SFO Boss Retaliates Against Cab Drivers Protesting Ride-Share Operations

SFO Boss Retaliates Against Cab Drivers Protesting Ride-Share Operations
http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Democratic-bigwigs-fail-to-sw...
Ride rumble: San Francisco Airport Director John Martin’s decision to suspend pickup privileges of two drivers involved with last week’s taxi demonstration that blocked airport traffic isn’t improving the cabbies’ mood as a holiday truce takes effect.

“It certainly isn’t making things any easier,” said Taxi Workers Alliance head Mark Gruberg.

Martin said the two drivers had removed barriers set up by police during the Nov. 17 protest.

“It was a safety issue,” Martin said.

The cabbies are annoyed that lightly regulated ride-share competitors including Lyft, Sidecar and Uber have been given the green light to pick up airport fares, with no consequences for all the years they were doing so without official permission.

Rumblings of a second shutdown were swirling around the airport — until Martin let it be known that trouble during the busiest travel week of the year would do little to resolve cabbies’ grievances.

A meeting has been set for next week — with the hope being that the truce will last until then.