You don't start good, most probably you will not finish good, this is what experienced drivers will tell you. For a good start, driver must be in the city early and must stay in city, at least during rush hours.

Today, it started bad for me. First while I was trying to enter into Manhattan, traffic was not moving at all, it took me half an hour to cross third avenue bridge.

Luckily I got fare early, near E 116th street and Second avenue going to Penn. Station, I hate it, it takes for ever going cross town during evening rush hours.
After that, I got little momentum, and was able to spot fares quickly. Around 6:45 PM, I got another fare going to Penn. Station,passengers were waiting for cabs and no cab was around, as it happens during that time. I drove to front of taxi stand, thinking while I drop off my fare, other cabs can come and pick up fare behind me, leaving some space for them, taxi dispatcher directed passenger to cabs behind me, after I finished with my fare, and ready for hire again,dispatcher kept sending passenger to cabs behind me. To make dispatcher aware that I'm ready for hire, I honked, as soon as I honked, there was a hasidic jewish guy, who was going to cab behind me, instead he ended up in my cab, "I'm going to bensonhurst, take Brooklyn battery tunnel" he told me, and I was like, FUCK, thinking my day is ruined.

While I was in battery tunnel, strange thing happened, instead of Brooklyn battery tunnel's toll, computer popped up Holland tunnel's toll, out of habit I just pressed OK on beep, and noticed $9.50 on my meter instead of $6.07, I kept driving with out telling to the passenger, he was busy advising young fellow, "you must be responsible because you are married now". Young fellow said "I'm just 21", "doesn't matter" hasidic man replied, "you are married, you must not act like other kids".

When we reached at the destination, I asked, "are you paying cash or by credit card?" he answered by credit card, at this point I told him about the tolls mistake, and said you can go ahead with payment, I will give back the difference in cash. He asked me how much toll he was suppose to pay, "$4.57" I said, "and how much did computer charged?" he asked again, "$8.00 by mistake" I replied, "Ok, i'll pay you the full amount, and whatever the difference is, you can keep it as a tip" he told me.

that is so generous of you, getting me out of Manhattan during rush hours to the end of planet, ($8.00-$4.57)- 5%, no one have ever paid me that much tip. Off course i did not say later to him.

After dropping him off, I decided to go to JFK airport, which turned out to be mistake, as it took me good two hours to get job from the airport going to Williams burg, She paid me good tip. With short haul ticket I decided to take another chance on JFK airport, which turned out to be best decision I made during shift, got a fare from Kennedy to upper east side, they even tipped me more.

it was already 12:15, and city looked like ghost town, still was lucky enough to get few more fares, and did end my shift better than thought.

conclusion: experienced drivers are not right always ;)

Labels: NYC, Taxi Tales