# Arizona Ridesharing legislation about your business, excludes You?



## Rubyson&sme (Dec 1, 2014)

*DRIVERS!! We don't need no stinking Driver's input in ARIZONA!* Apparently the Arizona state legislature's Insurance committee doesn't feel it needs input from drivers in Arizona. Only from "stakeholders" and "placeholders" like Uber/Lyft, Taxi co. reps. (Total Transit) and Insurance cos. In a Washington Times post there's no mention of drivers or driver's organization participating in discussions. How very odd?

[[Rep. Karen Fann, R-Prescott, is leading the talks and says most issues are close to being resolved, including the sticking point of how the new companies are insured."
The insurance committee Fann chairs approved *House Bill 2135* on a 6-1 vote on her assurance that the panel will hear full details when a final proposal is nailed down.
Representatives from the three major players told the committee they are hopeful a final deal can be reached.
"All we ask is that all companies and drivers are treated equally, and that the public is properly protected with adequate insurance," said Michael Pinckard, president of Glendale-based taxi operator Total Transit. "These are truly the only issues yet to be resolved."]]
Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news...te-arizona-ridesharing-law-pro/#ixzz3SDX1VVHG
Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter
or http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/feb/18/negotiations-to-update-arizona-ridesharing-law-pro/

Apparently drivers in Tucson don't get to be a "Placeholder" in these discussions either? http://www.kvoa.com/story/28134883/negotiations-to-update-arizona-ridesharing-law-progressing

This legislation will decide how your Independent Contractor business will be regulated, but I guess you don't have a* "Stake or a "Place at the table?"* I guess you don't really matter at all do you? Oh, unless of course you get involved some how.....I guess you could offer an opinion on this if you wanted to email the Arizona Reps. email address at; [email protected] _Its up to you isn't it?_

_This probably won't even get posted?_


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## Rich Brunelle (Jan 15, 2015)

Actually, this is how it will be nation-wide because we have not unified and selected a representative to be involved in the process. Everybody thinks I am full of shit when I tell them of the importance to unify under an association to protect ourselves in the future. I started building an association and even offered free membership, and only a few came to join. You cannot be represented unless you have someone that can represent you.

I did send an email to Rep Fann on this topic.


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

Rich Brunelle said:


> Actually, this is how it will be nation-wide because we have not unified and selected a representative to be involved in the process. Everybody thinks I am full of shit when I tell them of the importance to unify under an association to protect ourselves in the future. I started building an association and even offered free membership, and only a few came to join. You cannot be represented unless you have someone that can represent you.
> 
> I did send an email to Rep Fann on this topic.


Just like rideshare is a new type of business we need a new type of association. We need a *social media association* designed to get the truth out to the pax and public


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## Rich Brunelle (Jan 15, 2015)

We have Groups and forums to do just that. Or you can have an Association FB page, but don't misunderstand an Association sooner or later will have to collect dues and will have to account for those dues, and deal with the IRS for the dues collected. Most Associations that are similar to what we need are considered:

*professional association*
noun
1.
a body of persons engaged in the same profession, formed usually to control entry into the profession, maintain standards, and represent the profession in discussions with other bodies

This is usually a licensed non-profit organization that will actually have to be voted upon by the membership to fill the officer roles. In our case we could have as many groups that could be a lesser structured set up as we want but we would have to agree to do the individual cities/states that way. The Association site is not actually for the type of discussion that goes on in groups and forums. It is intended to represent you, provide you with information, and if it can get a good benefit or discounted prices for needed things to pass it along to the members. The Association is run by an elected staff of Officers, with elections at periodic intervals. But, every thing that you want discussed via social media can still be done that way. The Association can have FB Group pages and twitter accounts just like anybody else. I just think that it better to use the already in progress social media activity as it is, rather than to recreate the wheel. Why would anybody try to modify the success of the Uber Drivers FB Group? Actually, some of the people running the forums and groups may be excellent candidates for nomination as officers in the Association as they have a good thing going with people they know, know the business.


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

Organizing people in this industry is kinda like herding cats. I belonged to a taxi association in Ct for years when I owned a small cab company here in CT. Its the same group that's currently suing Uber here in CT. It was the most disorganized group of argumentative people you would ever want to meet! The only time we would get together is when there was a threat to the monopolies like now with the ride share companies. The association wouldn't have existed if not for the owner of one of the largest taxi companies. He took care of the corporate paper work every year, which isn't much but its gotta be done. Since he paid for everything he controlled who the directors and officers were. Once, they needed money to hire a lobbyist and it was like pulling teeth trying to get $200 from each company! I don't want to discourage you, just telling you my experiences. I sincerely hope the rideassociation you talk about comes to fruition. It would be great and is definitely needed and I would like to be a part of it. Someone needs to step up and file the non-profit corporate paper work, become an entity and give it a go from there. Expenses (which shouldn't be much) would be reimbursed from future dues.


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## Rich Brunelle (Jan 15, 2015)

UberTaxPro said:


> Organizing people in this industry is kinda like herding cats. I belonged to a taxi association in Ct for years when I owned a small cab company here in CT. Its the same group that's currently suing Uber here in CT. It was the most disorganized group of argumentative people you would ever want to meet! The only time we would get together is when there was a threat to the monopolies like now with the ride share companies. The association wouldn't have existed if not for the owner of one of the largest taxi companies. He took care of the corporate paper work every year, which isn't much but its gotta be done. Since he paid for everything he controlled who the directors and officers were. Once, they needed money to hire a lobbyist and it was like pulling teeth trying to get $200 from each company! I don't want to discourage you, just telling you my experiences. I sincerely hope the rideassociation you talk about comes to fruition. It would be great and is definitely needed and I would like to be a part of it. Someone needs to step up and file the non-profit corporate paper work, become an entity and give it a go from there. Expenses (which shouldn't be much) would be reimbursed from future dues.


I have the paperwork prepared to set up the non-profit and local licensing, I am holding off until the end of the month in hopes of getting some members to act as interim officers. One of the reasons I have set the initial dues at $10.00 per year is because there are so many drivers that are having financial difficulty that we do not want to overburden them, plus if every one of the 162,000 drivers nation-wide paid $10.00 in dues we would have a lot of money. Our biggest expense will be legal fees to have an attorney available in almost every city were service to do whatever legal action we require to make things happen, but we are nowhere near that stage yet. We have a bit of work to do before that stage. While I am not too keen on paying to set this up myself, I see the need to do so. But unlike your friend that ran the taxi association, I have no desire for this to be "my" association, this will be "our" association, run by some of you representing all of us. You say you are interested in being part of it, please go to http://rideassociation.wordpress.com and join. By the end of this week I will start things rolling and will be asking for interim officers to volunteer. It is up to you if you want too be nominated for an officer position, which you can have an automatic nomination to the position you hold as the party in office anyway. I am sorry if this is confusing, I am trying to hurry as tomorrow id bulk pickup garbage day and my significant other is trying to make me get more of the work done before midnight. I am trying to avoid her but I cannot run and type at the same time . .. Please join the Association. Then give me a few more days to set us up to start business. I will start discussion with those that have joined hopefully by this weekend.


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

Rich Brunelle said:


> I have the paperwork prepared to set up the non-profit and local licensing, I am holding off until the end of the month in hopes of getting some members to act as interim officers. One of the reasons I have set the initial dues at $10.00 per year is because there are so many drivers that are having financial difficulty that we do not want to overburden them, plus if every one of the 162,000 drivers nation-wide paid $10.00 in dues we would have a lot of money. Our biggest expense will be legal fees to have an attorney available in almost every city were service to do whatever legal action we require to make things happen, but we are nowhere near that stage yet. We have a bit of work to do before that stage. While I am not too keen on paying to set this up myself, I see the need to do so. But unlike your friend that ran the taxi association, I have no desire for this to be "my" association, this will be "our" association, run by some of you representing all of us. You say you are interested in being part of it, please go to http://rideassociation.wordpress.com and join. By the end of this week I will start things rolling and will be asking for interim officers to volunteer. It is up to you if you want too be nominated for an officer position, which you can have an automatic nomination to the position you hold as the party in office anyway. I am sorry if this is confusing, I am trying to hurry as tomorrow id bulk pickup garbage day and my significant other is trying to make me get more of the work done before midnight. I am trying to avoid her but I cannot run and type at the same time . .. Please join the Association. Then give me a few more days to set us up to start business. I will start discussion with those that have joined hopefully by this weekend.


I've already joined....couple of days ago...my name is Bill...Get that garbage out!


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## Rich Brunelle (Jan 15, 2015)

UberTaxPro said:


> I've already joined....couple of days ago...my name is Bill...Get that garbage out!


Almost done with the garbage, it will wait until morning now. no sense waking the neighbors. Bill M? good to see you on board


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

Rich Brunelle said:


> Almost done with the garbage, it will wait until morning now. no sense waking the neighbors. Bill M? good to see you on board


yes


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## Rich Brunelle (Jan 15, 2015)

Still looking for more members. Wouldn't it be nice if we had a representative that could talk with Uber and tell them that something is not working out and attempt to resolve the matter rather than playing the guarantees and surges?


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