Item No. 11a _supp
Meeting Date: December 13, 2022
On-Demand Taxi/Flat Rate Program Briefing
December 13, 2022

                    Briefing Agenda
• History/Industry Changes
• Pilot Program
• Stakeholder Outreach
• Post-Pilot Program Recommendation
• Next Steps

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                          History
Taxi/Flat Rate Contracts and Features 1989 to 2022
Contract                Term            Vehicles        Trips per Year
Sea-Tac International Taxi
1989 - 2009 (exclusive)           165            696,000 (est. 2009)
Association (STITA)
Puget Sound Dispatch/dba Yellow
2010 - 2016         239 (+pool of 60)    960,000 (2015-peak)
Cab
Eastside for Hire/SP Plus (ESFH)         2016-2019       405 (three pools of 135)    760,000 (2017)
Pilot Program               2019-Current     409 (three pools of 136)    264,110 (2021)

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                   Industry Changes
• Smartphone technology
– Rideshare (TNC) applications
• King County/City of Seattle Regulations
– Taxi vs. flat-rate for-hire
• Commission-approved relief
– Eastside For Hire agreement (2017 and 2018)
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                      Pilot Program
• Resolution 3759 – (July 2019)     • Motion 2019-03 (May 2019)
 Retention  of  current  owners  with  nontransferable
agreements (approximately 409)
 Direct agreement with SEA and direct payment
of all-inclusive $6.00 per trip fee
 Open dispatch company affiliation
 SEA  manages  and  pays  for  curbside
management services
 Recognition of a voluntary organization with
monthly meetings and feedback opportunities
 Quarterly stakeholder outreach

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    Stakeholder Outreach/Feedback on Pilot Program
Frequently heard feedback:       Outreach recap:
•    Concerns over short trips and surcharge changes                          •    Outreach sessions: 17 (12 in-person, 5 via Zoom)
•    Requests to implement a minimum fare                                    •    3 online surveys
•    Operators continue to affiliate with own dispatch company              •    Monthly meetings with the Voluntary Organization
•    Maintain existing fleet size
•    Allow ability to transfer agreement to others
•    Port should oversee curbside management
•    Continue trip fee payment directly to the Port + “pay as you go” system
•    Concerns about fare differences between metered and flat-rate cabs
•    Requests to continue coordination with Voluntary Organization
•    Concerns related to implementation of a virtual queue system

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          Post Pilot Program Recommendation
Program Area             Elements
Permitting/Composition    •  Three year direct relationship with current medallion
of Fleet                          holders
•   Free affiliation with dispatcher of choice
•   No transferability
Fee/Cost to                •  Year 1: $6 per pick-up, then re-evaluate level for years 2
Operate/Technology          and 3
•   Direct payment from driver to SEA
•   Explore virtual queue options with operators
•   SEA contracts and pays for curbside management
Driver’s Voice Future        •  Continue quarterly stakeholder outreach
•   Retain Driver Voice via monthly meeting with Voluntary
Organization
•   SEA works on development of a job training program


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                       Next Steps

• Commission Briefing – 12/13 (today!)
• Stakeholder outreach/education – end of Q4 2022/early Q1
2023
• Public communication/outreach – Q1 2023
• Implement operational and contractual changes – Q1 2023
• Targeted implementation date – 4/1/23

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               Questions/Comments
• Thank you to all involved:
– Owners/Operators
– Voluntary Organization
– Port Staff/Commission
– Maul Foster & Alongi
– InterVISTAS
– King County/City of Seattle

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