This is what gives the taxi industry a bad rap!

Read this article about a taxi driver in New York City who pulled a customer from the cab, because his credit card machine was broken and that is all the customer had to pay with. They caught it all on tape. It isn't technology that will save the taxi industry, it is getting back to the basics, which is good customer service.

UT San Diego

 

San Diego Opens up Taxi Market

In San Diego it's official, there will no longer be a cap on taxi permits. Individuals will be able to purchase thier own taxi permits. This means that there will be no more taxi-medallion resale market as anyone can go directly to the the taxi regulatory agency to obtain a taxi operating permit. Somewhere around $3,500. This is good news for those wanting permits and bad news for current permit holders who are going to see the value of thier investment go to zero. For more details see KPBS or CBS NEWS EIGHT

 

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More Bad News for Uber in China

It seems as if Uber has had a hard time breaking into the Chinese market and it will now be even harder as the two largest ridesharing app companies are merging. The Chinese government has already made it harder for Uber to operate in China by requiring that only licenced taxi drivers can use the ride share apps Read this article in Tech Crunch.

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This may be the news we have been looking for, Uber and other rideshare drivers may have to be classified as Employees. Take a look at this article from Bloomberg News. This Judge seems to get it that Uber and other ride shares are not just software platforms (apps). Take a look at Bloomberg News.

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Even in China, changing attitudes about the taxi business.

 

China is experiencing the same problem that most the the major U.S. cities are seeing, a rise in more activism on the part taxi drivers, and more protests about ridesharing apps. There have been strikes by taxi drivers in several major cities and the government recently ruled that only licensed taxi drivers could use the ride share apps. The goverment has made a commitment to restructure the industry with the goal of raising the income of drivers and more regulations on the ride share industry. For more information visit the Seattle Times

Some Seattle Drivers unhappy with Uber's driver rating system

View this Komo News video from Seattle

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Uber-driver-claims-working-conditions-are-unjust-255021211.html?tab=video&c=y

Busted!

March 30, 2014

Kennedy Airport dispatchers just got busted this week for taking bribes from taxi drivers. Instead of handing them a regular ticket, they gave the dispatchers/customer service personal a $10.00 bill. It's about time. 16 people in all. For details see the New York Daily News at http://nydn.us/1lOSZLZ.

And if that's not enough, it appears as if a livery driver deliberately hit a taxicab "cop" when they were trying to illegally pick up passengers curb side, by taking off with the door still open after being questioned. See this also in the New York Daily News at http://nydn.us/1e1N7K

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The Windy City is getting Turbulent

February 14, 2014

The weather in Chicago may be exceptionally cold, but the Taxi Business is heating up. A group of taxi owners, drivers, and the Illinois Transportation Trade Association has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Chicago, claiming that the city has not enforced its own rules against unlicensed taxi companies such as UberX, Lyft and other so called ride sharing or transportation network companies ( a termed coined by the California Public Utilities Commission). This lawsuit came about as the result of the Mayor of Chicago proposing a set of rules allowing these ride-sharing companies to operate with licensing and insurance requirements. Two members of the Chicago City Council opposed the ride-sharing companies and want them stopped.

There is definitely merit to this lawsuit. The California Public Utilities Commission and the City of Chicago as well as other governmental entities can call them what they want but in reality they are operating as taxi-cabs, getting people from point A to Point B and they are being allowed to operate without all the restrictions placed on the taxi-cab industry for many years. Taxi cab companies are not allowed to turn down fares based on the distance of the trip-even just two blocks.! Taxicab are not allowed to red line certain areas of the city, primarily low income areas, where as ride-shares seem to be able to operate in any way they please. Of course they are going after the best fares and the most affluent customers, leaving the mostly unprofitable fares to the taxis. If a taxi company told a customer they could only pay with a debit or credit card and that customer complained, they would be in big of trouble.

This is one if not the first federal lawsuits and the first time a City has been sued over the issue. The previous lawsuits have been against the ride-shares companies such as UberX. So this is definitely a new approach to the issue and probably a wiser one.

We will keep you posted as the case develops.

For more information on this matter go to

www.bizjournals.com

chicagotribune.com Feb.. 6th addition

 

Get the money up front!

February 8, 2014

It's been said many times before, when you pick up a fare going a long distance, get your money up front or at least a substantial deposit. According to the New York Daily News a women took a cab from JFK Airport to Mass. The agreed upon fare was $980. The customer was jailed and then release when she agreed to pay the money within 30 days. The question here is was it really worth it? What's going to happen within 30 days if she doesn't pay? Where is the money coming from? All this means is more hassle for the driver, so make it easy on yourself. It's much better to turn down a fare, then to experience the awful feeling of not getting paid or having to go through this to get paid. Be polite and professional when asking for money up front and you will be happy you did. To read this article go to www.nydailynews.com (Feb. 8th addition.)

Not all drivers happy with Uber

At least not in Chicago. Uber has announced that they will begin to charge $10.00 per week for the data plan on the I phones provided to drivers whether they use them or not. Drivers are also complaining that they have to wait longer for Uber fares to come out to their vehicles. Sounds like the realities of the market place are beginning to hit Uber. For the story go to:

http://www.wbez.org/news/cabbies-threaten-abandon-uber-over-changes-109625

 

Uber gets down and dirty.

This one could make a slot on the Jerry Springer show. Uber, the company that promotes the concept of a free market in the taxi business apparently doesn't think that applies to them. According to an article in the Valley Wag. (A Silicone Valley Blog Post), Uber employees in the New York City office have been placing fake calls to a new ridesharing company called Gett, and then cancelling the rides after the vehicle arrives. In addition, they are accused of then texting the drivers and soliciting them to join Uber. How sleazy can you get? For details go to valleywag.gawker.com/ We all know that Uber is trying to make the taxi business fade away, but this time they may have shot themselves in the foot.

 

Uber X to stop picking up at LAX, at least for now!

According to the Los Angeles times, Uber X will discontinue picking up at the Los Angeles Airport, due the the fact that 200 citations have been issued to Uber X drivers since December. The Los Angeles Airport police have stated that safety is an issue and that Uber X vehicles and drivers do not have the proper permits. However this is probably just temporary as Uber will no doubt start talks with the Airport Officials to get the ball rolling on allowing them to pick up there. Of course they can drop off there any time. This only effects Uber X, the ridesharing version of Uber. The regular Uber vehicles that have airport permits will still be picking up. For more details go to the Los Angeles Times.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-uber-lax-20140124,0,1967143.story#axzz2rbZPcGMX

I Left My Cab In San Francisco!

You've probably heard the song "I left my heart in San Francisco" well now taxi drivers are leaving their cabs in San Francisco. According to the San Francisco Taxi Drivers association, one third of the taxi drivers have abandoned their cabs to drive for one of the new ride sharing services. In addition the City of San Francisco added 120 new medallions in 2013. Guess what, there is now a shortage of cab drivers. The situation has gotten bad enough that in order to get more drivers the taxi authority has temporarily waived the cities $155.50 new taxi driver permit application.

Are Taxis headed for extinction?

What had seemed impossible a short time ago, has now become a real and significant threat to the taxi industry, the possibility that the taxi business as we know it may be doomed. In California first it was the shuttles and for hire vehicles, which have already had a significant impact on the business, then in the last year it was a new type of ride sharing service made possible by the advent of smart phone apps. Now that ride sharing services have been legalized by the California Public Utilities Commission, they are growing rapidly. According to the San Francisco Taxi Drivers Association, about one third of the taxi drivers in San Francisco have left their cabs behind and started driving for ride share services. It is going to be very difficult to compete with services that don't require a designated vehicle and all the regulations associated with the taxi industry in most major cities. (see article below)

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California Here We Come!

December 27, 2013

Now that the California Public Utilities Commission has approved the operation of ride sharing services, now called transportation network companies, the whole passenger ground transportation industry is in for big change. The impact will be especially felt in the taxi industry, which is regulated by cities and counties. These ridesharing services came into the state, were operating illegally, and now have been given legal status by the CPUC.

It is going to be very difficult for taxis to compete for rides, especially on pre-arranged trips. Owners have invested thousands of dollars and even gone into debt to buy taxi medallions because the supply was limited by city and county jurisdictions. Now almost any person who has a private car, less than 10 years old, and a reasonably good driving record, can offer trips for a profit. They have no lease to pay, so they can work in prime time, they pay only out of what they earn, so what is there to lose? Taxi drivers are usually only given one option and that is to lease a cab by the week, so they have to work every day, or suffer the consequences of paying a lease when they brought in no revenue.

Taxi drivers and owners are fined all the time for even minor violations of vehicle and taxi laws. While the transportation network cars have to go in for a yearly 19 point inspection, taxis are subject to spot inspections on a very regular basis.

Taxis are required to pick up fares regardless of the distance, and pick-up at Grocery stores, etc, which are not profitable trips, but there was a compensating factor. The driver would get through the course of the day a good mixture of fares, some short, some long, but at the end of the day he made a profit. If the profitable, high end rides are taken up by TCP vehicles and rides shares, what does that leave the taxi with?

There are a multitude of issues here, so it's imported to stay informed and get involved!

 

Free Airport Rides in Seattle!

December 23, 2013

According to the Seattle Times Alaska Airlines is offering free rides from Seattle to the Airport (Sea-Tac) today and tomorrow Dec. 24 up to $50.00 while supplies last. And who are these free rides with, you got, Uber and UberX. This is the time of year when most taxi drivers rely heavily on Airport Rides to make it, so this could have a serious impact on driver earnings. Not a happy holiday for cab drivers. It all depends on the amount of volume that Uber can handle.

This Website is a work in progress, so as time goes by you can expect changes based on our experiences.

Your input is encouraged. If you have important news concerning the taxi business in your area please contact or e-mail us. If you have ideas or suggestion for this website don't hesitate to call or e-mail us.

This is not a political website, however, this is a website for taxi drivers, both those that lease or own their cab. The website therefore is designed to look at things from a taxi driver perspective. You can express your views on issues concerning taxi-cabs in your area. And when we have an opinion to express, you will find our editorials on that page. In addition, regulatory agencies, public officials, and taxi companies can also express their point of view, as well as relay important information to drivers via our website.

 

If you don't see your city listed, no worries, just give us a call or e-mail. We will constantly be adding cities and taxi districts to our site . Those requesting that their city be added will get the top priority.

 

Lots of exciting things coming up, we look forward to hearing from you.

Focus: Customer Service

We have a new series of tips focusing on customer service in the taxi business. The best way to get new customers and and retain existing customers is to provide excellent customer service. If customers are happy with your service they will stick with you, rather than switch to a new company. With the advent of the new ride-sharing companies, many of the comments coming from existing or former taxi customers is that their service is poor, with rude drivers that don't know where their going and sometimes don't even show up for calls.

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Tip # 4 Always Check the Trunk and The Back Seat at end of The Ride.

One of the most important things to do is to develop the habbit of checking the back seat of your cab, and the trunk if used, at the end of each trip and before the customer has departed. By doing this you are providing superior customer service and also saving yourself time and hassle. At night, you should always have a good flashlight so you can quickly check your back seat and floor. The customer will appreciate the fact that you discovered their cell phone on the seat and they got it back before you left.

Consider this, it is Friday night and extremely busy. You drive off from your last fare without checking your back seat. This was from a pick-up downtown so neither you or the dispatch office has a customer name or number. The customer remembers the color of the cab, so they call till they find the right company but they don't have a cab number or driver name. The dispatcher spends all his time on the phone with this customer who is insistent about getting the phone back. In the meantime, the phone is ringing and the dispatcher is missing calls. So everyone looses. Developing good habbits is not that hard, and it saves everyone time and money.

Tip #3 Always help or offer to help unload luggage and other parcels from the trunk.

While this may seem to be the standard practice, it just doesn't happened all the time. Drives push the trunk release and sit on their behinds in the Cab. This shows a total lack of concern for the customer and and lack of enthusiasm for your job. Event if the customer looks to be in as good as shape as a star soccer player, that's not the point. By getting out to help the customer or offering to help the customer, you are showing them that you care about them. You display a sense of professionalism about your job and it makes all the difference in the world. At the same time, it gives you the chance to check the the trunk to make sure that nothing is left behind, thereby saving you the cost and time of having to return the item to the customer later.

 

 

Tip #2 Cheerfully Take Credit Cards!

 

That's right. Cheerfully take credit cards, regardless of the amount. Why do we say take them "cheerfully"? Because one of the biggest complaints about taxi drivers is that they refuse to take a credit card, or they complain about it. Lets repeat this: customers do not want to hear you complain about your job, or about the fact that the company charges you too much and you don't make any money. That is your problem, not theirs. That doesn't mean you shouldn't take action or express your views, but not to the customer. How much you get charged or when you get paid is not the customers problem. If you and other drivers want to change the amount you get paid or how fast you get paid, then by all means pursue these issues, but keep the customer out of it. This is an age when almost everyone uses credit cards, and to deny that to your customers means that they will look for alternatives, like rideshares or Uber.You might say well the other taxi drivers will take them so it's OK.. But it's not O.K. When you go into a Star bucks, or a McDonalds, you get the same consistent service, in any store you visit, and it should be that way with taxis. Remember, what you do impacts the entire industry, not just you. Be a team player!

 

Tip #1 Get Off Your Cell Phone!

 

We all know the safety risks of driving while talking on a cell phone, but there is an important customer service issue here. While most states have outlawed hand held devices while driving, if you have passengers in your cab, you shouldn't be talking on your cell phone period. This is one of the common complaints about taxi drivers. The customer gets into the cab, and the driver is carrying on a conversation on his phone during the entire ride. How rude!

If you have a passenger in your cab, you should be devoting your entire attention to that customer. The customer may even want to ask you a question but doesn't, because you are too busy talking to someone else. In addition, it gives the customer the impression that you aren't paying attention to your driving so there is a perceived safety issue with the customer.

You might observe that the customer is talking on their cell phone, so why can't you? Because the customer has essentially hired you to transport him/her somewhere. They are paying for the trip. You are the one working, not them.

In addition, another issue comes up if you are speaking a language they don't understand. Most taxi drivers are immigrants, which means that they speak English along with their native tongue. If they are talking to someone on your cell phone in a language they don't understand, there is a certain anxiety level, because they think you might be talking about them or something bad. Now we know this isn't happening, but they don't. The fact that you speak two or more languages is a good thing, but you must use these language skills appropriately. This is a service business and it's important to look at these things from the customers perspective.

If you get a call when a passenger is in the cab, politely say to the caller that you have a passenger in the cab and you will call them back when you are clear. Let the passengers hear this so that they know your attention is focused on them.

So if you are going to do any talking, talk to the customer. Start practicing this and you will notice a big difference in the customers attitude and yours, with bigger tips!