What if at start of ride someone walks up to you, and tells you that they don't have money for the ride but at the end of fare they will bring up the money from his/her house/apartment, will you pick up that fare?
This past weekend I dropped off someone on West 46
th street, street was jam packed with cabs due to
Hudson terrace and
Pacha as I expected, one girl was talking to the cab driver for about five minutes three cabs ahead of my cab , and then cab left with out picking her up to the next fare, same happened with all three drivers ahead of me, they talked to the girl and then drove off with out picking her up.
On weekends in busy hours, usually drivers tend to avoid fares going outside Manhattan as their business strategy to earn more money, while waiting for my turn I was thinking, she might be going to some outer borough and I was ready to pick her up regardless of the destination. As I approached her she came to driver's side door and told me she is going to West 26th street, but did not have any money or credit card on her and would bring money from her apartment. I picked her up and she was very thankful to me, at the destination which was about 23 blocks, a short ride, she brought me $20.
I have done the same thing
numerous times, and I can tell every person who told me at start of ride that he/she don't have money and will bring money at destination had always returned and left good tips, the person who's intention is jumping the fare will never approach driver in this manner, instead
all four fare jumpers I had this year, they acted bossy through out the ride.
Labels: Manhattan, Taxi Business, Yellow Cab
Finally, I have finished with my blog design, I'm quite satisfied with it, It is simple and yet has a Cab Driver's Blog look.
As this is the first post on this blog, I should introduce myself, I guess.
My name is Muhammad, an immigrant, New Yorker for almost ten years and a cab driver. I was born in a small and remote village in Pakistan, graduated from Karachi University in Ship Technologies, in year 2000. Same year my family got immigrant visa to U.S.
We landed in new York, on July of 2000, since then I'm a new yorker. It is pretty hard to settle in new place, more harder if you don't know any one. To make ends meet I worked as construction helper, behind the counter jobs, jobs where you don't make money, but they take care of your bills and rent etc.
As you might know, in NYC almost 70% cab drivers are south Asian descend, I knew people who were driving cabs and were making decent living, biggest thing was they were also able to save few bucks, only thing that kept me back from driving cab was "I don't know my way around city".
After encouragement from people, who were driving already, I applied for FHV license, from 2005 to 2008, I drove as a chauffeur in black car company "limousine company". Until 2007, I was pretty satisfied with that, as I had plenty of time for myself, yet doing my job, making money.
Then economy started falling, the company I worked for had Lehman Brothers Account, which was one of the biggest account for us and many more companies, my company lost the account. That was just the start, even after losing Lehman brothers account, drivers were able to make their living. By the end of 2007 economy and banks started falling so fast, unimaginable, so does black car business which mainly works with those big banks. I spent whole 2008 in “ hope for the best” kind of feelings, and went in debt during this period, I was working 15-18 hours, and after paying lease for the ca , company dues, was only able to save money for the next week's gas.
Early in 2009, one of my friend from black car company, started driving yellow cab and was able to make some money, upon his referral, I took the test, and since march of 2009, I'm driving yellow cab.
Right now my plans are to work as cab driver at least for 2 years, get out of debt, save some money and start my own business in near future.
During that period, I will continue writing some stories, along the way, I might learn English, Which many customers think, I should.
Labels: NYC, Personal, Yellow Cab
