Association Member News

TLPA Members Come Through for Katrina Victims

TLPA/TLPF have completed the relief fundraising effort, raising $45,950. The funds have been fully disbursed. The Relief Funds dedicated to assisting TLPA member companies, their workers and their families impacted by Katrina received $20,650 in donations. These funds were divided between four TLPA member companies: King Limo, Gulfport, Miss.; Biloxi City Cab, Biloxi, Miss.; Crescent City Cabs, New Orleans, La.; and Mobile Bay Transportation Co., Mobile, Ala., and a former TLPA Driver of the Year, David Robinson, Mobile Bay Transportation Co. In addition, TLPA members contributed $25,300 to the relief efforts of: $9,500 to the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund, $9,000 to The Salvation Army, and $6,800 to the American Red Cross.

Margie Wilcox, Mobile Bay Transportation, wrote, "Before, during and after the hurricane I received phone calls of love, concern and support from my friends at TLPA, each call and message meant a lot. Then, I was overwhelmed when TLPA established the Katrina Fund. The financial assistance has been critical to our recovery. And even further, I received such an outreach of compassion from members I knew and some I didn't at the Boston convention. Thank you for being there for my company, my co-workers and me… My daughter Julia and I will forever be grateful for the day I joined and always count our friends from TLPA as one of the many blessings we have in life."

David Robinson, former TLPA Chauffeur of the Year as a driver for Mobile Bay Transportation wrote, "Thank you TLPA! Hurricane Katrina assistance was two-fold for me. In addition to my house flooding, I also suffered a heart attack during this period of time. TLPA's financial assistance helped tremendously with my medical expenses."

Mr. El Hamaki of King Limo wrote, "I would like to take a moment to say thank you for your assistance from the TLPF/TLPA Katrina Disaster relief fund. With the assistance, I have been able to focus on the rebuilding of King Limo, which was badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina."

Matthew Langlinais, Biloxi City Cab wrote, "I am humbled for receiving this help from our members and would like to say thank you for your assistance from the TLPF/TLPA Katrina Disaster Relief Fund. I am proud to be part of such a great association. Our taxi company took five feet of water and destroyed our operations along with 18 cars. We are in the process of rebuilding our company along with the entire Gulf Coast. We will come back stronger and better than before! Thank you so much for your help."

Gene Alleman, Crescent City Cabs, wrote, "When Greg and I received our first check we were humbled to see the help that our members had sent. After the storm we received many calls from friends and members from the association … From the first day we were committed to rebuild our company and help our city and our drivers recover. Then we received a second check and we new that our association was committed to helping us rebuild. You just do not know what it means to us to receive these donations after losing all of our company fixtures and many taxicabs. The majority of this donation will go to rebuild our office so we can have a place to dispatch… Thank you for the donations and I look forward to the day I can personally thank each and everyone of you and someday return the favor."

The following members are to be commended for their generosity in making contributions to the TLPF/TLPF Katrina Disaster Relief Fund: Computer Car, Long Island City, N.Y.; Yellow Cab Co. of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Valley Transportation, Woonsocket, R.I., Yellow Checker Cab Co., San Jose, Calif.; Checker Cab Co., Atlanta, Ga.; Yellow Cab, San Diego, Calif.; Yellow Cab Co. of Cleveland, Ohio; Gateway Insurance Co., St. Louis, Mo.; Black & White Cabs, Norfolk, Va.; Checker Cab Co., Norfolk, Va.; Yellow Cab Co. of Pittsburgh, Pa., Luxor Cab, San Francisco, Calif.; Pennsylvania Taxi and Paratransit Association, Pittsburgh, Pa.; John Davidson (former TLPF President), Las Cruces, N.M.; Southwest Cab Co., Brook Park, Ohio; Tommy’s Taxi, Inc., Framingham, Mass.; Reading Metro Taxicab, Reading, Pa.; Capital Partnerships, Fairfax, Va.; Yellow Cab Co., Sacramento, Calif.; Yellow Cab Cooperative, Gardena, Calif.; Fin Taxi, Anjou, Quebec, Canada; Checker Cab Co., Memphis, Tenn.; Alfred LaGasse, Kensington, Md.; Black Car Assistance Corp., New York, N.Y.; Provide A Ride, Cleveland, Ohio; East Side Cab Co., Norfolk, Va.; Yellow Cab Taxi, Coos Bay, Ore.; Checker Cab Co., West Mifflin, Pa.; Pulsar Technology Systems, Long Island City, N.Y.; Pike & Pike, P.C., Bellmore, N.Y.; Willamette Valley Transport, Salem, Ore.; Colonial Transport, Inc., Collingwood, N.J., and Monroe Taxi, Warwick, N.Y.

In addition to financial contributions, many members indicated they would donate equipment or supplies to member companies impacted by Katrina. When asked what equipment or supplies our affected members needed, we received the following two replies: Mr. Alleman wrote, "If any one has any dispatch software, desk, etc. please contact us at (504) 909-1688." Mr. Hamaki wrote, "Due to the storm we lost several computers, fax machines, and other office equipment and office furniture. We also lost a lot of mechanical equipment …We would be very grateful if we could get help replacing any of these items." If you have any items you think would be useful to Mr. Hamaki, please call him at 228-493-3857.

Jamie Campolongo and Neal Nichols, the TLPA and TLPF presidents who carried out this initiative, appreciate the strong response to TLPA/TLPF's first-ever call for member-to-member financial assistance due to a natural disaster.