying to meet the demands of the passenger and we’re trying to meet your demands and we’re trying to meet an agreement with Uber. White-these people in this room have met yalls demands for years. Oberg-can Uber shut down this airport until they’re approved? Stage-I’m trying to understand that question. Oberg-can Uber shut down this location from the app until they’re approved? Stage-yes. I’ll tell you how they’re getting around it, the passenger and the driver have each other’s number and they tell them, meet me here because they know their app will be disabled once they enter the airport, so they’ll go meet them somewhere. Charles-what’s Uber’s dress code? Walker-to dress professionally. Charles-to dress professionally, well that covers it well. Stage-there is nothing in their contract about their dress code. Nate Cotton of A1 Airport Shuttle-So if you monitor their behavior and not their dress code, the airport does not matter to you. Stage-we’re working towards an agreement with Uber and not every individual driver. I’m fairly certain that they wouldn’t be an Uber driver for long if they were dressing inappropriately because if your ratings are low, you’re not going to be picking up rides. Cotton-so this guy can go take a nap in his car with a tank top on and his feet out the window and you don’t care? Will you hold them to the same standards as us? Stage-yes, they’re not going to litter and throw cigarettes on the ground. They’re going to be in the two spots in the cell phone lot. Oberg-sir, did you consider the constitutional law for protection of our businesses? Stage- our attorneys have reviewed all of the legalities as far as the agreement goes, but no I did not, I’m not an attorney. Charles-there is a right for a class action law suit against this airport, I’m not pushing it, but there is. Oberg-my company wants to know if it’s not broken, why are you trying to fix it? Uber will never take a voucher. Where will the passenger go then? Stage-I’m not one to tell anyone what their rights are. Oberg-I know, I believe it. Stage-I’m here to make sure that everyone has an opportunity as fair as we can make it. Our priority is making our customers happy and they’re demanding Uber. We could be like Tallahassee or like the 18 other airports that have the option to use the entire cell phone lot, or add a kiosk in the baggage claim area. But that would circumvent the curb. We provide you with facilities that no other airport has in the state of Florida. Please come to the board meeting and voice your concerns. Charles-do other companies have the option to run the same rules as Uber? Pay their $2.50 and all be on a level playing field. Stage-Do you really want to pay $2.50, then be with Uber. Fischer-no way, the permit is much better. Charles-I don’t want anything to do with Uber. Cotton-how are you going to determine that the person in the assigned spot is an Uber driver and not someone else, like a terrorist? Stage-is that a serious question? Oberg-what I’ve noticed is that there was an Uber driver inside of the airport with a sign standing inside of Helenback waiting for his passenger. Stage-here? You saw this? Oberg-I did. Stage-did you call the AOC? Oberg-no I didn’t. Stage-see, you’ve got to call the AOC. Oberg-I’m not actively involved in hunting Ubers. Stage-I’m not laughing at you that was funny what you said. If you see it, call the AOC. Cotton-you get mad at us for calling. Stage-who gets mad at you? Cotton-well we start getting picked on out there and it’s always been that way. Stage-nobody should be getting mad at you for doing something that I’ve asked you to do. If somebody is, call me, because that’s not the way it is. Walker was asked to explain the Uber process. Walker-Uber does background checks. It took 45 days for mine to clear. They actually came up with where I got in trouble as a kid and asked me about it. So they’ve done a far better background check than I had to do on myself as a cab driver at the airport. The vehicle has to be a 2006 or newer with no body damage. For instance, I had a chip in my windshield and I was not allowed to drive until I replaced the entire windshield just for a chip. Their vehicle standards are much higher than those of the airport. Cotton-but Uber can’t tell if the air conditioner isn’t working. Stage-no but the customer will rate that driver. Stage-we’re all business partners here. So come to the meeting. Most importantly, there’s going to be an Uber representative standing there answering all of your questions. We have been dealing with Uber since November to make sure that they meet all of our requirements. They will also be required to have markings on the vehicle. Oberg-is there any possible way to talk to the commissioners into reconsidering rideshare, because I still don’t get it. How do these people consider themselves sharing rides? What’s the determination for rideshare? Cotton-rideshare is when you’re driving and someone calls you and you pick them up. Uber’s intentions were not to become a transportation company, but that’s what we’re allowing them to do here. If you were driving home from work and someone needed a ride, you could pick them up. Now they’ve become a taxi company. Stage-a massive, worldwide company. A $50 billion dollar company. Charles-only about 1% of our business is done here at the airport. It used to be 5-10%. I’m only here because these guys are being done terribly wrong. Stage-I hate to hear that, but okay. Oberg-I’m glad we’re not doing it like Pensacola where 50 plus Uber drivers can come on the property. I think we got a better deal. Stage-we did our best. Pelliciotti-this isn’t approved yet is it? Stage-no, we’re just informing you. This still has to go to the board where they will vote for it. The board is going to hear from you, and from the Uber representative who is to be at the meeting. If he’s not at the meeting, the item is pulled. Oberg-about a previous comment that you made, people are not going to fly to another airport because they can’t get Uber. Trust me, that is a false statement. Stage-we offer low parking prices and we compete with other airports close by. So providing the options that the passengers want is a priority. Oberg-do you have the ability to tell us what the rental company makes per car rented? Herrick-yes I do. Oberg-if a person can’t get an Uber, they might go rent a car. Herrick- every de-planed passenger in May spent $61 with rental cars. Charles-I bet there sales are down too. Stage-no, they’re reporting double revenue. Charles-well, wait until they (Uber) get in here, the car rentals will go way down. Charles-Uber isn’t bad, it just needs to be level…50 state background check, dress code, etc. etc. level playing field. Walker-I see what you mean by the public requesting Uber. When you google VPS, the third review says small airport with no TSA pre-check and no Uber, this needs to change immediately. As you scroll down the page you see more and more and more of that. White-taxis do sit and wait all day for a passenger. But trips have dropped because Uber is operating here illegally at the airport. We’re not losing money because business is bad, it’s because Uber is cutting into our business. Airline sales are up because of all the hard work you guys have done. There’s no question that there are more visitors. We’re just dealing with illegal competition. I wish everyone was like this guy (Walker) who followed the rules like the rest of us. Last little comment, thank you, all of you who have worked with the airlines. We do have the nicest airport of the 5. I wish it was more covered, I don’t sit out there all day, but my guys do. Imagine sitting in a hot car all day. We’ve got the best bathroom facilities, you go to Pensacola and they don’t even have a bathroom facility. We without a doubt have improved