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Jags get EMBARRASSED, fans get DELUSIONAL
10 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | NOVEMBER 2-8, 2016
Nico Findeisen
BUSINESS IS “CALL, CALL, CALL” AND “GO, GO, go,” says Grace, a 44-year-old single mother of three, who ferries customers for Uber in Fernandina Beach, where the popular rideshare service is making inroads with nonprofessional drivers seeking to earn money on their own schedule and residents and travelers needing a ride. This is a city without public transportation and with about 20 licensed cab drivers who may or may not be nearby, or in service, when it’s time to go out or return to the house or hotel. So, when the Uber mobile app reports to your cell phone that a driver is minutes from your location and available for reservation, there’s just one thing to do: tap ‘reserve.’ Grace, who asked that her last name be withheld, for privacy, became a driver for the ride-sharing service six weeks ago, and on Saturday night she handled three calls in her first hour behind the wheel. “It’s been really great,” said Grace, while talking with a passenger on the way to Publix Supermarket. Like all Uber drivers, Grace uses her own vehicle, a red 2015 Nissan Altima, and says she answered the company’s “Drivers Wanted” ad for the money. “I could use some extra cash, so I thought, ‘Why not?’” she said. Grace says she likes Uber’s flexible hours and “exceptionally nice” customers. She drives several evenings each week, including Friday and Saturday, and estimated her weekly take-home pay is $150. But the presence of Uber and drivers like Grace has local cab companies and drivers crying foul. According to local code, ridesharing services, such as Uber and Lyft, are not permitted to operate within the city of Fernandina Beach, though on any given day it is possible to summon a ride with an Uber driver within city limits. Local taxicab drivers and operators consider this an affront to their businesses, complaining that they must follow local regulations on licensing, insurance, background checks, and vehicle inspections and also are required to have company names and numbers posted on three sides of the vehicle in four-inch reflective lettering, while Uber is operating without these restrictions. “They’re just merrily riding around, taking our business,” said Nico Findeisen, 73, who operates Heritage Transportation in Fernandina Beach. He estimates that his fares are down 40 percent since Uber arrived in the city about nine months ago. With its easy-to-use cell phone app and network of everyman drivers, Uber has seamlessly inserted its ride-sharing
Local taxi companies ÜBER PEEVED by ridesharing app service into the transportation network of cities around the country, as well as some overseas. While the company is entrenched in Jacksonville, Uber is only now gaining traction in Fernandina Beach despite prohibitions. Jeff Kurtz, who promotes business in the city’s downtown retail and restaurant district as the executive director of the city’s Florida Main Street Program, said that ride-sharing is a valuable transit option, especially for people who shouldn’t get behind the wheel after a night out. “There is definitely a demand for transit,” said Kurtz. “People need rides home.” While the city has not officially embraced the share economy, it has not rejected it, either. The city commission is scheduled to meet Nov. 15 to discuss the issue and local drivers say they will be in attendance. Justin Carroll of Amelia Transportation Group says he fears the city commission will support a “Silicon Valley behemoth at the potential demise of locally owned and operated business.” Uber spokesperson Javi Correoso rejects the idea that the city will show any favoritism to the company because, in his opinion, local rules do not apply to ride-sharing services. “The regulations are for cabs and limos,” said Correoso, who works in Uber’s Miami office. Still, he said, the company launched talks with local officials last spring in an effort to secure legal approval. “We hope the conversations we’ve been having lead to a regulatory framework for ride-sharing,” said Correoso. On May 18, Uber lobbyists met with city leaders, including Mayor Johnny Miller and City Attorney Tammi Bach, and later presented a model ordinance for consideration, according to Bach, who provided Folio Weekly with a copy of the six-page document. Miller did not respond to several requests for comment, both in person and by email. In the model ordinance, Uber calls itself a transit network company and not a “common carrier,” like taxis and limos, and recommends a $1,000 city permit fee. The company said in the document that it will conduct a national criminal background check on drivers and provide a $1 million liability insurance policy, though there are restrictions on when coverage applies, including being logged into the digital network and meeting conditions for a “pre-arranged ride.” “Please take a look and let me know if you have any questions or concerns,” said Stephanie Smith, who works in Uber’s public policy office, in a June 6 email to Bach.
photo by Dennis Ho
HEAD H HE EAD DC COACH OACH OAC OA CH G GUS US B US BRADLEY RADL RA DLEY EY W WILL ILL LI ILL IL LLIKELY LIKE IKE KELY LY B BEE employed through the season, but it’s a different story for his staff. Bradley dismissed offensive coordinator Greg Olson over the weekend and promoted quarterbacks coach Nathaniel Hackett. In a press conference, Bradley said there was no “final straw” moment with Olson, but believed necessary improvements wouldn’t be made under him. The Jaguars’ performance during a nationally televised Thursday night game certainly couldn’t have helped. The Jaguars lost to division rivals Tennessee Titans, 36-22, after falling behind 27-0 at the half. Come the third score by the Titans, fans at Magnolia’s Pub were laughing. They weren’t Titans fans; no, they’d just passed the point of anger and were slowly drifting into apathy. Hackett has experience as an offensive coordinator, having held the position with the Buffalo Bills during the 2013-’14 season. The Bills went 6-10 that year and finished last in their division. Hackett, as quarterbacks coach, has been in charge of further developing Blake Bortles, who has shown awful regression this season. Not a promising résumé, but it can’t be much worse than the exiting Olson’s. The Jaguars are last in third-down conversions, 31st in rushing, 25th in total offense and 13th in pass offense. Many of the offense’s positive stats have come in garbage time, when the chance for victory is near zero. Olson’s statistics also don’t reflect play-calling that’s been heavily questioned and criticized by fans. Whatever Hackett has in an ability to turn the offense around mid-season, many fans and experts believe it won’t be enough to save Bradley’s job. After Thursday’s loss, Bradley drops to 14-41 as the Jaguars head coach. Hackett will be his third offensive coordinator hire in four seasons. Some fans have vented that the staff changes, while necessary, have been a smokescreen to shield Bradley from the blame. Bradley has become known for lacking discipline and not holding players responsible for their actions. The Jaguars have the third-most penalties this season, 65 through seven games, and have had two players ejected during games. Yet after three-and-a-half seasons leading the team, Bradley still discusses “growth” and “learning opportunities” in post-game press conferences. Change takes time and constant head coach turnover won’t help a franchise, but at 14-41, the Jaguars are past the rebuilding phase, miles past it. In a playoffs-or-bust season, the team sits in last place in their division, with a 2-5 record. And the season won’t get any easier. The Jaguars have upcoming games against the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings; three teams that have a mere five losses, combined. Many fans — at bars, at the stadium or on social media — have said this is their last year as a season ticketholder. Players have become critical of fan frustrations and booing, but they haven’t been here, struggling, as long as we have. The Jaguars haven’t been to the playoffs since 2007, their last winning season. To put that in perspective, there’s season ticketholders legally buying as much stadium beer as they can to drown their sorrows because their team hasn’t done anything to celebrate since they were in middle school. The Jaguars are going to need a lot more than an offensive coordinator change to put out the dumpster fire. Mark Judson mail@folioweekly.com @MarkfromJax Facebook/FolioWeeklyJagCity