I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about a lot of things. I have possibly found something good in someone in Arizona, who is trying to go to Nevada. I have been considering Nevada for a long time anyway, but have not been able to save the money to relocate. I actually have not even been able to repay money borrowed to stay in business. It is time to cut my losses and run.
I should have seen this coming. In 2006, I had a reasonable amount of money saved. I burned through a third of that in six months, at which point I barely had enough to replace my taxi when it died. Since then, I have gone to having to borrow money to keep insurance on the taxi, to uncertainty I will even be able to make renewal.
Since I came back from my trip to Arizona, it is becoming obvious that I will never be able to leave as long as I keep trying to run my business.
Rental car companies are running specials for $12-$15 per day. UVa sends its buses to the airport to pick students up for free. City buses are reducing their fares and are also running a FREE trolley. How can I compete with free?
There are also two shuttle buses, running illegally so far as I know, because that they do not have commercial for-hire license plates, running large groups around town for $7 a person.
Even though state regulations state that a vehicle insured and registered as a taxicab cannot legally carry more than 6 passengers excluding the driver, there are at least 4 limos that carry from 9-12 passengers on a regular basis operating as taxicabs. I cannot compete with companies that don't do it legally. I have a quote for insurance renewal for $3,600 yearly premium. Why should I spend the money to do it legally when others aren't and are getting away with it?
Not only that, but I am up against two large companies with 50 cars each that rob their drivers blind. Furthermore, these idiots quote low-ball prices and then don't show up to pick their customers up.
Of course, the customer expects me to honor someone else's price, and gets pissed off that I don't. Then they either bitch about what I charge them or they're actually stupid enough to call another taxi and wait 20-30 minutes to save maybe $10-15.
All this really does is confuse customers to the point they don't understand what's fair and what isn't. People can say what they want about pricing myself out of business, as some idiots like to say, but I have noticed you either work a lot for a little money in this business or you work a little for a little money. What's the point? I stopped having fun running my business the moment people started trying to tell me how to run it.
Which brings me to yet another up-and-coming problem. Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups. An attempt is being made at starting a taxicab association, which has all the earmarks of being a union. Unions have never been anything but trouble in the first place.
Even though neither the city nor the airport is regulating meter rates, these idiots want to establish a common rate, and elect representatives to "deal with the airport". The airport is a private entity, and has already put it in writing and voiced its clause in the ground transportation agreement that it reserves the right to revoke permits and use a primary provider -- any time they choose.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that all these idiots are going to do is piss off the airport authority into telling us all to take a hike, and I will NOT be told how to run MY business when I am the one paying the bills.
I have therefore decided to sell my business by the end of my insurance term next month and go back to delivery or something. It's really hard to come to this decision, but I can't save any money aside the way things are right now. I could always do that delivering.
At least delivering food won't get me accused of being a crook for making less than minimum wage. I know that my selling out and going away is what the big companies want, but I see a time coming when I may go under anyway and walk away with nothing. Better to cash out while I can and at least leave with SOMETHING.
In closing of this decision, I have a few things to say to the general public..... As you idiots are part of the reason for the financial crisis this country is in. No one wants to spend money because the economy is bad, but the economy is bad BECAUSE NO ONE IS SPENDING MONEY!
So, I thank you for refusing service over a few dollars price difference. There is always a difference between ordering a hamburger and filet mignon. If the goods or services you receive are better or more convenient than another company, you should expect to pay a little more.
However, despite my efforts to provide better service, a nicer cab, and a better overall experience, it is quite clear that most patrons will ride a Sherman tank if you can get them there cheaper.
I also thank you for perpetuating a bad economy by choosing to spend your money with big businesses instead of smaller ones that need your business so much more. Remember, that bigger company you choose was once a small one too.
More food for thought -- So many are enraged with the Supreme Court decision that corporations can make as many political contributions they want, and in any amount they want. This basically spells it out that the federal government is for sale to the highest bidder, and many people say that they are angered by this. But YOU are empowering this by not choosing small business! And usually over a few dollars. You're doing it to yourselves.
Part of the reason smaller businesses are not always around to serve you is because you are not using them until the bigger businesses are too busy to serve you quickly. So have fun supporting corporate greed, you sell out the little guy every time you do it.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Vids For Three Of My Favorite Songs......
Videos for three of my favorite songs....... These songs have powerful messages for anyone who has dreams, so check them out.....
Monday, January 18, 2010
Bad Business Tactics.....
If you were given a price for goods or services by a company that couldn't be there to serve you, you probably wouldn't trust that company, would you?
In an effort to take airport business from those of us who are licensed to work airport (AND PAY FOR THE PRIVILEGE, MIND YOU)..... Every idiot in this business that doesn't work airport is quoting $25 flat rates to and from the airport -- generally a 10-mile trip. However, none of them are usually here when these people come in. There's no sense in giving someone a discounted rate when you don't show up, and there is no way in hell I am going to honor these prices when I wait 4 hours or more for a trip.
All this is doing is pissing off the customers. They feel they're being baited and switched, and I don't much blame them. These idiots say I'M the one ruining the business? It is to laugh. I'm not the one making promises I can't deliver on.
In an effort to take airport business from those of us who are licensed to work airport (AND PAY FOR THE PRIVILEGE, MIND YOU)..... Every idiot in this business that doesn't work airport is quoting $25 flat rates to and from the airport -- generally a 10-mile trip. However, none of them are usually here when these people come in. There's no sense in giving someone a discounted rate when you don't show up, and there is no way in hell I am going to honor these prices when I wait 4 hours or more for a trip.
All this is doing is pissing off the customers. They feel they're being baited and switched, and I don't much blame them. These idiots say I'M the one ruining the business? It is to laugh. I'm not the one making promises I can't deliver on.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
The Best Customer Service I Have Received, By Far....
..... came from the two gentlemen you see pictured below.
They are Robert Trevinto (left), and Benny A. Phillips (right), who were stewards on Amtrak's "California Zephyr" train, on which I returned home after delivering a vehicle to California.
This story started in a roundabout way in Arizona. When I left the city of Mesa, I was not feeling quite right, and my condition worsened over the next 18 hours as I neared the drop-off point. I had stopped eating, because my stomach was so queasy, I didn't want to risk making things worse.
When I boarded the Zephyr from Emeryville, CA to Chicago, IL, I vaguely remember Robert taking my ticket, which is to say, I was extremely ill at this point, barely upright, and as such, I decided to remain in my sleeper and hope that rest would get rid of whatever it was. Nothing doing.
Robert and a couple of other crew members checked in on me several times during that day and evening for dining car accommodations, which I refused, as my stomach was steadily getting worse.
The next day, I did make one attempt and did not even make it to placing my order. That evening, Robert was beginning to notice something was wrong. By this time, despite having a fever and being wrapped in a blanket, I was getting bad chills and violently shivering in misery in my sleeper, feeling as though I were going to die.
He asked at first if I wanted to call paramedics or go to a hospital at the next stop, but it was out of the question. I knew I didn't have enough money to cover rescheduling the rest of my return trip, as it would likely cost more than originally. I already knew that I have frequently recurring acid reflux, which is likely what brought the problem on in the first place.
A severe enough attack, if left unchecked and untreated, can eventually eat through the stomach lining and into other organs. It was either possibly not make it home alive, or not make it home at all if I sought medical attention.
When Robert began talking to another steward, Bennie, we determined that I had made a mistake by drinking apple juice on a near-empty stomach, as apple juice has acids in it that are hard on the system even under normal circumstances, which I did not know. Bennie suggested cranberry juice, as it had a slightly different composition and was easier on the internals, and set about getting me some chicken broth as well.
After alternately nursing cranberry juice and chicken broth gingerly for an hour and a half, Bennie also graciously gave me a couple of Tylenol PM for the fever, and 30 minutes later, I was resting comfortably and made a feeble attempt at breakfast the next day, which is to say I was unable to risk much more than yogurt and juice.
At lunch, I asked Robert if he could simply bring some broth and yogurt to my sleeper, as I did not want to inconvenience anyone else in the dining car, and I was pretty sure these were all I would be able to handle for awhile. I WAS, however, feeling quite a bit better than the night before. I actually was able to get up and move around a bit, snapping some photos of what remained of the scenic part of the route, salvaging some part of the fun of the trip.
In summary, Robert and Bennie not only made my trip a lot more comfortable than it would have been, they likely may have saved my life. These fellows took extremely good care of me, and looked out for me more than they really had to, and being in the service industry myself, I know that it is extremely rare to find people THAT devoted to customer service. I would ride on ANY train if these fellows were serving me. If you ride Amtrak and are fortunate enough to have these guys serve you, take good care of them, because I can assure you, they will definitely take good care of you.
They are Robert Trevinto (left), and Benny A. Phillips (right), who were stewards on Amtrak's "California Zephyr" train, on which I returned home after delivering a vehicle to California.
This story started in a roundabout way in Arizona. When I left the city of Mesa, I was not feeling quite right, and my condition worsened over the next 18 hours as I neared the drop-off point. I had stopped eating, because my stomach was so queasy, I didn't want to risk making things worse.
When I boarded the Zephyr from Emeryville, CA to Chicago, IL, I vaguely remember Robert taking my ticket, which is to say, I was extremely ill at this point, barely upright, and as such, I decided to remain in my sleeper and hope that rest would get rid of whatever it was. Nothing doing.
Robert and a couple of other crew members checked in on me several times during that day and evening for dining car accommodations, which I refused, as my stomach was steadily getting worse.
The next day, I did make one attempt and did not even make it to placing my order. That evening, Robert was beginning to notice something was wrong. By this time, despite having a fever and being wrapped in a blanket, I was getting bad chills and violently shivering in misery in my sleeper, feeling as though I were going to die.
He asked at first if I wanted to call paramedics or go to a hospital at the next stop, but it was out of the question. I knew I didn't have enough money to cover rescheduling the rest of my return trip, as it would likely cost more than originally. I already knew that I have frequently recurring acid reflux, which is likely what brought the problem on in the first place.
A severe enough attack, if left unchecked and untreated, can eventually eat through the stomach lining and into other organs. It was either possibly not make it home alive, or not make it home at all if I sought medical attention.
When Robert began talking to another steward, Bennie, we determined that I had made a mistake by drinking apple juice on a near-empty stomach, as apple juice has acids in it that are hard on the system even under normal circumstances, which I did not know. Bennie suggested cranberry juice, as it had a slightly different composition and was easier on the internals, and set about getting me some chicken broth as well.
After alternately nursing cranberry juice and chicken broth gingerly for an hour and a half, Bennie also graciously gave me a couple of Tylenol PM for the fever, and 30 minutes later, I was resting comfortably and made a feeble attempt at breakfast the next day, which is to say I was unable to risk much more than yogurt and juice.
At lunch, I asked Robert if he could simply bring some broth and yogurt to my sleeper, as I did not want to inconvenience anyone else in the dining car, and I was pretty sure these were all I would be able to handle for awhile. I WAS, however, feeling quite a bit better than the night before. I actually was able to get up and move around a bit, snapping some photos of what remained of the scenic part of the route, salvaging some part of the fun of the trip.
In summary, Robert and Bennie not only made my trip a lot more comfortable than it would have been, they likely may have saved my life. These fellows took extremely good care of me, and looked out for me more than they really had to, and being in the service industry myself, I know that it is extremely rare to find people THAT devoted to customer service. I would ride on ANY train if these fellows were serving me. If you ride Amtrak and are fortunate enough to have these guys serve you, take good care of them, because I can assure you, they will definitely take good care of you.
Friday, January 15, 2010
I'm BACK!!!!
Yes, I'm back from my trip. Took a couple of unexpected turns, but that's half the fun sometimes. Had quite a bit of fun, but I got quite ill before dropping the vehicle off in California, which ruined quite a bit of my train ride back. However, there are many facets of my trip that I will be chronicling, and I am still cropping and resizing pics I took. Be patient.
Friday, January 8, 2010
An Impromptu Vacation To Arizona By Way Of California.....
Some know it, some don't, but I have been quite interested in a woman in Arizona for quite some time. We get along quite well, and she is planning to move to Nevada as well.
She wanted to come see me first, but after her boss screwed her over (for the third time) on time off to make the trip, I decided to go see her. I lucked out and found someone who needed a car driven to California, crossing Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. They were willing to pay for the gas, but I split it with them in exchange for a few days detour into Mesa.
This is my first vacation since 1997, and the trip has been great so far. Currently in Mesa, AZ. We finally met, and things are going extremely well. Lots of good pictures to share from the trip as well... Until I crossed into New Mexico, I thought I-40 was the most boring and forsaken highway I'd ever driven. New Mexico is beautiful, as is Arizona. I really wish I could check out Nevada, but I just didn't have time this trip around.
I think I finally found someone worth keeping that actually wants me. I will be broke when I get home, but I finally got to meet her. What's interesting is that neither one of us was looking for anything. All I can say is this. What you THINK you want, isn't always what you really want, and what you really want and what you actually need are usually two different things. When you stop looking for what you THINK you want, what you actually need will find you.
She wanted to come see me first, but after her boss screwed her over (for the third time) on time off to make the trip, I decided to go see her. I lucked out and found someone who needed a car driven to California, crossing Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. They were willing to pay for the gas, but I split it with them in exchange for a few days detour into Mesa.
This is my first vacation since 1997, and the trip has been great so far. Currently in Mesa, AZ. We finally met, and things are going extremely well. Lots of good pictures to share from the trip as well... Until I crossed into New Mexico, I thought I-40 was the most boring and forsaken highway I'd ever driven. New Mexico is beautiful, as is Arizona. I really wish I could check out Nevada, but I just didn't have time this trip around.
I think I finally found someone worth keeping that actually wants me. I will be broke when I get home, but I finally got to meet her. What's interesting is that neither one of us was looking for anything. All I can say is this. What you THINK you want, isn't always what you really want, and what you really want and what you actually need are usually two different things. When you stop looking for what you THINK you want, what you actually need will find you.
Some People Are Just TOO STUPID To Be Left Unsupervised......
From a few days ago.... but still funny.....
Okay, so this moron picking up his friend at the airport parks 5 feet from the curb, half in the traffic lane, half in the loading zone. Opens his door just as I'm passing by and I just barely avoided ripping his door off. Keep in mind the speed limit in front of the terminal is 15 mph, and I was doing maybe 10.
Believe it or not, the door barely touched my bumper, but only because I swerved when I saw the door opening. When I mentioned that the vehicle was parked too far from the curb, the asshole driving it actually had the nerve to try to blame it on me by saying I should have slowed down. Give this guy a cork for his fork so he doesn't poke his eye out.
Keep in mind, my van's fender is barely longer than the tire, and the edge of his open door was barely even with the mirror on my van after I stopped, so does anyone think I was going too fast?
What a fucking moron. SUVs - Big Wheels For Little Minds!
Okay, so this moron picking up his friend at the airport parks 5 feet from the curb, half in the traffic lane, half in the loading zone. Opens his door just as I'm passing by and I just barely avoided ripping his door off. Keep in mind the speed limit in front of the terminal is 15 mph, and I was doing maybe 10.
Believe it or not, the door barely touched my bumper, but only because I swerved when I saw the door opening. When I mentioned that the vehicle was parked too far from the curb, the asshole driving it actually had the nerve to try to blame it on me by saying I should have slowed down. Give this guy a cork for his fork so he doesn't poke his eye out.
Keep in mind, my van's fender is barely longer than the tire, and the edge of his open door was barely even with the mirror on my van after I stopped, so does anyone think I was going too fast?
What a fucking moron. SUVs - Big Wheels For Little Minds!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
That Wonderful Time Of Year.....
When the frat brats disappear to go home for the holidays. Chandler Law Group pays Yellow Cab to monopolize the taxi business for a few weeks. And other cab drivers work 14 hours for gas money. Blah. I'm on a split vacation.... Working a couple days between now and New Year's Eve, but that's it.
I would like to take this opportunity (if anyone reads this blog) to implore you to not drink and drive this holiday season. If you don't value yourself enough, think of your family and friends. Think of the families and friends of those you might kill by driving drunk. Think of the embarrassment and shame of being arrested, or knowing that you killed someone in a crash. Think of losing your job in this economy (Yes, some places will fire you for having a felony. DUI is just that).
None of this is worth saving the money on cab fare. Eat, drink, and be merry. But if you've had too much to drink, take a cab, or better yet, just don't go anywhere.
I would like to take this opportunity (if anyone reads this blog) to implore you to not drink and drive this holiday season. If you don't value yourself enough, think of your family and friends. Think of the families and friends of those you might kill by driving drunk. Think of the embarrassment and shame of being arrested, or knowing that you killed someone in a crash. Think of losing your job in this economy (Yes, some places will fire you for having a felony. DUI is just that).
None of this is worth saving the money on cab fare. Eat, drink, and be merry. But if you've had too much to drink, take a cab, or better yet, just don't go anywhere.
Friday, December 18, 2009
How Much More Can I Take?
Without a doubt, this just was not my day. 7 hours to get one fare from the airport, which went 3 miles. Even with a minimum airport charge of $25.00, it wasn't worth it..... I worked 11 hours tonight for $47 and a "fuck you, I'll stand in the street if I want to" from a group of frat brats. This, after I almost hit their stupid asses standing in a poorly-lit street, wearing all black. Smart?!!!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Tax Dollars Hard At Work With Gestapo Tactics...
Well, I knew the US was anti-small business, but this is ridiculous. Went to work my taxi the other night, and I got stopped for loading a fare at the curb, that's all I did. The ordinance is written that taxis cannot block or impede traffic, but despite 6 months of working with traffic engineers on the problem, we still have no place to pull over.
Yet the police are starting a detail specifically for this, when it took them 7 years to catch a rapist. Sounds like profiling to me, harrassing the working man for trying to make a living with an ordinance and no way to obey it.
Is that bacon I smell? Yeah, Officer O'Malley, go back to your doughnuts. Tax dollars hard at work.
Yet the police are starting a detail specifically for this, when it took them 7 years to catch a rapist. Sounds like profiling to me, harrassing the working man for trying to make a living with an ordinance and no way to obey it.
Is that bacon I smell? Yeah, Officer O'Malley, go back to your doughnuts. Tax dollars hard at work.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
I've Just Started World War III -- I Am So Proud!!!
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!
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!
Monday, October 26, 2009
What A Ride!!!
Wow. This is why we have regular safety inspections, boys and girls. This is also why taxicabs cost so much to operate.
I bought my Mercury in April of 2007. Not long after I bought it, a crucial piece of the suspension, commonly known as a ball joint, failed, immobilizing it. When this happens, the vehicle basically collapses to the ground on the affected corner and grinds to a halt, if you're lucky enough for this to happen at a low speed. If you aren't so lucky?.... Vehicles have been known to spin wildly out of control and turn over because of this.
As there are four of these in Crown Vics and Marquis', I had all four replaced, at a cost of $900.00. Needless to say, I will never use the shop in question again, since the parts were at over 100% markup.
On to the point. 30 months and 80,000 taxi miles later, the SAME ball joint (interesting, to say the least) failed AGAIN at 50 miles an hour. As I mentioned before this is extremely dangerous.
The car bounced hard off the pavement nine times before it finally settled and began dragging on the pavement, literally dribbling me like a basketball in the driver's seat. My head hit the ceiling at least four times.
Fortunately, I was vacant, having dropped a fare less than two minutes earlier. No other vehicles were within half a mile, and the tire apparently blew out and became trapped under the car, preventing its weight from digging into the pavement too hard. This quite likely saved my life.
Somewhere, someone or something, whichever it may be, still likes me. If this had happened 100 feet down the road, the car would likely have rolled. It's a wonder it did not spin out or otherwise go out of control.
Looks like I bought the van just in time.
I bought my Mercury in April of 2007. Not long after I bought it, a crucial piece of the suspension, commonly known as a ball joint, failed, immobilizing it. When this happens, the vehicle basically collapses to the ground on the affected corner and grinds to a halt, if you're lucky enough for this to happen at a low speed. If you aren't so lucky?.... Vehicles have been known to spin wildly out of control and turn over because of this.
As there are four of these in Crown Vics and Marquis', I had all four replaced, at a cost of $900.00. Needless to say, I will never use the shop in question again, since the parts were at over 100% markup.
On to the point. 30 months and 80,000 taxi miles later, the SAME ball joint (interesting, to say the least) failed AGAIN at 50 miles an hour. As I mentioned before this is extremely dangerous.
The car bounced hard off the pavement nine times before it finally settled and began dragging on the pavement, literally dribbling me like a basketball in the driver's seat. My head hit the ceiling at least four times.
Fortunately, I was vacant, having dropped a fare less than two minutes earlier. No other vehicles were within half a mile, and the tire apparently blew out and became trapped under the car, preventing its weight from digging into the pavement too hard. This quite likely saved my life.
Somewhere, someone or something, whichever it may be, still likes me. If this had happened 100 feet down the road, the car would likely have rolled. It's a wonder it did not spin out or otherwise go out of control.
Looks like I bought the van just in time.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Grrrrr....
Okay, these local hotels are really starting to get on my nerves. They are telling people what THEY think a taxi should cost from the airport, and don't have the slightest clue what the hell they are talking about.
A woman came out tonight going to a hotel on the far east end of town. If memory serves, it's around 12-13 miles. Runs around $48 on my meter, so I told her I could do it for $45. She tells me she was told this should cost around $25.
No one will even leave the airport line for less than $17. Most of us won't leave for less than $20. I won't leave for less than $25. With a maximum expected haul of 3 rides per shift, what do you expect?
At any rate, I already knew at this point I would not be getting the fare. Any time someone starts this "I was told" bullshit, they are going to take the cheapest cab they can find.
I informed her that there were minimum charges from the airport, and the minimums, as well as the fares, would vary from cab to cab. She got a price from the next cab, and asked if I would do it for that. I politely said, "No, ma'am, have a nice night."
The way I see it, if she got a price from another cab, let her ride with that cab. I'll be damned if I am going to let another driver put a price on my service.
The customer thinks.....
she proved how smart she is.
The other driver thinks.....
he proved how stupid I am, and that I'm a crook.
I think....
the customer proved what a cheapskate she is.
I think.....
the other driver proved what a slave he is to someone else's whim. The company he works for sets his wage.
Wake up, people. You're not showing how smart you are. All you are showing is how cheap you are. I know that my opinion of you means nothing to you. But to give anyone and everyone this impression of you, over a few dollars? Have you no shame?
I truly do not care whether someone rides with me or not. I have come to find that what most people consider a good tip combined with the so-called going rate is actually less than what my meter runs. I barely make minimum wage now. I would rather risk missing a ride than do it for no profit.
My fare from the airport is usually only about $10.00 more than the average competitor. What's funny about all this is that I have seen people wait in the cold for 20-30 minutes for a "cheaper" taxi to arrive, just to save that $10.00. Are they really THAT stupid?
I've said it before and I'll say it again. You get what you pay for. Chances are, if a cab driver is charging more than others, there is probably a reason. Around here, you either get a cab driver who:
A) is a cab driver and nothing else
B) is a cab driver when he's not dealing or transporting drugs
C) is on welfare
A woman came out tonight going to a hotel on the far east end of town. If memory serves, it's around 12-13 miles. Runs around $48 on my meter, so I told her I could do it for $45. She tells me she was told this should cost around $25.
No one will even leave the airport line for less than $17. Most of us won't leave for less than $20. I won't leave for less than $25. With a maximum expected haul of 3 rides per shift, what do you expect?
At any rate, I already knew at this point I would not be getting the fare. Any time someone starts this "I was told" bullshit, they are going to take the cheapest cab they can find.
I informed her that there were minimum charges from the airport, and the minimums, as well as the fares, would vary from cab to cab. She got a price from the next cab, and asked if I would do it for that. I politely said, "No, ma'am, have a nice night."
The way I see it, if she got a price from another cab, let her ride with that cab. I'll be damned if I am going to let another driver put a price on my service.
The customer thinks.....
she proved how smart she is.
The other driver thinks.....
he proved how stupid I am, and that I'm a crook.
I think....
the customer proved what a cheapskate she is.
I think.....
the other driver proved what a slave he is to someone else's whim. The company he works for sets his wage.
Wake up, people. You're not showing how smart you are. All you are showing is how cheap you are. I know that my opinion of you means nothing to you. But to give anyone and everyone this impression of you, over a few dollars? Have you no shame?
I truly do not care whether someone rides with me or not. I have come to find that what most people consider a good tip combined with the so-called going rate is actually less than what my meter runs. I barely make minimum wage now. I would rather risk missing a ride than do it for no profit.
My fare from the airport is usually only about $10.00 more than the average competitor. What's funny about all this is that I have seen people wait in the cold for 20-30 minutes for a "cheaper" taxi to arrive, just to save that $10.00. Are they really THAT stupid?
I've said it before and I'll say it again. You get what you pay for. Chances are, if a cab driver is charging more than others, there is probably a reason. Around here, you either get a cab driver who:
A) is a cab driver and nothing else
B) is a cab driver when he's not dealing or transporting drugs
C) is on welfare
Sunday, October 4, 2009
More Work-Related Thoughts....
I have considered doing a shuttle service with the van instead of just a taxi service. Doing a test run by making a lap of the area to the most common destinations from the airport, the meter ran $98 without allowing for loading or heavy traffic, and took around an hour. Ten minutes of time is $6.50, and I think I should allow approximately 30 minutes for traffic and loading, which would make a total time of approximately 90 minutes. The extra time for loading and traffic would come to about $20.00 or so, coming to about $120.00 total.
If the meter runs $60.00 to encompass common destinations, the shuttle should divide the $60.00 among however many riders on that particular trip (e.g., 6 riders at $10.00 each, 5 riders at $12.00 each, 4 riders at $15.00 each, and so on)
I am also considering just selling the business, buying a small car and going back to delivering food like I used to do. I have come to realize that I am working more hours for less money than when I delivered food. On top of that, I don't have much of a life outside of work, and I know there's more to life than just work.
If the meter runs $60.00 to encompass common destinations, the shuttle should divide the $60.00 among however many riders on that particular trip (e.g., 6 riders at $10.00 each, 5 riders at $12.00 each, 4 riders at $15.00 each, and so on)
I am also considering just selling the business, buying a small car and going back to delivering food like I used to do. I have come to realize that I am working more hours for less money than when I delivered food. On top of that, I don't have much of a life outside of work, and I know there's more to life than just work.
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