Opinion ID: 427313
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Passenger Selection

Text: 66 The Orlando cab company substantially controlled the passenger selection of its drivers through its own system of airport starters and by means of its radio dispatch system. 628 F.2d at 264-65. 67 Because, pursuant to ordinance, the starters at issue in the present case are employed by the Airport, not Suburban, see page 369 supra; Tr. 422, any control exerted by starters cannot support a finding that Suburban controls the conduct of its lessee drivers' day-to-day operations. 31 See, e.g., Diamond Cabs, supra, 701 F.2d at 921-922 ([R]egulation imposed by governmental authorities does not evidence control by the employer.). In its Supplemental Decision, however, the Board stated that 68 It is possible for the mandatory legal requirement to become so detailed, and consequently bind the parties so closely together operationally, that compliance prevents the existence of an independent contractor relationship, and rather ensures that of employer-employee. 69 262 NLRB No. 89, at 5 (JA 62) (emphasis added). The Board cites no authority for this proposition. Nor is that this case. The ordinances here do not destroy the basic freedom of the drivers to operate their businesses independently. The Airport's use of starters, therefore, cannot support the Board's decision. 70 With respect to the radio dispatch system, Suburban's lessees are free to refuse any radio call. The ALJ made the following finding: 71 [C]hief Dispatcher James Le Tourneau testified that under [Suburban's] policy, lessees are free to refuse orders for runs, without penalty, and dispatchers are so instructed. Le Tourneau's testimony, corroborated by ... [Suburban's] witnesses, including lessees Bruce Stein and Robert Pace, comports with the weight of the evidence, and is credited. 72 ALJ Decision, supra note 1, at 25 n. 49 (JA 38) (emphasis added). This is in marked contrast to the circumstances in Orlando, in which drivers lacked the freedom to reject calls assigned by the dispatcher. In that case, the owner candidly and tellingly threatened to refuse to rent cabs to drivers who refused calls. 628 F.2d at 265. There is no evidence that Suburban made threats not to renew leases to drivers who refused radio calls. Moreover, that drivers sometimes do choose to forego business by refusing to respond to radio calls, see ALJ Decision, supra note 1, at 25 n. 49 (JA 38), evidences independence. See Diamond Cabs, supra, at 923-924. We conclude, therefore, that the record as a whole does not contain substantial evidence to support the Board's finding that the company uses its radio dispatch system to exert control over the drivers.