Fernando Mateo & NYSFTD Fight for Livery Drivers

April 19, 2000

Standing on the steps of City Hall, millionaire businessman and community activist Fernando Mateo extended his arms to comfort the grieving widow of slain livery driver Luis Francisco Perez. It was a poignant moment that captured the grief and urgency surrounding the wave of violence claiming the lives of New York City’s livery cab drivers — seven killed in just four months.

Background / Incident

Mateo, 42 at the time, gathered the families of slain drivers and ushered them into a City Council hearing. His leadership helped bring the issue to the forefront of public attention, ensuring that Perez’s widow, holding her 18-month-old son, could make a heartfelt plea before lawmakers.

Community Response / Leadership Reaction

Already recognized for his successful “Toys for Guns” program that removed thousands of weapons from city streets, Mateo had turned his focus to the safety of livery drivers. “This would not be happening if it was Manhattanites,” he said, pointing to the disproportionate toll borne by immigrant drivers in the Bronx and Brooklyn.

City Councilman Guillermo Linares praised Mateo’s relentless drive: “There is only one Fernando Mateo who says what he feels and does not mince his words.”

Personal Impact

Mateo’s activism has always extended to individuals. In 1991, he personally funded a job-training program for teenagers at Rikers Island. One participant, Noel Donasciento, recalled: “If I hadn’t met him, I probably never would have gotten my life straightened out. He inspired me to do better.”

Broader Context

Mateo’s persistence ultimately produced results. After months of pressing officials, Mayor Rudy Giuliani announced a $5 million program to help drivers install bulletproof partitions. The NYPD also expanded its taxi squad with more than 300 additional officers.

Always balancing activism with his businesses, Mateo remained a constant advocate — sharply dressed, phone in hand, moving seamlessly between City Hall and community meetings. For him, defending livery drivers was more than a campaign; it was a duty to the community that raised him.

Source: NYSFTD News Archive