Dear Passengers,

The staff and I are extremely grateful for all the emails and phone calls from members and clients asking if we are in any danger from last week’s fires in Los Angeles. Thankfully, we are all safe—though "safe" is a relative term, as the entire population of LA remains in a state of shock.

The Kenneth fire came dangerously close—within just a couple of miles—to the TAXI office and some of our homes, but heroic firefighters managed to stop it. It is now 100% contained. Why we don’t have a national holiday honoring firefighters and first responders is beyond me. For the past several days, our staff has been working remotely, doing an incredible job of providing seamless, uninterrupted service to our members and industry clients. Thank you, TAXI staffers!

As I write this (Sunday night), it looks like it will be safe to return to the office for business as usual this coming week. I wish I could say the same for the residents of Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Pasadena, Altadena, and the surrounding neighborhoods.

Sadly, thousands of people no longer have homes or workplaces to return to. Adding insult to injury, some large insurance companies canceled fire insurance policies for many of these homes and businesses in the months leading up to the fires.

Even if those affected receive money from their insurance carriers, there will be no power or water for a long time. Some experts have warned that toxic chemicals, leached into the soil from burning buildings being hosed down, could make these areas uninhabitable for years to come. I remember watching a news segment about flooding in Mississippi back in 1993. The video showed a man standing on his rooftop, waving at a helicopter and waiting to be rescued. I turned to my wife and said, “Poor guy,” and then changed the channel.

A year later, we experienced the Northridge earthquake in Los Angeles. Our apartment—and everything in it, except for bedding, clothing, and towels—was destroyed. In that moment, I turned to my wife and said, “The next time I see someone in dire straits from a disaster, I won’t be so quick to change the channel.”

Since then, I’ve taken the time to truly contemplate the devastation that completely upends lives after hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, floods, and other disasters. I think about the families who have lost loved ones, cherished keepsakes, and the very homes that once provided them comfort and safety. It can be difficult to grasp the extent of such devastation when it doesn’t directly affect you.

That’s why I’m writing to you today. On behalf of myself, my family, our staff members and their families, and all those affected by the Los Angeles fires, I want to thank you for not “changing the channel.” Thank you for caring, checking up on us, and sending your good wishes. We feel blessed to have customers and clients who think of us as more than just a business—you think of us like family.

Before I end this letter, I’d like to share two links with you:

📷 Photos of the Los Angeles fires

❤️ Red Cross Disaster Relief Donations

Thank you for thinking of us,
Michael and the TAXI Staff