FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 20, 2002
SCHUMER ANNOUNCES JOB FAIR TO HIRE 3,000 NEW NYC TAXI DRIVERS
Schumer: With Over 265,000 NYC Residents Unemployed, 3,000 New
Jobs Could Provide Significant Boost to Local Economies, Families
Impacted by 9/11
Standing in front of dozens of taxis and joined by Matthew W.
Daus, Chairman of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission
(TLC), leaders in the taxi industry, and New York City taxi drivers,
US Senator Chuck Schumer today announced that 3,000 new jobs are
available as New York City taxi drivers. Schumer said that a job
fair will be held on Friday, March 15 from 9 am to 11:30 am at the
Astoria World Manor (25-22 Astoria Boulevard at the foot of the
Triborough Bridge). With over 265,000 New York City residents unemployed,
Schumer said the addition of 3,000 new jobs could provide a significant
boost to the local economy and help many families affected by the
devastating economic impact of September 11.
Schumer said that the March 15 job fair would be open to all New
Yorkers, and would provide everything a prospective taxi driver
would need to begin work, ranging from information on how to obtain
an expedited license to how to finance and purchase a taxi medallion
to how to operate a taxi meter. Schumer said that jobs are available
on both a part-time and full-time basis, and that the job fair would
include representatives from the New York City Taxi and Limousine
Commission, leasing agents, taxi brokers, and meter shops, as well
as displays of the latest taxi technology. Schumer praised the TLC
for quickly helping the taxi industry recover from the impact of
September 11 and thanked the Committee for Taxi Safety for creating
the job fair.
"With so many hard working people all of a sudden out of
work, 3,000 new jobs right here in New York City is a blessing,"
Schumer said. "Driving a taxi is a good, honest, respectable
way to earn a living and if you're looking for work, you should
attend the job fair and see whether driving a taxi is right for
you." Schumer also said that his father-in-law drove a taxi
over his entire career.
"I would like to thank Senator Schumer for his support of
the TLC's regulated industries at this most challenging time,"
said Daus. "The TLC has been proactive about helping the taxi
and for-hire vehicle industries recover from the tragic events of
September 11th, and our expedited licensing program is the perfect
way to match people who need jobs with interesting and lucrative
opportunities. Information about getting licensed quickly and easily
is only a phone call away at 212-NYC-TAXI."
"We want unemployed New Yorkers to realize we have thousands
of jobs available for every employment situation. Our industry is
well known for its flexibility for people who want to work part-time
and for providing steady jobs for career minded individuals,"
said David Pollack, Executive Director of the Committee for Taxi
Safety.
The combination of the recession and the terrorist attacks on
September 11 has spelled severe trouble for the New York City economy,
creating a greater need for new employment opportunities than at
any time in recent history. Schumer cited the following facts at
the press conference:
In December 2001, the New York City unemployment rate jumped up
to 6.5% with 268,885 New York City residents out of work. The New
York State unemployment rate, as of December 2001, was 5.8%, with
515,254 individuals unemployed.
A February 13 report issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
cited 408 extended mass layoff events since September 11 involving
114,711 workers (most, but not all, occurred in New York). Of those
114,711 workers, 42% (44,756 individuals) worked in the air transportation
industry and an additional 28% (32,044 individuals) worked in the
hotel industry.
A recent report issued by the New York City Partnership found
that insurance claims related to September 11 are likely to be $52
billion, passenger volume at the metro area's three major airports
has dropped more than 20 percent, compared with a 15-percent drop
nationally, and local retail sales have dropped at a rate 10 percent
below the rest of the nation.
In addition to Daus and Pollack, Schumer was also joined by Alan
Kaplan, Vice President of the Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade,
Lou Jiminez, President of the Taxicab Services Administration, and
Vincent Sapone, Managing Director of the League of Mutual Taxi Owners.
For more information on the job fair, interested candidates should
call the Committee for Taxi Safety at (718) 706-8294.
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