Larry Zogby describes two-year hearing delays and proposes four fixes

Thank you very much.

Thank you for the opportunity to testify.

My name is Larry Zogby, the CEO of RDS Delivery Service.

We handle time-critical medical deliveries for hospitals and laboratories, including specimens, medication, and essential supplies.

We also deliver thousands of food boxes to New Yorkers facing food insecurity.

I've served five years as the president of the New York State Messenger Courier Association, also involved with the Trucking Association of New York, the Queens Chamber of Commerce, the Long Island City Partnership, Executives Association of New York, and Entrepreneurs Organization of New York City.

I speak only for RDS, but these concerns go beyond myself, my business, my community.

30 selected idling summonses from 2020 through 2025, over $32,000 in fines and penalties.

Hearings were scheduled 500, 700, and 962 days after the violation.

That's more than two and a half years later.

Idling fines start at $350, go to $600 for repeat offense, and can reach upwards to $2,000.

My question.

How can a

business correct violations promptly when hearings take years and penalties grow so dramatically.

We're asking for four practical changes.

Mail notices within 30 to 45 days showing the mailing date.

Schedule hearings within 90 days with advance reminders.

Don't increase fines for repeat violations until a business has been notified

for the first one.

Provide a defined 60-minute Zoom hearing window.

We're not asking to eliminate enforcement.

We're asking for a fair opportunity to comply.

When a hearing takes 962 days and penalties can grow from $350 to $2,000, something's wrong within the process.

Enforcement should correct behavior, not simply accumulate penalties.

RDS strongly opposes Intro 11 and supports Intros 561, 562, and proposed Intro 869.

Thank you for your consideration.