Black drivers say taxi company shut them out of high-paying work

One of the largest taxi companies in the Twin Cities, Green & White, is accused of discriminating against black drivers by steering some of its highest-paying contract work almost exclusively to whites.

According to a Ramsey County lawsuit and interviews with eight current and former drivers, Green & White excluded blacks from driving for corporate accounts that brought in a lot of business and could mean as much as $1,000 a week in income. The drivers said relying on individual fares made it difficult to cover the leasing bills on their cars.

None of the drivers said they had ever been denied work because of their race at other taxi companies.

"I was working my butt off to make $300 or $400 a week, and I see other drivers who are getting these big accounts and making this big money because of their skin color," said Aaron Shaw II, 36, who sued Green & White over the alleged racial discrimination last month. "I don't think you can do that in 2017."

In his lawsuit, Shaw said the company's leasing manager told him that corporate accounts were available only to "American drivers," with company officials explaining that meant "only white drivers could service those accounts." Shaw said he repeatedly complained, but he alleged in the lawsuit that the company "did nothing to investigate and change their practices."

Green & White denied Shaw's allegations in a one-page legal filing. The company's attorney, James S. Carlson, declined an interview request. The company's president, Gary Tournier, and fleet operations manager Patrick Morgan did not respond to numerous requests for comment.

With a fleet of about 200 vehicles, Green & White has operated in the Twin Cities for about 30 years, according to the company's website. The company and an affiliate, Transportation Management Corp., also operate Suburban Taxi. Both fleets use the company's distinctive green and white colors.

"If you say you need to talk to the owner about this problem, they say, 'No, no, we cannot allow him to see you.' … It was frustrating," said Osman Yusuf, who left the company in 2014 and joined a competitor.

Green & White, like other taxi operators in the Twin Cities, has been hurt by the success of Uber and Lyft since the ride-hailing services stormed into the market in 2012. One of the company's most stable source of business, drivers said, has been regular customers like Canadian Pacific and Red Cross, which generate large fares by using Green & White to move people and packages around the state.

In his seven years at Green & White, Shaw said that he made just one trip with Canadian Pacific workers, but he said that happened because a white driver was unable to take the assignment and asked him to fill in. He said Green & White asked him to turn his passengers over to another driver about an hour into the trip when managers found out about the swap.

"You could tell when the guys got in the car that I wasn't supposed to be there," Shaw said in an interview, noting that all three of the passengers were white.

Canadian Pacific declined to answer questions about the company's arrangement with Green & White, with a spokesman saying the company "cannot comment on litigation involving a third party."

"CP understands that a diverse and inclusive work environment provides the company with a broader range of experience and perspectives that, in turn, creates a stronger and more successful railway," Cummings said in the statement.

Before Green & White won the account, the work was handled by Rainbow Taxi, which was never asked to exclude black drivers from Canadian Pacific runs, according to Rainbow owner Waleed Sonbol.

"I have never had an account call me and say they wanted a white driver," Sonbol said.

Sonbol said drivers love the railroad business because it generates some of the highest fares in the Twin Cities, with trips costing as much as $700 for running railroad employees to worksites in neighboring states. "One run could pay for a guy's entire week," Sonbol said.

Red Cross uses Green & White to deliver blood products to hospitals in Minnesota and surrounding states when trained Red Cross volunteers or employees are unavailable, spokeswoman Sue Thesenga said in a written response to questions.

Drivers who complained said they were told they didn't meet some unstated criteria of the Red Cross.

Red Cross, however, said it did not request specific drivers.

"The Red Cross does not discriminate against, nor does it tolerate discrimination against or harassment of any person based on race, color, religious creed, religion … or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law," Thesenga said in the statement.

When asked if Red Cross would review Green & White's practices, Thesenga said, "If any allegations of discrimination are validated, we would evaluate our relationship with the company."

Before he quit working for Green & White last year, Shaw submitted a resignation letter in which he claimed the company "has allowed outright racist and discriminatory practices to become policy. The fact that you have a train account that you only allow white American drivers to pick up has not only damaged my income potential, but has hurt me to the core."

Black drivers said they sometimes failed to make enough in a week to cover their lease payments, but they said white drivers were frequently earning as much as $1,000 to $1,500 a week. Many black drivers have left the company in frustration, they said.

"There's a lot of favoritism going on, because white drivers get the good runs," said Augustine Obinwa, who spent five years working for Green & White. "Most black drivers don't get nothing."

Minnesota Human Rights Commissioner Kevin Lindsey, whose agency oversees investigations involving racial discrimination, said he can't address the credibility of the charges against Green & White.

Lindsey said he would draft a charge against the company if the drivers' allegations are true, and a spokeswoman for the Department of Human Rights encouraged drivers to contact the agency if they believe they have been victims of discrimination.

If the agency corroborates the charges, state officials would advise both sides on how to work out a settlement, according to spokeswoman Christine Dufour.

"I thought going to the leasing manager was where I would go to complain," said Shaw, who quit Green & White last year and now works as a bus driver for MV Transportation.

Jeffrey Meitrodt • 612-673-4132