Cabbies at Bus Terminal Now Need Affiliation With Firm
By Robert J. McCarthy
Neat and spiffy cabs with uniform colors and well-dressed drivers will soon line up outside the downtown bus station just like they do at Buffalo Niagara International Airport, as a result of a new policy adopted Monday by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority.
While independent taxis have always been able to service the Metropolitan Transportation Center, cabbies must now affiliate with Buffalo Transportation, which submitted the winning bid for $15,000. According to Executive Director Lawrence M. Meckler, the idea is to improve customer service while increasing authority revenue.
“At the airport, we have a really nice system,” Meckler said. “So we thought this would enhance public service and performance standards. If we have it at the airport, why not at the transportation center?”
The new agreement means cab operators must sign up with Buffalo Transportation to work at the bus station, and agree to provide vehicles less than 10 years old that have uniform colors and are subject to routine inspections for safety and cleanliness. An assigned starter will be at the bus station a minimum of 14 hours a day seven days a week, and cabbies will be subject to a dress code.
A similar agreement has governed cab service at the airport for several years.
Buffalo Transportation, run by Igor Finkelshtein, beat out Cold Spring Taxi and Liberty/Yellow Cab for the right to provide service at the downtown facility.
In other action, the authority approved a new contract with Corey Airport Services of Atlanta for sale and use of advertising space at the Buffalo airport. Corey was one of two firms responding to the NFTA request for proposals, beating Clear Channel Interspace Airports, which has held the contract since late 1997.
Corey performs similar services for the operators of airports in Cincinnati, Atlantic City, N.J., and Columbus, Ga.
Seven staff members recommended the Corey contract based on a guaranteed minimum income of $2.05 million for the five-year agreement, as well as on experience, capital investment, design, innovation, marketing plans and minority participation.
The firm is expected to hire an on-site manager to tap local advertisers.
In addition, the authority approved a $66,390 contract with Stantec Consulting Group to analyze bomb blast scenarios at the new terminal planned for Niagara Falls International Airport, as required by federal law.
Meckler said a similar analysis was conducted at Buffalo Niagaraairport following the terrorist attacks of 2001, and that the new terminal at Niagara Falls must also comply. The study will help designers plan “mitigation measures” for the new terminal to guard against any potential bomb blasts from vehicles and other sources.
Also, the board of commissioners approved new fees for the NFTA Boat Harbor. They involve a schedule based on time, size of the craft and availability of power. Staff reported to commissioners that many slip renters do not want to start paying for space in May because of the weather’s unpredictability.
The idea under the new plan, they said, is to entice boaters to rent slips earlier in the season in an effort to increase revenue.
e-mail:rmccarthy@buffnews.com
Originally published by NEWS STAFF REPORTER.
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