Vehicle for Hire Licensing Board — Burlington, VT
Date: 2024-09-12
Time: 17:30

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

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

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.