queenschamber.org THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH Th e Personal Touch Reinforces Genuine Connections with Our Members We are a premier bed company that helps with people’s needs for a good night’s rest. We joined the Queens Chamber in order to create a relationship YELLOW TAXIS ARE HERE TO STAY 10 within our community and to make our presence known. We look forward to chamber meetings and being a part of our Forest Hills community. We have yet to participate in an event with the chamber, but plan on taking part in plenty in the future. Cathy Berger, the Development Director, has been great, and it is key to us to know people like her work for the Chamber. I am sure this will be a great relationship. Damien Arboleda SELECT NUMBER Eastern American Technologies is a full service office technology company founded in 1972. We provide business telephone systems, copiers, toners, security cameras, door access and data and voice cabling to companies and nonprofit organizations. Membership in the Queens Chamber of Commerce has been an excellent way to network with like-minded individuals, build new relationships, increase business, and give back to the Queens community where I grew up. Working with the entire staff at the Queens Chamber of Commerce has been a great experience. Sam Wanigasinghe Eastern American Technologies I have attended functions given by the Queens Chamber of Commerce. At these functions, Cathy Berger, the Development Director, introduces me to members I don’t already know who have since referred business valuations and forensic accounting work to us. In fact, a law firm member of the Chamber worked with me on a guardianship just this past month. Cathy takes a personal interest in developing marketing opportunities for me and other members that I have spoken to. I am very glad to be a Chamber member. Barry Pulchin Prager Metis The management team of Boon by Moldova decided that it was really important to understand the business voice of Queens, and what better way to meet people than through the extensive channels of the Queens Chamber of Commerce!! The process was very pleasant. We met with Cathy Berger who explained in great detail what the Chamber is really about and what it can do for a business. We are really new to this magical world of a Chamber, but we can tell that it has a positive effect on businesses and communities alike. Sorina Panfil Boon by Moldova I joined the Queens Chamber of Commerce to meet people in my community. The chamber has been beneficial to my business due to the strong network. The networking events are great for spreading the word. The attention Cathy Berger took to provide to me and my business has helped me increase our private events bookings. She is good at lending that personal touch and directing inquires to help me succeed. Mike Celic Oro Restaurant & Lounge My first contact with the Queens Chamber of Commerce was rewarding, inspirational and encouraging. As a brand new business owner, I had the good fortune meeting Cathy Berger who gave me excellent guidance and direction and explained to me how becoming a member could help me develop and grow my business. Bee's Bookkeeping Services provides comprehensive and in depth bookkeeping services to individuals and all sectors of the business community. Thank you, Cathy Berger, and the entire Queens Chamber of Commerce. I am looking forward to working with you in 2017. Beata Prejzendanc Bee’s Bookkeeping Services By Cathy Berger Any questions? e-mail Cathy at [email protected] BY JEAN BARRETT Executive Director Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade Yellow taxis have been a part of the fabric of Queens for decades and are now evolving with the changing needs of New Yorkers. Queens continues to benefit from the industry’s vital contribution to the economy. All aspects of the yellow taxi business from training to maintenance to fleet garage operations have a significant presence in the borough. Queens has long provided key advantages to the taxi business including closeness to Midtown Manhattan and the airports, more space for large garage operations and proximity to the workforce. The borough is home to thousands of yellow taxi drivers, many of whom are immigrants who moved to Queens to pursue the American Dream. Drivers have often used their hard earned savings to purchase medallions, the equity of which has been responsible for putting countless young men and women through college and enabling tens of thousands immigrant families to purchase homes, often in Queens. Roughly 40% of medallions are owned by individuals, not corporations. No other sector of the transportation industry has provided this unique type of equity and a viable path to the American Dream. While new mobile app-based companies like Uber and Lyft have indeed created more options for passengers, taxis continue to be a compelling choice of transport for New Yorkers and a reliable career path for drivers, many of whom are new Americans. In fact, many drivers who have left the yellow taxi industry are now coming back for the steady job opportunities it provides. Much has been written about the “demise” of the yellow taxi industry, but this is greatly exaggerated. The entire transportation sector has changed dramatically, but the yellow taxi industry is changing with it. The industry has embraced new apps like Arro and Curb, which have provided more efficient services to passengers and drivers. My organization, the Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade, which has been located in the Queens Plaza area for nearly 70 years, recently established a one-ofa kind MBTOT Driver Resource Center in Long Island City. The Center is a one-stop shop for support and information and represents an unprecedented effort to empower drivers. We provide free legal counsel and represent drivers in the administrative courts, offer free and necessary training courses and help them navigate bureaucratic hurdles. While the industry is working tirelessly to modernize our business for our passengers and create the best opportunities for our drivers, there is much work that still needs to be done to level the playing field with app-based companies like Uber. We are bound by an old regulatory system with numerous costly mandates and hurdles that app-based companies simply do not have to contend with, including a requirement for wheelchair accessibility in half our fleet, a metered fare that we have no ability to adjust up or down, a one-sizefits all mandatory vehicle that eliminates driver or passenger vehicle choice, and an MTA surcharge that hurts taxi drivers or taxi passengers. But the fact is, New Yorkers and visitors to our borough and our city will continue to demand a safe, affordable, metered ride and we plan to provide it to them, just as we have for more than 100 years. And we hope that our friends in the business community will be rooting for our success as well. A stronger yellow taxi industry means a stronger Queens economy.
QB022017
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