Oooookay.... Remember the nursery school posts? Remember the 60 and 70 year old men acting like toddlers? Well, as the saying goes, when you tease a snake, you're bound to get bitten.
The crybabies in the airport line complained about my meter rates being higher than theirs until the airport posted a sign telling customers to compare rates. Which has screwed me out of quite a few fares.
Now that I can carry 6 passengers (as set forth in the state and local city code), I am offering group discounts by passenger request on a per-person basis.
One of these crybabies could have been timed with a stopwatch as to how quick he started swearing when he saw me show up in the van. He's stuck his foot in his mouth 3 times already.
#1) "He's gonna be upset at the start of next year." Apparently, he and the other crybabies are going to start running to and from the airport for $25. Fine by me, it keeps them out of my hair, and as rude as some of them are to the passengers, it can only help me. I think it's hilarious that they think I CARE what they do.
#2) "He can't have that lettering. You can't take over 5, that's city code." Answer: State and city code allow up to six passengers in a taxi cab, if seat belts are available for six.
#3) "He doesn't have but $125,000 insurance. He can't do that." Answer: City and Airport police both have insurance certificates on file for $500,000 on my van.
It's interesting how these guys are so interested in what I am doing. I dare the airport to remove the sign advising passengers to compare rates. I dare the crybabies to ask that it be removed.
Remember the ballroom waltz? Whine-whine-whine complain, bitch-bitch, bitch-bitch! Whine-whine-whine complain, bitch-bitch, bitch-bitch!
Showing posts with label old. Show all posts
Showing posts with label old. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
Current Goings-On And Other Thoughts Circling My Mind.....
The old Mercury tripped 225,000 miles this week, and it is time to replace it. I know some might wonder why I am spending money to replace my cab when it might be better spent toward converting the bus, but it is time to retire the car before its repair bills prevent my escape from here.
The car has started burning oil, and the front suspension creaks and squeaks from the extreme wear. On top of that, these cars are known for transmission and differential problems past 200,000 miles as a taxicab. To fix what is currently known to be a problem, and what will be pending in the future, I will be much better off to replace the car than to fix it.
However, I was heavily influenced to buy a van rather than a sedan, since I lose so many fares due to groups of 5 or 6 that want to travel together. Sedans truly are going the way of the dinosaur in the transportation industry, and they are getting too expensive. Vans and buses are making a big comeback.
I bought a 2000 GMC Safari 7-passenger van last Friday. Nice van. Needs a couple things though, still getting that straightened out. Pics are coming. Now that I have a van, since the crybabies in the airport line have been so insistent on advising customers to shop rates, I will be displaying this or something similar on the windows......
You want to compare rates, FINE! Compare THIS! Even if I don't get any more business from it, it will be enough satisfaction to aggravate those that have aggravated me for so long.
On a more personal note, the more I hear "No Surprise", the more I realize I have GOT to get started on my bus.
Unfortunately, to facilitate that, I have to replace my cab so that I can save money toward the conversion, and that is taking precedence.
The car has started burning oil, and the front suspension creaks and squeaks from the extreme wear. On top of that, these cars are known for transmission and differential problems past 200,000 miles as a taxicab. To fix what is currently known to be a problem, and what will be pending in the future, I will be much better off to replace the car than to fix it.
However, I was heavily influenced to buy a van rather than a sedan, since I lose so many fares due to groups of 5 or 6 that want to travel together. Sedans truly are going the way of the dinosaur in the transportation industry, and they are getting too expensive. Vans and buses are making a big comeback.
I bought a 2000 GMC Safari 7-passenger van last Friday. Nice van. Needs a couple things though, still getting that straightened out. Pics are coming. Now that I have a van, since the crybabies in the airport line have been so insistent on advising customers to shop rates, I will be displaying this or something similar on the windows......
You want to compare rates, FINE! Compare THIS! Even if I don't get any more business from it, it will be enough satisfaction to aggravate those that have aggravated me for so long.
On a more personal note, the more I hear "No Surprise", the more I realize I have GOT to get started on my bus.
Unfortunately, to facilitate that, I have to replace my cab so that I can save money toward the conversion, and that is taking precedence.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Thought I Was Kidding About The Nursery School?
If you thought I was kidding about my line of work having become a nursery school, check this out.....
Five days ago, I discovered that someone had taken a knife and cut my new city taxi permit sticker off of my rear bumper. I called the police and made a report, just in case someone was really cheap enough to steal another cab's permit when they only cost $5-10. I also moved the cab to another location to park it.
Today, when I picked the car up, one of my tires was flat. Mind you, they are brand-new with less than 2,000 miles on them, and no history of leakage.
After filling it with fix-a-flat and topping off the air pressure, I carefully inspected it with a flashlight. No screws, nails, or other foreign objects in the tire. As a matter of fact, there was still air pressure in the tire before I filled it with fix-a-flat, which pretty much proves someone let the air out of it. I'm pretty sure I know who did it, and they will get theirs. That's the beautiful part about karma, it happens whether I do anything or not.
Now, I ask you, is there any reason for grown men to act this way?
Five days ago, I discovered that someone had taken a knife and cut my new city taxi permit sticker off of my rear bumper. I called the police and made a report, just in case someone was really cheap enough to steal another cab's permit when they only cost $5-10. I also moved the cab to another location to park it.
Today, when I picked the car up, one of my tires was flat. Mind you, they are brand-new with less than 2,000 miles on them, and no history of leakage.
After filling it with fix-a-flat and topping off the air pressure, I carefully inspected it with a flashlight. No screws, nails, or other foreign objects in the tire. As a matter of fact, there was still air pressure in the tire before I filled it with fix-a-flat, which pretty much proves someone let the air out of it. I'm pretty sure I know who did it, and they will get theirs. That's the beautiful part about karma, it happens whether I do anything or not.
Now, I ask you, is there any reason for grown men to act this way?
Turnabout's Fair Play....
LMAO -- I just had SOOOO much fun with this nursery school of taxi drivers we have servicing the airport. I sort of "forgot" to put my new taxi inspection sticker on the car.
So all afternoon the other drivers were bitching and whining to the Airport Police. Finally an officer comes out to talk to me about it. I showed him my sticker, and he told me I needed to put it on the car. I was really hoping they would let me wait until I was first in line....
But you should have seen the look on their faces when I calmly walked back to the car and retrieved the sticker, peeled it off the backing and put it in its place on the rear bumper...... LOL! That'll teach them to mind their own damned business..... :P But we all know THAT'S not gonna happen.
So all afternoon the other drivers were bitching and whining to the Airport Police. Finally an officer comes out to talk to me about it. I showed him my sticker, and he told me I needed to put it on the car. I was really hoping they would let me wait until I was first in line....
But you should have seen the look on their faces when I calmly walked back to the car and retrieved the sticker, peeled it off the backing and put it in its place on the rear bumper...... LOL! That'll teach them to mind their own damned business..... :P But we all know THAT'S not gonna happen.
Dee-Dee-Dee!!!!!
I have heard rumors recently that the governor of the great Communist state of Virginia has formed a commission to create a statewide mandate to regulate all for-hire vehicles. This mandate is rumored to include age restrictions and rate limits.
Well.... I wrote myself a little email to the governor's office. A week later someone from the DMV phoned to inform me that no such mandate was or is being considered. I just received a letter from the governor himself stating it was his understanding that the DMV had phoned me to clarify this, and the letter was just to underline that.
This is just more game-playing by competitors. Why, oh, why do people have to be so f**king stupid?!!!
Well.... I wrote myself a little email to the governor's office. A week later someone from the DMV phoned to inform me that no such mandate was or is being considered. I just received a letter from the governor himself stating it was his understanding that the DMV had phoned me to clarify this, and the letter was just to underline that.
This is just more game-playing by competitors. Why, oh, why do people have to be so f**king stupid?!!!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
The REAL Taxi Cab Confessions.....
As I'm sure anyone that knows me or reads my blogs is aware by now, I own and operate a small independent taxi cab service in Charlottesville, Virginia.
You would think that most industries, while would be a sense of competition, there would be some notion of comraderie amongst those of us in the same industry..... nope.
Unfortunately, you can't get any of these guys to agree on anything long enough to go get ice cream together. And most of them insist on blackballing each other with customers, and will seemingly stop at nothing to take each other's business.
I, for one, just come out to make a living. I'm not out to take any other company or operator down. But the majority of the drivers in this business act like four-year olds, especially when it comes to the airport. *shakes head*
The big issue that started all this is that neither the City Of Charlottesville, nor the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport Authority, nor the County Of Albemarle regulate the actual rate of fare with taxicabs. It is left open to what the city calls 'open market competition', and unfortunately, everyone cuts their own throat in this business in the name of volume. It's completely stupid.
The reason I say that is because you can't count on getting thirty fares a day. Sometimes you can't count on getting three. I myself have had days (plural) where I sat around town for 15 hours and only took in thirty-five dollars. Of course, these were the days when I had just gotten in the business and had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Now, through trial and error, I have figured out how to make the business turn a profit. Unfortunately, some changes never come easy.
On one plane, there are customers who raise eyebrows when one cab charges more for the same trip than another. I can understand this to a degree, as it is regulated in NYC and DC. But the expenses in this industry are so volatile and so necessary that I don't see how any locality could possibly regulate it fairly.
There are also customers that will not use your services over a few dollars. I have come to find that these folks generally are going to complain no matter what you charge them.
And then, last but not least, are the drivers who can't see the forest for the trees. I recently revised my rates when fuel shot up to $4.25 per gallon and continued to rise.
Of course, two months later, it dropped to about half of that. First, I don't expect this drop to last. Secondly, Obama is proposing a carbon-based fuels tax on top of the 36 cents per gallon taxes we are already paying. I'm changing nothing until I know what is going to happen.
One thing I simply will not tolerate is someone presuming to tell me how to run my business, especially someone who does not know my expenses, or worse, does not even know the business.
A lot of drivers at the airport have a tendency to mind everyone's business but their own. A lot of game playing goes on, such as complaining about petty things that may or may not be true to attempt to cause another operator to be suspended or barred.
I have heard countless snide remarks about my rate of fare, up to and including that my rates are running customers off, though I've never told anyone that they HAVE to take MY taxicab. I know that these remarks are simply an attempt to rile me into doing something stupid to get myself barred from the airport, or goad me into quitting working the airport, or changing my rates. None of the above. And I don't get mad, I get even.
I finally told one of these fellows that if I heard any more about it, I would work twice as much just to annoy them. Of course, they didn't take me seriously.
So I have made it a point to be at the airport way before anyone else is, and I work up until the airport closes for the night. This serves two purposes. I make more money, and I know it is driving them bananas, though none of them will admit it. I believe that if someone gets aggravated over something that is none of their business.... good for them! Give them more :) Which I am more than happy to do.
So now the rumor is that I'm homeless because I'm at the airport all the time.... ROFLMAO! I hope these guys don't actually believe the crap that comes out of their mouths. Does anyone have any cheese to go with their whine?
To be continued...... This is the REAL Taxicab Confessions!!!!
You would think that most industries, while would be a sense of competition, there would be some notion of comraderie amongst those of us in the same industry..... nope.
Unfortunately, you can't get any of these guys to agree on anything long enough to go get ice cream together. And most of them insist on blackballing each other with customers, and will seemingly stop at nothing to take each other's business.
I, for one, just come out to make a living. I'm not out to take any other company or operator down. But the majority of the drivers in this business act like four-year olds, especially when it comes to the airport. *shakes head*
The big issue that started all this is that neither the City Of Charlottesville, nor the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport Authority, nor the County Of Albemarle regulate the actual rate of fare with taxicabs. It is left open to what the city calls 'open market competition', and unfortunately, everyone cuts their own throat in this business in the name of volume. It's completely stupid.
The reason I say that is because you can't count on getting thirty fares a day. Sometimes you can't count on getting three. I myself have had days (plural) where I sat around town for 15 hours and only took in thirty-five dollars. Of course, these were the days when I had just gotten in the business and had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Now, through trial and error, I have figured out how to make the business turn a profit. Unfortunately, some changes never come easy.
On one plane, there are customers who raise eyebrows when one cab charges more for the same trip than another. I can understand this to a degree, as it is regulated in NYC and DC. But the expenses in this industry are so volatile and so necessary that I don't see how any locality could possibly regulate it fairly.
There are also customers that will not use your services over a few dollars. I have come to find that these folks generally are going to complain no matter what you charge them.
And then, last but not least, are the drivers who can't see the forest for the trees. I recently revised my rates when fuel shot up to $4.25 per gallon and continued to rise.
Of course, two months later, it dropped to about half of that. First, I don't expect this drop to last. Secondly, Obama is proposing a carbon-based fuels tax on top of the 36 cents per gallon taxes we are already paying. I'm changing nothing until I know what is going to happen.
One thing I simply will not tolerate is someone presuming to tell me how to run my business, especially someone who does not know my expenses, or worse, does not even know the business.
A lot of drivers at the airport have a tendency to mind everyone's business but their own. A lot of game playing goes on, such as complaining about petty things that may or may not be true to attempt to cause another operator to be suspended or barred.
I have heard countless snide remarks about my rate of fare, up to and including that my rates are running customers off, though I've never told anyone that they HAVE to take MY taxicab. I know that these remarks are simply an attempt to rile me into doing something stupid to get myself barred from the airport, or goad me into quitting working the airport, or changing my rates. None of the above. And I don't get mad, I get even.
I finally told one of these fellows that if I heard any more about it, I would work twice as much just to annoy them. Of course, they didn't take me seriously.
So I have made it a point to be at the airport way before anyone else is, and I work up until the airport closes for the night. This serves two purposes. I make more money, and I know it is driving them bananas, though none of them will admit it. I believe that if someone gets aggravated over something that is none of their business.... good for them! Give them more :) Which I am more than happy to do.
So now the rumor is that I'm homeless because I'm at the airport all the time.... ROFLMAO! I hope these guys don't actually believe the crap that comes out of their mouths. Does anyone have any cheese to go with their whine?
To be continued...... This is the REAL Taxicab Confessions!!!!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
A Little Bit Of The Pot Calling The Kettle Black....
I arrived at the airport today to find a fellow standing ready and waiting with five suitcases, despite the fact that another taxi was already in line before me.
Turns out the taxi in line ahead of mine did not want to load that much luggage. Interesting that this taxi's operator is one of the same group that points the finger at me and others for overcharging. At least I DO MY job and serve the customer's needs.
The customer was happy just to get a taxi at this point, and actually tipped me about $5.00 over the fare amount. Very nice fellow, I hope and look forward to doing business with him again.
Turns out the taxi in line ahead of mine did not want to load that much luggage. Interesting that this taxi's operator is one of the same group that points the finger at me and others for overcharging. At least I DO MY job and serve the customer's needs.
The customer was happy just to get a taxi at this point, and actually tipped me about $5.00 over the fare amount. Very nice fellow, I hope and look forward to doing business with him again.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
A Few Examples Of The Nursery School That My Profession Has Become....
As I'm sure anyone that knows me is aware by now, I own and operate a small independent taxi cab service in Charlottesville, Virginia.
You would think that most industries, while there would be a sense of competition, there would also be some notion of comraderie amongst those of us in the same industry..... nope.
Unfortunately, you can't get any of these guys to agree on anything long enough to go get ice cream together. And most of them insist on blackballing each other with customers, and will seemingly stop at nothing to take each other's business.
I, for one, just come out to make a living. I'm not out to take any other company or operator down. But the majority of the drivers in this business act like four-year olds, especially when it comes to the airport. *shakes head*
The big issue that started all this is that neither the City Of Charlottesville, nor the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport Authority, nor the County Of Albemarle regulate the actual rate of fare with taxicabs. It is left open to what the city calls 'open market competition', and unfortunately, everyone cuts their own throat in this business in the name of volume. It's completely stupid.
The reason I say that is because you can't count on getting thirty fares a day. Sometimes you can't count on getting three. I myself have had days (plural) where I sat around town for 15 hours and only took in thirty-five dollars. Of course, these were the days when I had just gotten in the business and had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Now, through trial and error, I have figured out how to make the business turn a profit. Unfortunately, some changes never come easy.
On one plane, there are customers who raise eyebrows when one cab charges more for the same trip than another. I can understand this to a degree, as it is regulated in NYC and DC. But the expenses in this industry are so volatile and so necessary that I don't see how any locality could possibly regulate it fairly.
There are also customers that will not use your services over a few dollars. I have come to find that these folks generally are going to complain no matter what you charge them.
And then, last but not least, are the drivers who can't see the forest for the trees. I recently revised my rates when fuel shot up to $4.25 per gallon and continued to rise.
Of course, two months later, it dropped to about half of that. First, I don't expect this drop to last. Secondly, Obama is proposing a carbon-based fuels tax on top of the 36 cents per gallon taxes we are already paying. I'm changing nothing until I know what is going to happen.
One thing I simply will not tolerate is someone presuming to tell me how to run my business, especially someone who does not know my expenses, or worse, does not even know the business.
A lot of drivers at the airport have a tendency to mind everyone's business but their own. A lot of game playing goes on, such as complaining about petty things that may or may not be true to attempt to cause another operator to be suspended or barred.
I have heard countless snide remarks about my rate of fare, up to and including that my rates are running customers off, though I've never told anyone that they HAVE to take MY taxicab. I know that these remarks are simply an attempt to rile me into doing something stupid to get myself barred from the airport, or goad me into quitting working the airport, or changing my rates. None of the above. And I don't get mad, I get even.
I finally told one of these fellows that if I heard any more about it, I would work twice as much just to annoy them. Of course, they didn't take me seriously.
So I have made it a point to be at the airport way before anyone else is, and I work up until the airport closes for the night. This serves two purposes. I make more money, and I know it is driving them bananas, though none of them will admit it. I believe that if someone gets aggravated over something that is none of their business.... good for them! Give them more :) Which I am more than happy to do.
So now the rumor is that I'm homeless because I'm at the airport all the time.... ROFLMAO! I hope these guys don't actually believe the crap that comes out of their mouths. Does anyone have any cheese to go with their whine?
To be continued...... This is the REAL Taxicab Confessions!!!!
You would think that most industries, while there would be a sense of competition, there would also be some notion of comraderie amongst those of us in the same industry..... nope.
Unfortunately, you can't get any of these guys to agree on anything long enough to go get ice cream together. And most of them insist on blackballing each other with customers, and will seemingly stop at nothing to take each other's business.
I, for one, just come out to make a living. I'm not out to take any other company or operator down. But the majority of the drivers in this business act like four-year olds, especially when it comes to the airport. *shakes head*
The big issue that started all this is that neither the City Of Charlottesville, nor the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport Authority, nor the County Of Albemarle regulate the actual rate of fare with taxicabs. It is left open to what the city calls 'open market competition', and unfortunately, everyone cuts their own throat in this business in the name of volume. It's completely stupid.
The reason I say that is because you can't count on getting thirty fares a day. Sometimes you can't count on getting three. I myself have had days (plural) where I sat around town for 15 hours and only took in thirty-five dollars. Of course, these were the days when I had just gotten in the business and had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Now, through trial and error, I have figured out how to make the business turn a profit. Unfortunately, some changes never come easy.
On one plane, there are customers who raise eyebrows when one cab charges more for the same trip than another. I can understand this to a degree, as it is regulated in NYC and DC. But the expenses in this industry are so volatile and so necessary that I don't see how any locality could possibly regulate it fairly.
There are also customers that will not use your services over a few dollars. I have come to find that these folks generally are going to complain no matter what you charge them.
And then, last but not least, are the drivers who can't see the forest for the trees. I recently revised my rates when fuel shot up to $4.25 per gallon and continued to rise.
Of course, two months later, it dropped to about half of that. First, I don't expect this drop to last. Secondly, Obama is proposing a carbon-based fuels tax on top of the 36 cents per gallon taxes we are already paying. I'm changing nothing until I know what is going to happen.
One thing I simply will not tolerate is someone presuming to tell me how to run my business, especially someone who does not know my expenses, or worse, does not even know the business.
A lot of drivers at the airport have a tendency to mind everyone's business but their own. A lot of game playing goes on, such as complaining about petty things that may or may not be true to attempt to cause another operator to be suspended or barred.
I have heard countless snide remarks about my rate of fare, up to and including that my rates are running customers off, though I've never told anyone that they HAVE to take MY taxicab. I know that these remarks are simply an attempt to rile me into doing something stupid to get myself barred from the airport, or goad me into quitting working the airport, or changing my rates. None of the above. And I don't get mad, I get even.
I finally told one of these fellows that if I heard any more about it, I would work twice as much just to annoy them. Of course, they didn't take me seriously.
So I have made it a point to be at the airport way before anyone else is, and I work up until the airport closes for the night. This serves two purposes. I make more money, and I know it is driving them bananas, though none of them will admit it. I believe that if someone gets aggravated over something that is none of their business.... good for them! Give them more :) Which I am more than happy to do.
So now the rumor is that I'm homeless because I'm at the airport all the time.... ROFLMAO! I hope these guys don't actually believe the crap that comes out of their mouths. Does anyone have any cheese to go with their whine?
To be continued...... This is the REAL Taxicab Confessions!!!!
Thought I Was Kidding About The Nursery School?
If you thought I was kidding about my line of work having become a nursery school, check this out.....
Five days ago, I discovered that someone had taken a knife and cut my new city taxi permit sticker off of my rear bumper. I called the police and made a report, just in case someone was really cheap enough to steal another cab's permit when they only cost $5-10. I also moved the cab to another location to park it.
Today, when I picked the car up, one of my tires was flat. Mind you, they are brand-new with less than 2,000 miles on them, and no history of leakage.
After filling it with fix-a-flat and topping off the air pressure, I carefully inspected it with a flashlight. No screws, nails, or other foreign objects in the tire. As a matter of fact, there was still air pressure in the tire before I filled it with fix-a-flat, which pretty much proves someone let the air out of it. I'm pretty sure I know who did it, and they will get theirs. That's the beautiful part about karma, it happens whether I do anything or not.
Now, I ask you, is there any reason for grown men to act this way?
Five days ago, I discovered that someone had taken a knife and cut my new city taxi permit sticker off of my rear bumper. I called the police and made a report, just in case someone was really cheap enough to steal another cab's permit when they only cost $5-10. I also moved the cab to another location to park it.
Today, when I picked the car up, one of my tires was flat. Mind you, they are brand-new with less than 2,000 miles on them, and no history of leakage.
After filling it with fix-a-flat and topping off the air pressure, I carefully inspected it with a flashlight. No screws, nails, or other foreign objects in the tire. As a matter of fact, there was still air pressure in the tire before I filled it with fix-a-flat, which pretty much proves someone let the air out of it. I'm pretty sure I know who did it, and they will get theirs. That's the beautiful part about karma, it happens whether I do anything or not.
Now, I ask you, is there any reason for grown men to act this way?
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