The Delusions Of Idiots Are Truly Amazing...

And amazing furthermore that they are usually college students! Tonight was a night I NEVER want to repeat, but it will from time to time.... over and over. I had a string of three orders that didn't show up, cancelled when I got there, or worse still, call a friend at the same time and cancel while they were getting IN the cab!

So, seeing as most of my in-town dispatch orders were eaten up with stupiditis, I opted for an order outside of Charlottesville, which only went three miles.... Now, I'm starting to get disgusted.

Coming back into town, the dispatcher is calling for a van on the far end of town the entire fifteen minutes I'm driving back in. The order is dispatched to me, and it becomes a Mongolian clusterfuck.

The phone number is not right, so I can't call them. After three attempts circling the building, I give up and leave.

When I am 15 blocks away, the dispatcher asks me to return because these idiots are "coming outside now". I return, and after calling these morons back, they are NOT at the address given, they are around the corner at the other end of the lot!

Now, I'm getting pissed. Surprise, surprise. Same group of silly bitches that cancelled the cab because their friend showed up right after I did. They get a message that the party they're going to is getting shut down, and say something about getting out of the cab (the meter was only around $2.30 by then). Now I'm going nuclear. Then they ask the STUPID, stupid question, "What do you do when that happens?"

I finally lost it. I simply replied, "I do my level best not to try to answer their call again."

Again, a STUPID, stupid question. "Why is that?"

I replied as calmly as I could, "Because I buy my own fuel, upkeep my own vehicle, and I don't have time, money or patience to drive across town to pick someone up that isn't worth wasting it on. I've made two trips across town for you tonight, one of which you cancelled when I got there, one of which you made me make two trips and then want to stop before you get two blocks."

Needless to say, after dropping these idiots off, I asked dispatch to note in their computer system to NEVER send me for that phone number again.

There's One In Every Crowd....

Gotta love this one just for the irony...

First, let me start out by saying last night was rough. Steady, but rough. Seems like most of the drivers for this company went home at midnight. I guess they were going to turn into a pumpkin...

Anyway, after a string of bad luck, I was sent to a "prestigious" bed and breakfast east of town. People that stay at this place are notorious for being cheap, at least in my experience.

I arrive for the pickup at 3 am. I should have started the meter when I got there. Despite calling their front desk and being informed that the customer had been told the cab was there and waiting, it was 3:25 before we actually got moving, because A) one of these morons had an open beer, which is against state law to transport, B) another of these morons couldn't find her purse, C) once she found her purse, she couldn't find her phone. Are any of these MY fault? NO.

Even though moron #3 was in the cab around 3:15, she asked that I STILL not start the meter. Figuring they would make up for it in tip, I stupidly did not, costing myself $10.00 in wait time.

Long story short, these morons kept me waiting 25 minutes and tipped me less than a dollar. What kept me from giving it back and saying they needed it more than I did, I'll never know. I think I was just resigned to the fact that the night was going to suck.

Where am I sent once I dropped these idiots off? Right back to the same "prestigious" bed and breakfast. Turns out the couple I was picking up that time were supposed to have caught the ride with the idiots I had just dropped off.....

Once I heard that, they got a FULL report, and they were embarrassed by the way their friends had acted. I'm sure they mentioned it to their friends.

I found out that these people were here for a wedding, which was costing them nothing. And they want to fuss about paying for wait time holding up a taxi?! My new rule is: If I come to pick someone up, they get two minutes. Meter starts at that point, and I don't care how much you whine or bitch about it, because I can't count on you tipping that much.

People, when you call for a taxi, it's not the driver's fault if they arrive before you're ready. It's your fault for calling for a cab before you're ready. Every minute you hold us up is time lost from another fare, especially when you're stupid enough to keep a driver waiting nearly a half-hour. You're keeping us from making our living. Get over yourselves.

Wow, It's Been Awhile...

Well, to update.... I have shut down my own trade name and put my van into a larger company to use their dispatch service.... the money is only marginally better, but it is more consistent...

I find it interesting that some have called me a sell-out in doing so, when they were the very people trying to torpedo me in the first place!

I have an interesting dilemma now, and not quite sure what to do with it....

After the fiasco of a long-distance relationship going south, I decided that relationships in general just are not in the cards for me. Therefore, I do not plan to pursue one with anyone. I simply feel I am too damaged to contribute usefully to such an arrangement.

A girl nearly 14 years my junior and I have been seeing each other recently, and I believe she is starting to want more than I can give her right now. Not sure what to do with this, because I do not want to hurt this person, she has been hurt many times before.

*sigh* Why does life have to be so damned complicated?

The Sheep Mentality......

After taking a good, hard look at the way this business has changed in the past few years, it is clear to me that sheeple are much more concerned about price than service. Completely stupid, but never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups. It amazes me how many people say they are outraged at the Supreme Court's decision that big business may bribe and buy our politicians as much as they like, but they empower these bastards by supporting big business, starving out the small business owner until there is no choice left between small and big business.

It has also become clear to me that you don't make money DRIVING a cab. You make money owning several and making money off of those dumb enough to do all the work while you make all the money.

Therefore, I am considering putting a few cabs into one of the big companies and do exactly that.

Everyone Is Entitled To Be Stupid, But Government And Other Authorities Abuse The Privilege.....

Okay, this all started when I discovered that my van seats one passenger more than allowed on a taxi permit. Simplest solution I could come up with was to remove the front passenger seat to stay within that limit.

I discussed this with Motor Carrier Services, AND not one, but TWO state troopers, who saw no problem with this. I removed the seat a month ago. Nothing was said until two weeks ago, when the local airport authority did a surprise inspection and took issue with the seat being removed. They demanded I reinstall the seat and said I would not be allowed back at the airport until I did so.

I informed them that by doing so, they were requiring me to violate code and go against what the state told me was okay to do, and that the two authorities were going to have to work it out, as I had done as the state said was doable.

Now, Motor Carrier Services is agreeing with the airport authority, when THEY allowed this vehicle to be registered as a taxicab in the first place! Virginia's state government is full of shit. They can't even be consistent.

Of course, they wait until I have spent $200 having the van re-lettered. I figured, okay, throw the seat back in to please the airport, and just don't let anyone ride in the front seat.

Apparently, this is STILL not good enough for the airport authority. I thought the part of the seat belt that attaches to the floor was mounted to the seat, so it was forgotten when the seat was reinstalled.

Even though another driver running a 10-passenger limo was allowed to run after simply removing seatbelts, the airport is now taking issue on this. I am convinced that some people are a pain in the ass just to be a pain in the ass. And most of them have government jobs!

I think I am going to simply transfer my airport permit to another vendor who wants it. I am quite fed up with jumping through hoops for the "privilege" of waiting 10 hours to make maybe $40.00. Some might say that I have allowed those who want me gone to win, but I beg to differ. Just how much aggravation is it worth to make $40 a day after expenses?

I am working on offering service to the airport in the next city..... more info at the following link....

Taxi Service From Charlottesville To Richmond Int'l Airport For As Little As $30

The Costs Of Doing Business....

People wonder why I charge $3.90 per mile for taxi fare. Here's one very good example why.

A lower ball joint was making some interesting noises (sounded like something hitting the bottom of the van). Parts and labor to replace: $175.00. While that was being repaired, the mechanic showed me that my brakes were severely worn. $45 for brake pads (good ones that don't squeal like a pig). It is also overdue for oil service. Oil, filter, and a good additive to extend oil life and further protect the engine, $37.00. Then $20.00 to actually change the oil.

Even being lucky enough that the mechanic cut me a break and adjusted the labor, I still spent a hair under $250 on maintenance and repairs today. Any more questions?

Getting What You Pay For....

Funny story that arose out of an experience I had the other day.....

It seems that a local tire shop is offering a $19 special on an oil change. During the course of which, obviously, they tell you your car is falling apart and give you an estimate to fix nonexistent problems....

Okay, so this all started when I got back from Richmond the other day.... Someone I know had dropped their car off there for the oil change special, and was shopping while waiting, and since I was overdue for service, I decided to give it a shot.... What a mistake.

The service writer met me coming out the door and didn't even seem to want to speak to me. Another man was waiting at the counter to be helped, and after being basically ignored for 10 minutes or more (another person came to the counter and didn't even so much as look at us), the service writer comes back in.

The man ahead of me was also a cab driver, owning his own vehicle in another company. Seems that he had a problem with a tire that he bought from the place. The service writer promptly told him that because it was a commercial vehicle, it would not be covered. HOLD THE PHONE.

First off, a defective tire is a defective tire no matter WHAT it is installed on. I could see if he had an issue with an aligment done by the shop, or something like that. But tires have been known to be defective. Looking at the tire, it was obviously defective. One particular spot on the outer edge of the tread was wearing badly, the rest of it was fine.

This is indicative of separation of steel belts in the tire, causing a wobble as it rolls. My van needed new tires recently, and one of the tires I purchased did exactly this. I had just returned to the place I bought my tires from the previous day, and been given no trouble at all, just a replacement tire and an apology for the inconvenience. And yes, they knew it was a taxi when the tires were installed, and it is still a taxi.

So I simply looked at the other driver and recommended the place I went to for tires because they would take care of him and service what they sell. The service writer's jaw dropped open and said, "You can't do that."

"Oh, really?" I said. "I'm just a customer having a conversation with another customer. I was going to get this oil change special you guys are offering, but it sounds like to me if the oil filter is bad, you won't honor it because I have a commercial vehicle. Think I'll head on over to Jiffy Lube. Have a nice day."

The funniest thing about this? My friend's car had been at this place for at least 45 minutes at this point. Jiffy Lube had me in and out in 15-20 minutes, and checked a great deal of things in the process. When I got back to the first place, my friend was STILL waiting for her car! Looking in the open garage bay doors, the mechanics didn't seem very hard at work at all. Interestingly enough, she was given an estimate of work her car supposedly needed, with a promise to "beat everyone's price". What's the point of saving money if the service sucks?

To summarize, Jiffy Lube got me in and out in 15-20 minutes for $15 more. First, time is money, especially in my line of work. Secondly, the people were much nicer and more appreciative of my business. Thirdly, they checked all fluids, tire pressures, air filter, and yes, they do recommend extra services, but they didn't take an hour to do it.

Going Forward In Reverse.....

Well.... The day has finally come..... If anyone actually follows this blog, you may remember that I bought a Sony Vaio laptop about a year or so ago...

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but after a year owning a Sony Vaio..... I have come to three conclusions.

1) I will never buy from Best Buy again.

2) I will never use Windows Vista again.

3) I will never buy a Sony computer again.

The sales girl I talked to at Best Buy was very nice, but wound up talking me into a pricier machine that I almost immediately did not like. Best Buy's return policy makes you wait 2 weeks for a refund, which is, for lack of a better word, utter bullshit.

I found quickly that if I were in advertising, my Windows Vista commercial would have been, "I'm a dumbass..... and Windows Vista was MY idea." I have had nothing but problems with Vista. Perhaps it's because I'm something of a power user, but no matter. I will never use it again. I also found that Sony is very proprietary, which I have never liked.

Therefore, I have sold my Vaio and bought an older HP Compaq N620 with Windows XP. Your results may vary, but don't look for me to recommend Best Buy, Sony, or Windows Vista.

Are People Really This Lazy And Disgusting?

Just went to vacuum my van, and some asshole decided to stick their used chewing gum on my carpet, and it apparently was there all last night. It's been stepped on and rubbed into the carpet.....

Things like this are why taxi fares are expensive, people! It costs money to have things like that cleaned. I mean, seriously, was someone really that lazy and disgusting to just stick their gum on the carpet in someone else's vehicle? Whoever you were, jackass, I hope you choke on the next piece of gum you chew.....

Time Is Money....

Why don't people understand this concept?

Some people are so moronic that they will wait 20 minutes to save $10.00. Now, people, at 10 minutes, this is $1.00 a minute. at 20 minutes, it is $0.50 a minute. I might add that in that 20 minutes waited, you probably could have been there.

I have said it before, and I will say it again. I will not allow a bigger company to put a price on my services. I will also not allow a cheapskate passenger to pay me whatever they think is fair.

A student actually asked me tonight if I could beat Yellow Cab's rate. ARE YOU SERIOUS?!!!

The #1 driver ripoff company, and she asked if I could beat their rate? Now you understand why I don't give an inch, because most people want a mile and a half.

Life Is A Bowl Of Cherries.... NOT.

There are many ways this week could have been worse..... must remember that.......

Last Monday I purchased a small 4-wheel-drive SUV due to some rough roads I must travel. It turned out to have a bad rear axle. I traded it for a small older model pickup that turned out to have some engine problems, but at least it gets me where I want to go. Heavy oil and an oil stabilizer will hopefully keep it alive for another year....

THAT, however, turned into an oddysey.... The dealer was going out of business and allowed me to use their dealer plate to bring the truck home as long as I brought it back. It apparently fell off the truck on the 50-mile drive, and despite driving all day retracing the route I took, I never found it.

Bad enough. Then the alternator failed on my van. Took all day to replace, then the battery was too weak to crank the engine, and it took three hours to get someone to jumpstart it. Of course, I was brought down again by a bad power connector that failed, forcing me to do it all over again. *SIGH* I need a vacation....

Grrrrr....

Due to a clusterfuck of people backing out of what they say they will do, starting a new job and being let go in a matter of 2 days with no explanation, I am still in the cab business with no way out.

The fellow who planned to buy me out was actually riding with me to the Department Of Motor Vehicles to begin the transfer, and decided to put it off to the next day, after I had made 4 wasted trips into Charlottesville to get this done. Naturally, I got disgusted and said to hell with it.

I do have to say, though, sometimes you have to see just how bad things can be before you truly appreciate how good you have it.

The 2 shifts I covered doing delivery for a sandwich shop, I was reminded of every single reason I ever had for wanting to leave delivery and start my own business, ranging through the following:

1) People in secured buildings you cannot enter. Calling them ahead of time does no good, as they don't answer their phone and don't return your call until you are on your way back to the store after waiting for them for 10 minutes.

2) People who don't tip enough, if at all. Seriously, folks, rounding it up to the next dollar does us no good at all when we are using our own vehicle and our own fuel.

3) Finding out the store's delivery charge is $2.50 for online orders, of which I only get 50 cents? WTF?

So, I am still in the cab business as an owner / operator for the moment.

This Might Be It.....

Several potential buyers have approached me about my business recently, and they are slowly starting to warm up to the idea of what I feel my business is worth. One made an offer very close to what I am asking a few days ago, and may offer more within a couple weeks.

Checking out a few facets of another potential business venture today, it is becoming clearer and clearer that my best option is to sell, fix up my motor home, and take the money and run. I thought about getting a CDL and buying a road tractor to haul freight, but somehow I think I would be facing the same problems I have as an independent taxi cab operator.

Another Reason Unemployment Is High And The Economy Is Soft....

So, I call back today to check on the job I THOUGHT I had lined up. Apparently, the company has their OWN rating system for points on your license, and even though I would be using my own insurance, and will work 60 hours a week if I can, they can't hire me.

The manager said she had 180 hours she had to give to somebody, and I responded, "Well, that's probably most of the reason you have 180 hours available, the company is too picky, especially considering they aren't liable if there's an accident."

When corporations pick and choose who they hire based on irrelevant points, unemployment rises because many people who want that job can't get it for baseless reasons. Hence, the economy suffers because they aren't making money to spend.

Corporations will be the downfall of America. They and the people who run them largely suffer from RCI -- Rectal-Cranial Inversion.... It affects 95% of Charlottesville. Otherwise known as "Head-Up-Your-Ass" Syndrome.

A Stay Of Execution......

Against my better judgment, I renewed my taxi insurance. Haven't had what I consider to be a reasonable offer on my business, though I am starting to wonder if I shouldn't take what I can get and run.

However, even though I supposedly have another job lined up, it hasn't been confirmed yet. So I think I'm better off to ride this out until I know what's going to happen.... Keeping my fingers crossed, but I guess sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.