Posts Tagged ‘cabbies’

Let the Gouging Begin! SideCar Discount Taxi Service to Double Price$ on New Year’s Eve – Here’s Why

Friday, December 28th, 2012

Uh, to make more money?

From Ellen Huet comes the news of SideCar doubling its “voluntary” fares for New Years Eve 2013.

So that means you’ll need to pay double to avoid getting blackballed by SideCar’s drivers.

Of course, if a trained and licensed San Francisco taxi driver charges you double a during busy time, that’s a misdemeanor.

But if a SideCar driver jacks up rates on NYE, that’s called bidness.

Oh well.

Hey, Gentle Reader! Why not check in on SideCar’s “amazing year,” below? You’ll be able to see if any mention is made of CPUC case #PSG-3360, you know, that whole “cease and desist” thing.

If only this woman on Market had a SideCar sign instead of a TAXI sign:

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“Hello San Francisco SideCar Community!

2012 has been an amazing year:

  1. The Mayans were wrong
  2. SideCar was born
  3. You showed the world that with instant ridesharing we really can help each other get around in a way that’s more fun, efficient and safe.

Woohoo!

To ring in 2013, plenty of drivers in our community have told us that they plan to get behind the wheel on New Year’s Eve so that you can hit the town safely without having to worry about driving.  <3  To thank them, we decided to do them a huge favor:

For New Year’s Eve only – and in The San Francisco Bay Area Only - from 5pm-5am, as a way of saying thanks to those driving on NYE, we are going to suggest double the community average donation for each ride within the app.  This means that a ride with a typical community average of $10 will say $20 on Monday night.

Here’s why we’re doing this:

  1. SideCar community drivers are not employed by SideCar or put on shifts of any kind. Going online on NYE (or any night) is completely up to them.  Extra donations will help mobilize an army of designated drivers to help you get safely where you want to go on one of the busiest nights of the year for transportation.
  2. There are plenty of things to do on NYE besides drive…  why not sweeten the pot a little for drivers to keep them stoked on getting people around.
  3. Extra donations = extra appreciation for awesome drivers lending a hand on a crazy night like NYE.

Of course, with SideCar what you donate is always up to you, and the community average is just there to help you decide.  We just feel that on a night like New Year’s a little extra for drivers wouldn’t hurt.  We hope you’ll feel the same way.”

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Poor Taxi Service Forces Woman to Fashion Her Own Laminated “Taxi” Sign – Oh, and Lyft and SideCar STILL Illegal

Thursday, November 1st, 2012

This woman standing at a bus stop in the Financh on Market Street outbound had a few choices, I suppose.

She could have tried hailing an illegal Lyft or Side Car jitney taxi (called shiroi takushii* in Japan) but this was a busy, rainy night so that wouldn’t have worked.

And the illegal Town Car Limos, well, they would have quoted her $50 for a ten-minute ride.

And MUNI – come on MUNI would have worked, eventually, but it would have taken a long, long time.

And a bike, well that was how I did it, but, you know, it was raining ‘n stuff.

So, she she whipped out  her home-made visual aid, the poor dear.

Hey lady, look! That taxi’s “TAXI” light is on!** That means that this cab is empty** so the driver will totally pick you up** for sure!

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Did that taxi stop for her?

No not all.

But, nevertheless, carrying around a sign like this seems like a good idea. It probably gives her an edge.

Thank you, drive through.

*”White taxi.” Believe it or not, most private vehicles in Japan have white paint (it’s like 50-something percent, or maybe that percentage is a bit lower these days but anyway), so if some unlicensed dude will drive you around in his car for money, then you call his car a white taxi. You know, as opposed to a yellow taxi*** what has permits and a color scheme and a flag drop and a meter and all the other stuff that Lyft and Side Car don’t have…

**That light is meaningless in the 415. Sorry. Yes, I know, I know, where you’re from, the light means that the driver is looking for fares but that system is not in effect here.

***Which, of course, need not be yellow IRL.

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Come to San Francisco, Buy a Used Town Car, and Then Start Picking Up Passengers Like a Cabbie – Here’s How to Do It

Friday, June 1st, 2012

So let’s see here:

1. We regulate taxi rates so drivers won’t exploit tourists and other disadvantaged souls. (Oh, you’re a rich tourist and you’re lost and your flight leaves in an hour? $200 to SFO, take it or leave it – that kind of thing.)  

2. But we limit the number of cabs on the streets to help out the drivers. 

3. So much so, that buying a used Lincoln Town car and illegally picking people up off of the streets after quoting exorbitant rates is a good way to score some quick cash.

4. And, the SFPD has other fish to fry and the SFMTA isn’t really focused on this issue, so we’re back to square one, with unregulated “taxi” drivers exploiting tourists and other disadvantaged souls. Oh well.

As here. These bidnessmen were trying to flag down some Yellow Cabs, but those were all full, so next come the Black Town Cars. The first one quotes a price through the door, as seen here:

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No dice. (What did the illegal cabbie ask for – $50 to go to Union Square? Something like that.)

And then another one pulls up and then another one, which ends up picking up these dudes and whisking them away. All the while, the bidnessmen were trying to flag down a real taxi.

Here’s the aftermath, on Sacramento:

Note the City of Oakland taxi cruising up the street empty – that’s agin the rules too, as Oakland taxis aren’t allowed to pick up people in the 415.

Now you might not see this too much on a Tuesday night, but on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, it’s Katie Bar The Door out there.

This is the situation.

However, the single-party state of San Francisco is incapable of addressing this particular situation.

Oh well.

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San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener’s Thoughts on Increasing Taxicab Medallions in San Francisco are Utterly Laughable

Tuesday, February 7th, 2012

Uh…

“The idea of adding cabs to city streets has long been opposed by many taxi drivers, who say competition is already fierce enough for a job that has never offered a lucrative payday. Wiener said the hearings can address those concerns. He wants to convince drivers that more cabs will increase their earnings, since passengers will be more willing to call on taxis if they believe service is reliable.”

The idea that increasing the number of medallions would increase the earnings of existing drivers* is utterly laughable.

The lazy sit-around-all-day cabdrivers** of San Francisco:

Ergo, one is forced to assume that Supervisor Wiener isn’t talking to the drivers, oh no. He is actually addressing the people who would otherwise feel sorry for the drivers.

It’s unfathomable that he would actually believe what he’s talking about, so that means he’s lying. (It’d be like Hitler telling the Cossacks how great Operation Barbarossa is going to work out for them.)

Just saying.

*It’s not impossible to observe a network effect or something like that in some systems (like when a Starbucks moves in next door to your existing coffee shop, for example), but it _is_ impossible for an increase in medallions, by itself, to increase the earnings of existing San Francisco cabbies.  

**The other place to look for lazy cabdrivers is at SFO – hundreds of them lazing about smoking cigarettes and playing card games and complaining about how little money they’re making.*** Most hacks in SF aren’t lazy like that. Most hacks drive around looking for fares and, for that reason, end up making more money. 

***Back in the day, there was a hotel sitting on SFO property so driving there from Terminal 3 would take one minute literally. It was a three dollar fare. The airport would allow the returning driver to cut to the front of the line in this situation, but that generally would not make up for the loss of the driver waiting more than an hour for a one-minute ride. Faced with this situation, some of the drivers would pop the trunk, take out your bags and drive off in a huff. Truth. 

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Posted in paranormal | 8 Comments »

Taxi and MUNI Driver Organizing Meeting Coming August 1st, One Day Before the Great Transit Strike of 2011

Friday, July 8th, 2011

I’ve told you before, taxi drivers, and I’ll say it again.

If you want to get healthcare and if you want local govt. to take you seriously, become a MUNI driver.

Anyway, the latest deets are below.

One of the group of San Francisco taxi drivers who isn’t afraid of a little protest, obviously. She has three kids and she’s from Brazil – maybe she’ll be at the big meeting:

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Do I think it’s remotely possible that the bulk of a shift of taxi drivers will go on strike? No.

Do I think it’s probable that MUNI drivers will go on strike on August 2? Also no.

Anyway, the latest:

SF Transit Operator/Taxi Drivers Organizing Meeting August 1st

An open meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 1st, 2011 from 6pm to 9pm, between San Francisco taxi drivers and MUNI bus workers. (Everyone is welcome)

These meetings are to strengthen relations between the taxi workers and bus workers, and to envision a more united and organized public transit worker front. Taxi drivers of late have been protesting 5% credit card fees, rear seat payment terminals, and electronic waybill tracking.

Some MUNI and TAXI workers have voiced OSHA health and safety complaints. They are also protesting Proposition G, which is said to prevent workers from negotiating on their work conditions.

The MTA has recently approved a $233 million contract towards its controversial $1.6 billion project to begin tunneling under Chinatown. Meanwhile, taxi workers and MUNI workers are seeking to combine their efforts to not be forgotten and fight for their rights and demand to have what’s theirs.

WHEN: Monday, August 1st, 2011 from 6pm to 9pm.
WHERE: 201 Turk St. between Jones and Leavenworth.”

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Big Taxi Driver Protest Scheduled for City Hall at Noon Today – Some Drivers Don’t Like Proposed Fees

Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011

Well looky here, looks like we’re in for a good old-fashioned taxi driver protest at City Hall today at noon. It seems some of our hacks are upset about having to pay some credit card fee, more or less. There are other issues as well, see below.

(Hey cabbies, why don’t you just try to become MUNI drivers? They’re always hiring, right? You’ll end up with health care and a bunch more money in the end, right? Just saying. Oh, since you’re not going to listen to me and I’m already telling you what to do, why not get a free Wordpress and post your issues up there? It’ll take like two minutes to get started. Just saying…)

Last time I was at a City Hall taxi protest, it was taken over by this driver, a mother of three from Brazil:

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All the deets:

“Tariq, a cab driver for many years is organizing a protest at City Hall on Tuesday May 3rd. Expected are over 100 drivers at this protest – meet us on the Polk street side of city hall at 12:00 noon.”

“PROTEST Tuesday May 3rd, 12 PM, City Hall, room 400

SHOW UP EVEN IF YOU COULD MAKE $100,000 IN THAT 2-3 HOURS

SAY: NO %5.

SAY WE CAN PAY LESS THAN HALF TO ROCESS CREDIT/DEBIT CARD.

SAY: IF DRIVERS ARE SELF-EMPLOYED, RUNNING THEIR OWN BUSINESS, THEN THEY SHOULD CHOOSE THEIR OWN SERVICE PROVIDER.

SAY: NO GPS ELECTORNIC WAYBILL.

SAY: IF SFMTA WANTS TO TREAT US LIKE AN EMPLOYEE, THEN THEY SHOULD PAY US LIKE MUNI DRIVERS.

SAY: SFMTA CAN NOT HAVE IT BOTH WAYS.

SAY: NO STORAGE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION (DRIVER OR PASSENGER).

SAY: IT HAS BEEN PROVEN THAT PERSONAL INFORMATION HAS, AND CAN BE, BROKEN INTO.

SAY: HOW MUCH, PER HOUR, IT COSTS SFMTA TO PAY AN ENTRY-LEVEL MUNI DRIVER?

SAY: THE FIRST $15 OF EVERY HOUR IS NOT OURS. SAY: WITH THE LEFT OVER WE PAY FOR TICKET, ASSAULT, ACCIDENT, RETIREMENT, MEDICAL, SICK-LEAVE AND MORE.

SAY: COMPARE THIS LEFT OVER WITH YOUR COST FOR AN ENTRY-LEVEL MUNI DRIVER.

SAY: SOME OF US ARE DRIVING MORE THAN 20 YEARS. SAY: WE DO NOT DESERVE THIS.

CABBIES HELPING CABBIES (C.H.C.)”

Bon Courage, hacks!

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