Armenian American cabbies win court round in Santa Monica taxi franchising dispute

A judge Wednesday issued a temporary restraining order barring Santa Monica from instituting a new taxi franchising system that a group of Armenian American cabdrivers charged discriminated against them.

Judge Robert H. O'Brien gave attorneys until Jan. 7 to show why the preliminary injunction shouldn't be granted in the case filed by the Taxi Drivers Assn. of Santa Monica, which sued the city Tuesday in civil court in downtown Los Angeles.

The association represents five Armenian American-owned or operated cab companies -- and 300 Armenian American cabbies -- who sued Santa Monica after they were all denied franchise licenses with the city.

"If this TRO had not been issued, approximately 300 Armenian American cabdrivers operating within the city of Santa Monica would have their licenses to operate their cabs revoked," said Tamar Arminak of the Geragos & Geragos law firm, which represents the cabbies.

Santa Monica officials could not be reached for comment.

The controversy began in June when the city, after reviewing franchise applications, chose five of 13 cab companies, none of which were Armenian owned or operated.

About 100 cabbies showed up in court Tuesday. Arminak said they were all worried they would be jobless come the new year.

"They are relieved they can continue supporting their families as a result of the court ruling," Arminak said.

-- Andrew Blankstein

Comments

[TruBlu]

Doesn't SM have better things to address than taxis?? HELLO! Transients EVERYWHERE! I wont even go to 3rd street becuase of all of the fowl beggars, drunks & drug addicts.. Hey City Council open your blind eyes! Address the real problem in the City. Maybe that will entice people with money to visit your new high end mall...

[My opinon means nothing]

I wonder what the Repulibic of Santa Monica was thinking when it decided late Monday afternoon (5:00 pm from what I heard) to have all the taxi drivers who drove in their fair city to have new drug and alcohol tests and new DMV records and have them all by Dec. 24?

[Get Planted]

Santa Monica city staff have way too much money and way too much time to squander. I have been stranded in Santa Monica several times and was hugely grateful when cab randomly came by and took me where I needed to go. Parking and traffic problems in Santa Monica are created by inappropriate City development, not by taxi cabs.

Good work Judge O'Brian.

[smartin1]

Yeah lets keep them out. I'm all for it. Thank you City Council.

[sabino v gonzalez]

I do not like the taxis to start. they abuse us in the fares and the treatment. specially Armenians as they called themself.

but I support their fight because the city, administrators they think they ruled everything. they are employees of public money. and they act. like

GODS ....

the problem is that they take them to court and we pay for it. i wish they could pay the lawyer fees out of their pockets. or some parcentage. so they would no go into problems like this.

deciding who can earn a living, and who can not .

[sabino v gonzalez]

I do not like taxis they abused tourist and locals equally

but the city of santa monica employees are thinking what.
that they can decided who can work and who can not.
they are city employees and wasting time and money on court
to select who work, ]]

I wish those people that work in this staff should pay and small fee.
for going into this. and now the city has to pay the legal fees. for what.

nothing stupid people. that earn money, doing nothing. they should go to work in a private sector. they are just lucky to work for a rich city. that the residents built.
enough iam tired. keep on doing the same idiotic things.

keep building your retirments. and your perks. and be and arrogante. city employee.

[John]

I followed this process from beginning to end since I am employed by one of the companies that was awarded that franchise. We are a local company and yes the city made each and every small franchise like us take a gamble. Although we were awarded the franchise it was tough not knowing how each component of the criteria was weighted. I feel very sorry for those companies that invested everything and in return, lost to non local franchises. It is not fair. I hope at the very least, the city can compensate the time and money lost in trying to meet the criteria.

[Maria]

By being a teacher i always teach my students do not have that feeling and what i see by reading this article. I got shocked, how the City can do this when those families need a job by working there. I feel poor for these families because i always taught do not have discrimination between each other and know i see this around me. I believe City will make a good decision by not letting those children feel that feeling in their family.
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[RUDY S]

GOOD LORD! CITY OF SANTA MONICA, YOU DID IT AGAIN !
HOW YOU DARE TO TAKE THE BREAD OUT OF THE MOUTH OF THIS CABBIES FAMILIES ?
I HOPE, THE WRATH OF THE ALMIGHTY DON'T DESCEND ON YOUR SUNNY EARTH IN THE FORM OF A TSUNAMI, OR WORST, A REAL INVASION OF MARINE MONSTERS...... PLEASE RECONSIDER AT ONCE THIS FLAGRANT AND DISCRIMINATORY ORDINANCE FOR YOUR OWN GOOD, AND WHEN YOU HAD DONE THAT, BE SURE TO HIRE A REPUTABLE FIRM, TO REPAIR YOUR IMAGE IN THE AYES OF THE NATION FOR THIS ACT.
I PERSONALLY HAD NOT DOUBT ,THAT AMONG SANTA MONICA CITY OFFICIALS THERE ARE FEW ROBERT RIZZOS PULLING STRINGS HERE AND THERE IN BEHALF OF THE OTHER CABBIES. WHAT A SHAME!

[CabRider]

I hope the injunction is lifted, but allows current cabbies to be hired by the franchise's that were selected.

Riding a cab in Santa Monica is such an inconsistent experience, and among the most expensive cab options in the country.

Currently in Santa Monica, there are hundreds of cab companies, many just being a single car. The entire city of Los Angeles has 7 companies!

Los Angeles has published rates that can be charged by taxi's and they are all the same. Santa Monica allows taxi's to charge what ever rate they publish with the city, and as a rider you do not know what the cost will be until you are in the cab and review the rate card -- if its available. Beyond that, the terms or fares are not required to be consistent so 1 company may charge by 1/8th of a mile, while another charges based on 1/9th or different calculation.

Just because I cross a street from LA to Santa Monica should not mean I pay $15 more for the same distance ride by getting into different taxi.