Dear PCC Members and Friends,
I am writing to let you know that my role at the
SFMTA has expanded - I have been appointed Interim Director of Taxis and
Accessible Services. This is a very exciting opportunity to lead a
dynamic division at this critical time, and I am
honored to have been selected. It has also been an honor to have
worked with the PCC for the past 15 years. Although my role has changed,
I am not going away, and I will still work on Paratransit issues,
albeit in a different capacity. I have enjoyed working
with you all during my tenure as Paratransit Manager and I look forward
to working with you in my new role as well.
Jonathan Cheng will take on an expanded role in the
Paratransit Program. If you have any questions, please feel free to
email Jonathan at
jonathan.cheng@sfmta.com or give him a call at 701-4597. Please feel free to email me as well.
Below is the official announcement that Ed Reiskin, SFMTA Director of Transportation, sent out earlier today.
Christiane Hayashi, Director of Taxis and Accessible Services, is retiring from her
position after six years of service with the SFMTA and 24 years with the City and County of San Francisco.
Chris
became Director of Taxis and Accessible Services in 2008. Before that
she was a Deputy City Attorney for 18 years. She was a lead in
rewriting the city's procurement laws and the 2007 Transportation Code
to replace the 1940 Traffic Code. She represented the SFMTA from 2004 on
the City Attorney’s Transportation Team. Ms. Hayashi received her Juris
Doctor degree from Hastings College of the
Law, and her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Colorado at
Boulder.
Chris’
tenure at the SFMTA was a case study in managing change during a period
of turmoil and strife in the taxi industry.
In addition to managing the transition of taxi regulation from the
former Taxi Commission to the SFMTA, she mediated an intensive industry
debate that resulted in establishing the Taxi Medallion Transfer
Program, the first San Francisco taxi medallion reform
in 32 years, resulting in more than $50 million in new revenue to the
SFMTA since 2010 and generated a Driver’s Fund of over $3.5 million to
be used for the benefit of taxi drivers.
Facing
taxi technology head on, Chris required passenger displays in all taxis
for improved passenger information and
payment convenience. She developed equipment and software standards for
blind and low-vision accessible passenger displays that are being
adopted by other jurisdictions across the country and implemented the
RideIntegrity software system that is providing,
for the first time, comprehensive, real-time data from the taxi
industry to support regulatory enforcement and transportation planning.
Chris
also established the country’s only part-time “single operator” taxi
permit to address peak demand in a manner that benefits experienced
taxi drivers, and built a strong SFMTA regulatory structure and taxi
enforcement team from the ground up. She has been a dedicated public
servant for 24 years, and a fierce advocate for public safety and
transportation efficiency since she has been with the
SFMTA.
I thank Chris for her dedication and tenacity to improving both para transit services and the regulation of taxi services, and for her unremitting support of the taxi industry.
I thank Chris for her dedication and tenacity to improving both para transit services and the regulation of taxi services, and for her unremitting support of the taxi industry.
Kate Toran will take on the role of Interim Taxis and Accessible Services Director,
effective June 23, 2014.
Kate
brings 15 years of experience with the SFMTA in the Accessible Services
Program, where she served as the Paratransit Manager, working with the
taxi industry on such
initiatives as the implementation of the paratransit debit card
project, ramp taxi incentives and enforcement of paratransit taxi
requirements. During her tenure, she expanded the paratransit network of
services to include a grocery shopping shuttle for seniors
and people with disabilities (Shop-a-Round) as well as a shuttle
service for groups of senior and disabled individuals going to social
and cultural events (Van Gogh).
With
experience in both the paratransit and taxi arenas, Kate understands
the public process and is able to work with diverse stakeholders. She
also has a strong understanding
of the taxi regulatory environment and has built productive working
relationships with representatives from the major San Francisco taxi
industry stakeholder groups, including drivers, medallion holders and
color scheme management. Kate has a Master’s of City
Planning degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
The
appointment of Kate demonstrates our commitment to improving both Taxis
and Accessible Services. I am pleased at the prospect of continuing our
progress to deliver
the best possible results to those who depend on these services.
Kate Toran
Interim Director, Taxis and Accessible Services Division
San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
One South Van Ness Avenue, Seventh Floor
San Francisco, CA 94103
Tel: 415.701.4440
Fax: 415.701.4728
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