Bytes from the Back Seat

Taxi numbers on the increase

2007-03-06T05:19:00.000+09:00

Alannah MacTiernan the minister responsible for all things cab related has announced she will be releasing 20 taxis a month each month for the next year in an effort to reduce waiting times at peak demand times.

Does this mean they will be peak period plates ?? That would be preferable from my point of view. If they are going to be full time then I worry about our incomes as weeknights are far quieter than weekend.

She claims the ratio of 1 cab to 1111 persons in Perth is the highest of all the Australian states. Whats that got to do with the price of tea in China? No one I know outside of my job catches cabs. Plenty of people I meet in my job only get 1 or 2 cabs a year. Others are catching cabs several times a day. Maybe our ratio needs to be different based on the way people catch cabs in Perth. A comment on my blog over on blogspot mentions 14,000 cabs for 2 million people where the commenter lives we have 1,500 for 1.5 million maybe the cab prices are more affordable there hence higher instance of taxi travel. He doesn’t mention if the drivers are making enough to live on which I think is the major concern of all cabbies.

The story from TheWest is here

Adelaide... More sex attacks

2007-03-02T07:10:00.000+09:00

2 More women have complained of sexual attacks/assaults that have occurred in recent times in Adelaide cabs. The article states there have been 5 attacks now since the start of 2007 following on from 21 attacks in the last 7 months of last year.

I really do feel for the legit honest cabbies that are trying to make a dollar in Adelaide at the moment. This time of year would be one of the busiest for them with the V8 Supercars kicking off their season at the Clipsal 500 event in Adelaide this weekend.

I was driving in Perth when the Claremont murders happened and almost over night our income dropped 50% on what it had been. Women sat in the rear of cabs shoved up against the rear doors trying to remove themselves as much as possible from the cabbie whilst still remaining in the car.

Mothers came outside to take my photograph standing in front of my taxi license plate while holding my Dept of Transport photo ID card. I’d jokingly ask them to email me a copy but I never got one.

Cabbies got DNA swabbed by police to ‘rule them out’ of the investigation.

Of course I realise murder and sex attacks are completely different crimes for one thing the police have a live person to talk to and a description of the person they are looking for which is a big help. But anyway you look at it 26 attacks in 9 months is shocking.

I just hope they catch the drivers responsible.

Here’s something else to think about. It will be the good cabbies, the ones that know where they are going, speak english and are an asset to the industry, it will be those cabbies that will leave because they simply can’t make a living any more if this drags on for too long and they are the very drivers Adelaide needs if they are going to rebuild and regain the trust of the public.

Fake Cabbie

2007-02-26T15:28:00.000+09:00

Well I’m still not totally sure but it seems tonight I was picked up by a male person driving a taxi, who wasn’t actually a licenced and registered taxi driver. This person even explained the whole thing to me. He met a friend a legit cabbie it seems at his house and the cabbie wanted a drink. Our moonlighting friend declined and instead decided to make a few dollars on the side by driving his mates cab. From what I could see in the darkened interior of the taxi the id card on display didn’t match his face. But it was the fact he didn’t run the meter that initially raised my suspicions. I let them know at base when I booked the cab that I was a driver and the had obviously included that information on the job details as he asked me if I was heading to or from work when I got in. When we got to my destination I expected him to say something about forgetting the meter but he just said the fare was on him and don’t worry about it. Given my suspicions I didn’t complain and hopped out and went about my business.

Had he been the real thing I would have given him $10 even after the kind offer of a freebie as we all have to make a buck and he had done me a favour.

UPDATE: I just contacted the base supervisor and asked if my job had been picked up by the driver who accepted it thinking he might have rejected the fare or called a no-job but no he had run the meter to indicate pickup just not while I was in the cab …. Weird if you ask me!!

You ran over my feet

2007-02-23T01:42:00.000+09:00

That last post reminded me of another sunday night down at the Obie.

I had picked up and was trying to make my way through the throng of people inch by inch tapping the horn as I went as they were really tightly gathered around the whole car. Finally I got through and pulled onto the road wating for a gap as I needed to make a u-turn.

Anyway before I got the gap a guy comes running up to my open window and shouts at me “You just ran over my f***ing feet!” To which I replyed “Well obviously your feet are alright, after all you just ran down here to tell me!”

Stereotypes

2007-02-15T07:17:00.000+09:00

I’ve never really put much thought into stereotypes. That is until one Sunday night probably 6 or 7 years ago. Back then I used to work the Sunday session around Cottesloe, mainly from the Obie (Ocean Beach Hotel). Now the routine was fairly simple. The session would wind down around 9pm at the Obie and the crowd would gather outside before moving on to Claremont and Club BayView a short trip of just $6. Liquor licenses on Sundays in Perth back then ran out at midnight so time was limited both for the punters wanting a skin full and the cabbies wanting to fatten the pocket. So once you’d dropped at ‘Club’ it was straight back to the Obie for hopefully the next car load.

What has that got to do with stereotypes you ask? Well 1 Sunday night I got stuck behind a slow driver. Nothing unusual about that I agree but the problem was that over 50% of the trip was on a tight single lane each way road with 2 roundabouts and several speed humps. In other words a road with absolutely nowhere to pass. This particular driver however must have bagged every stereotype ever thought up for slow and/or annoying drivers.

I was behind a Volvo Estate (station wagon), with country plates. Driven by a female driver (no flames please), wearing a hat with kids moving unrestrained around the back and she was driving at 30km/h basically half the legal speed limit. I mean imagine every joke you’ve ever heard about driving and I was looking at it.

Thankfully she turned left where I turned right and I never saw her again

Road rage

2007-02-06T14:16:00.000+09:00

I’m not ashamed to admit it. I was scared. Not wetting my pants, crying like a baby scared, but hair standing up on my neck, got my attention, knot in my stomach kind of scared.

I made a right turn in front of a 4-wheel drive on the way home for a coffee break Sunday night. Okay I didn’t have heaps of room but I gave it a boot full (read accelerated with purpose) around the corner and I’m fairly certain the 4wd didn’t have to slow down in the slightest as a result. That didn’t bother him though as he flashed me several times with his 100watt spotties. I gave him the finger and he drew closer almost to the point of hitting me.

I wasn’t intimidated by his carry on at this stage as this is something which I have experienced several times during the 11yrs I've driven a cab. I just slowed down a bit making sure to stay right on the speed limit.

After about a minute he backed off and I thought maybe he had enough. Just the same I didn’t indicate my intention to take the next left just in case and turned at the last moment. Thats when I realised he was either really pissed off or just wired wrong in the head as he stopped in the middle of the intersection before turning the corner and speeding after me.

The first road had been single lanes both ways but now we were on a dual lane road and he was coming up alongside me or at least thats what he thought. In the past cars have passed me then moved over in front of me and slammed the brakes on. Not wanting to be part of his crazy game I waited till he was just passing me and hit the brakes hard. He went sailing past and stopped about 25-30meters further down at which point I did a u-turn and headed back the other way hoping he would get tired of it all and leave me alone.

He didn’t. That was the point I got scared. It’s one thing to flash your lights at someone or tailgate them to scare them a little, even brake testing someone is pretty much nothing to get excited about provided your expecting it which I was. It’s when the other guy changes direction twice determined to follow you and exact some revenge that things get a little too exciting for me.

I wondered just how far this guy was prepared to go. I was also faced with a choice. Less than 1km from where I was was a highway should I head out there and use the power of the engine to out run this moron, the downside being it’s out of the way and if anything happened I would be on my own or should I turn left through the intersection again and head through the suburbs.

I decided on suburbia and once on the side road noticed it was also dual lane and thankfully it had some traffic. I took the right lane, found a gap, put the boot into it and pasted around 8 or so cars before pulling back into the left lane and slowing back to the speed limit. At the next set of lights I took the left, glancing in the mirrors the whole time. Mr Psycho stopped part way into the intersection and waited maybe 10 or 15 seconds before carrying on to wherever crazy individuals like him go.

I continued on my way home, checking the mirrors the whole way. Almost expecting him to pop up behind me like some cheap horror movie and start at me again. I made my coffee when I got home and sat down to watch Rocky IV on the TV.

I can tell you, it was at least a quarter hour after I got home before I stopped shaking.

Duty of Care

2007-01-31T06:34:00.000+09:00

Tonight I picked up a guy from outside a local pub. It was clear to me he was well tanked as he was slurring his words and talking in unrelated bursts. Anyway he requests the bottle shop drive thru and when we get there the attendant noticing his condition tells him sorry but I can't serve you alcohol. We leave there and I ask "Where to?" assuming he will head home but no he tells me to find him the nearest bottle shop as he still wants his block of cans.

Finally after driving around for a fair while and finding all 3 bottleshops in the area closed I took the guy home. But it raises the question. The bottleshop attendant has a duty of care under the law requiring him to refuse service to someone visibly under the influence, which he did. But where does that leave me? and what are my obligations under the law or the taxi act for that matter?

Do I blindly drive him wherever he wants to go or am I meant to tell him the best place for you is home you've had a skin full? Simply put my job is to drive people from point A to point B but we all know the law is anything but simple

New twist on Drink driving

2007-01-28T04:48:00.000+09:00

A gold coast man caught for DUI upon leaving the police station, hailed a cab to go to a bottle shop and then returned to his vehicle and drove away.

Police were waiting for him however and to add to everything else he now blew a higher blood alcohol reading.

The news article is here

Announcing WordPress Blog Mirror

2007-01-23T17:15:00.000+09:00

Well it took a while but I have finally copied all the posts from this blog over to the mirror I created on WordPress. The annoying thing is I have more readers on that blog after only 2 weeks than I have here on Blogger and I haven't done anything to promote it. That's the power of WordPress I guess.

Anyway should you want to check it out the uri is Bytes from the Back Seat

Your only a cabbie

2007-01-20T03:08:00.000+09:00

4 words that don't look like much on a page or a computer screen for that matter but damn if they don't make my blood boil when they are said in a derogatory and/or dismissive manner as they were Friday morning.

Yes I am a Cabbie should I be ashamed of the fact? Should I apologise for it? Sure I might not get to wear the nice suit or have lunch in the fancy restaurant and sure I don't have the ditsy but definitely good looking personal assistant and I'll never have the six figure income. But damn him I'm 'PROUD' of being a Cabbie. I'm 'GOOD' at what I do and hey he 'NEEDED ME'

So be dismissive Mr Arrogant and up yourself but remember this. When you needed to get somewhere I turned up and took you there and I did so efficiently, professionally, courteously and without treating you in the manner you treated me.

Signed

Only a Cabbie

I never got to say thankyou

2007-01-18T07:40:00.000+09:00

--- This was originally posted as a comment on my blog here ---

A few years ago I was leaving the airport doing 80kays on the access road and suddenly the traffic just stopped, literally. I managed to stop under full emergency braking with maybe half an inch between me and the car in front but after that realisation I glanced at the rear view mirror and I could tell the cab that was bearing down on me was never going to stop. Not in time.

The next few moments were spent glancing at the car in front praying he would move up even the tiniest bit so I could also move up and maybe just maybe it would be enough and looking back at the mirror and the cab that was about to run straight thru me. Of course this all took a fraction of a second and then he came flying past me on the left in the breakdown lane.

He stopped under full emergency braking exactly in line with the front of my car. Had he not had the presence of mind to dive left at the last second I would have been sucking my Christmas dinner thru a straw in intensive care. If I lived at all. It was Christmas eve.

My greatest regret is I never got his number and as a result never got the chance to meet him, shake his hand and thank him for being on the ball when it mattered the most.

Lost property and secret recordings

2007-01-18T05:54:00.000+09:00

I picked up 3 young women tonight in their mid twenty's they wanted to go from Trigg to Cottesloe. Anyway after about 10 minutes 1 of them asks me for my cab number and promptly sms's it off to a friend. I thought that was a bit strange but she says she has a habit of leaving stuff in cabs and wanted to make sure she knew the cab she had been in so getting her stuff back would be easier. I suggested just checking the cab when she got out would be the smart option but it seems she is a serial loser of stuff in cabs. The tally was 8 mobile phones, 3 handbags, numerous sets of keys and sunglasses.

Anyway towards the end of the fare she says "Shit!, I've been video recording the whole cab ride since we left home. Everything we've said has been recorded and I've just sent it off to 'Beck" Now I'm not sure how to feel about this. I mean had she not sent it too her friend I would have asked her to delete it as I wasn't aware I was being recorded and didn't feel too comfortable about it.
Am I overreacting?? Conversations happen in taxis that would be inappropriate in another context but from what I can remember nothing was said that I should worry about.

What do yo think?? If your a cabbie how do you think you would feel being taped without your permission? I'd never even thought about it but with mobiles today it's certainly possible.

A daughter lost.

2007-01-12T06:14:00.000+09:00

My thoughts go out today to FreddyBeach Cabbie.

Today is the 8th anniversary of the death of his daughter in an alcohol related traffic accident. Head on over to his blog site and take a look at the video he put together (I'm on dial-up it's not that big) She was very young and very beautiful

They say it gets easier with time but I hazard a guess there will be 1 less cabby on the roads tonight. All the best mate.

-: I drove like an idiot after dropping my last fare off this morning at the airport, trying to make up time between there and changeover with a fuel stop on the way,even thou at the time I knew it was stupid. Then when I got online and read the post by FreddyBeach Cabbie and watched the movie, I felt twice as stupid.

What have you done this past week in your car that was stupid, dangerous or foolish?? Maybe this is a good time to reflect on those things and make an effort to do less stupid, dangerous or foolish things behind the wheel.

Blog problems

2007-01-05T03:39:00.000+09:00

I have noticed some problems with my blog over the last few weeks. Firstly the recent comments widget hasn't updated when someone has left a comment. I understand it wont happen instantly as blogger has to reindex the comment feed but 1 from the 23/12/06 has only just appeared there today!

The other thing is my archives. If you look on the sidebar it shows the 3 (4 when I post this) posts I have made this year. The problem is even thou the post date is correct it still shows the archive as being 2006 and the month December! You would think with Blogger out of beta things like this would be fixed. So anyway being the lazy person I am I'm going to leave it another week and hope they sort it on their side and if its still showing incorrectly then I will email support and see what happens.

Pedicabs

2007-01-05T03:21:00.000+09:00

I have been seeing these 'Bail' style Pedicabs around Northbridge lately and never really gave them much thought I mean there not about to take our $25-$100 job market off us are they? It's more of a novelty factor something you would do for a bit of fun that is until last night.

Last night it was dead, so dead I did $57.50 in 4 hrs and had to take 5 jobs to make it!! Thankfully it did pick up and the night finished off much better but this story is about Pedicabs and last night they moved in on 'my' turf.

I drove past the Rydges hotel in hay st and saw not 1 but 4 Pedicabs. Have they got a license I wondered? Have they been given permission to park right outside 1 of the more popular city hotels ?? What really annoyed me is they were parked right outside the hotel and the taxi rank is 150 meters down the road from there. Last night I wanted every and any job I could get, even the little $7 one mattered.

So I've decided I need to give my dispatch a call in the morning and ask them if they have any knowledge of these Pedicab vultures. I don't want to shut them down but I would prefer it if they stayed out of the city and just worked Northbridge that's the place for something like this in amongst the bars and clubs and kebab joints.

Its funny how my attitude has changed towards them now it's January and work is scarce. I'll post up the response I get from dispatch tomorrow if I get the chance.

Persistance pays off

2007-01-02T06:47:00.000+09:00

I realised after talking with the service station guy this morning that the title of this post "Persistence pays off!!" could have been the title of this blog, it certainly is my motto I just didn't realise it until this morning.

Taxi drivers are a funny lot. 4 nights a week they will work from 6pm (usually) to midnight or 1am then head for home and in doing so they forego the remaining 5 or 6 hours of their shift. They justify it by saying "it's not worth my time" or "it's too quiet/theres no work" when in reality there is work out there you just have to know where to find it and given that I don't work Fri/Sat nights I have to stay out and make the most of those early morning hours.

I've gotten to the stage where I LOVE the quiet times and I realise that may sound a bit strange to you but I really mean it. I feel a much greater sense of achievement and accomplishment right now after finishing my shift even thou I'm $80 down on my take for New Years Eve. The reason is because unlike NYE the money wasn't thrown at me I had to search it out, It would have been easy to finish the night with $100 less than I ended up taking but I wanted to work, I searched out the work and I found it and because of that I got the reward.

So my motto for 2007 is going to be "Persistence pays off!!"

Below Par

2007-01-01T06:11:00.000+09:00

Crap!! That is my assessment of this New Years Eve. It rates second in the list of crap New Years only missing out to the New Years of 1999/2000 when everyone thought the world was going to end because of the y2k bug and no one could agree if it really was the new millennium or if that started with 2001.

My best night in 2006 came in November before we had a fare increase and it was a weeknight I don't work Fri/Sat night and haven't for over 12 months. Well tonight after the fare increase which gave us 6cents a kilometer, 20cents each flagfall and 50cents on our phone booking fee and including the New Years Eve surcharge of $4.50 on each fare I only bettered my previous best by $6

I had time to go home at midnight for a toilet break and a coffee a luxury you just never get on a busy New Years Eve. If I had to estimate it I would say I should have made at least $150 more than I did and thats not ego talking or greed thats an honest estimate based on a good night including the extra $4.50 surcharge.

Part of it was the increased public transport that was put on something I support totally. It's about time people both customers and officialdom realise taxis can't cope with the huge peak demand that occurs at times like this and we can't be expected to.

The other problem was the media beating up the fact that taxis will be swamped and getting 1 will be nigh on impossible so make sure you have other arrangements. The trouble is they did. The trains left Perth packed while the taxis coasted around busy but far from flat out.

My take for the night was good don't get me wrong and any other night I would be more than happy with it. It's just that this was New Years Eve and I guess there just wasn't the sizzle that you normally expect. It lacked that total consuming edge to it that you associate with a good New Years Eve.

Tonight we have Perth Cup and 20/20 cricket at the WACA so it will be another busy night hopefully it will make up for last night. 1 thing I know, the extra transport isn't running.

New Years Eve

2006-12-31T03:53:00.000+09:00

I would just like to wish everyone a very enjoyable and safe New Years Eve.

I will be out there and working hard to get as many people to and from their party's as possible.

For the taxi drivers out there may it be a safe, enjoyable and profitable night for all of you.

A wish for 2007
May the best of your yesterdays
Be the worst of your tomorrows

Happy New Year

For Christ`s sake, it`s Christmas Eve!

2006-12-28T04:08:00.000+09:00

That was the response of a German taxi driver when an armed assailant pointed a gun at his head. While not the response you would expect it was certainly effective scaring the robber away. He was arrested with his girlfriend a short time later.

Read more here It's Christmas

"Bloody hell, Even the bins are in green and gold!!"

2006-12-19T22:02:00.000+09:00

That was the comment made by a rather dejected English cricket fan on the night of the 4th day of the recent 3rd Ashes test held here in Perth.

Our household recycling bins are green with a yellow lid and are put out on the verge the night before and then emptyed early the next morning. I guess after the 2 late wickets fell putting victory in this test and any chance of retaining the Ashes beyond the reach of the English team my passenger didn't want to be reminded about anything Australian.

Frank Feldman

2006-12-11T03:23:00.000+09:00

I get several Google Alerts each day emailed to me and since posting A Perfect Man I have been seeing the story of 'Frank Feldman' popping up on blogs more and more. So much in fact it prompted me to run a Google Blog Search on 'Frank Feldman". It turns out the story has been posted 64 times with 1 poster even taking the time to write their own Frank Feldman story called 2 Amazing Franks.

Who would have thought it? I'm sorry but I'm going to have to say it.

It could only happen to Frank!

Rip off!

2006-12-11T02:51:00.000+09:00

I picked up a lady around 2am from the Sheraton hotel wanting to travel to Como. She seemed very nice, attractive and well dressed and we chatted easily about her night out. Then I mentioned the fare and was stunned by her reply. It came to $12.60 no surcharges applied.

I got the job even thou I was the second cab on the rank. The point driver gave it too me, why I don't know I suggested to the customer maybe her either didn't know where it was or thought it wasn't worth his time and effort. Anyway the conversation went like this.

me: Maybe he thought it wasn't worth his effort for $12.60
lady: Personally I think it's a rip off! I mean you've used like $1 worth of gas and I still have to pay $12.60.

At that point I started getting defensive explaining how it wasn't only the gas but the clean cab, friendly conversation and the fact I knew where to go without checking my map that she was paying for. None of that matters thou and she was very polite about it. It just shocked me when she came out with it and I finished with my stock answer.

me: I just switch the meter on at the start and off at the end, what happens in between has nothing to do with me.

(QLD) Driver robbed at knife point

2006-12-08T23:43:00.000+09:00

Read the story here Queensland driver robbed at knife point

I think it is every taxi drivers nightmare. Being locked in the boot by a knife wielding maniac. I know it's mine. I guess it has something to do with not being able to see whats going on and being powerless to control or alter the outcome. This driver was lucky he had his mobile in his pocket and could call his supervisor from inside the boot. The driver escaped unharmed, for which I have no doubt he is extremely grateful. I know I am.

Update: Here is a news report from the Courier Mail that shows several in car shots of the wanted man Cabbie locked in boot

My pax had a knife

2006-12-05T05:43:00.000+09:00

Tonight I had a passenger in the front of the cab and he had a knife. Not only did he have a knife but he was agitated, really agitated. You always wonder what you will do if a situation like this occurs in your cab but until it does you really have no idea. For a split second I panicked and my mind raced. What was the right thing to do in this situation?? Keep driving and hope he doesn't use it?? or stop and bolt hopefully without provoking him into using it before I can get away??

Then he started talking. I wasn't the problem. In all reality he most likely has no idea how I felt for those few seconds. It probably never occurred to him that it would be a problem taking out a knife in a cab. You see he is a chef.

The story goes someone else in the kitchen has been using my passengers knife. Apparently that is just not on especially as they weren't looking after it which it turns out was the reason my passenger was so agitated. I guess knives are a big deal when your a chef and believe me I could see the roughness of the blade from where I was sitting. So anyway the guy then pulls out a sharpening (pole/rod) thingy that chefs use and goes to work trying to put some life back into the blade.

By this stage I had relaxed as I understood the situation and to relieve the tension a bit I grabbed the mike without actually calling anyone and jokingly shouted "Base! Base! he's got a knife, he's got a knife! We both got a good laugh out of that and the rest of the fare passed without incident.

1 thing was certain as I drove away after dropping him off. I doubt I will ever forget that fare.

Another Joke

2006-11-30T00:24:00.000+08:00

I heard this on the radio in the cab tonight and just had to share.

A broken leg is lying in the road and an arm goes screaming past.
The arm comes back and asks, "Need a hand?"
"No thanks" is the reply
"I'm waiting for a toe!"

Halloween Humor

2006-11-27T02:59:00.000+08:00

A cabbie picks up a Nun. She gets into the cab,
and the cab driver won't stop staring at her.

She asks him why is he staring. He replies, "I
have a question to ask you, but I don't want to
offend you."

She answers, "My son, you cannot offend me.
When you're as old as I am and have been a Nun
as long as I have, you get a chance to see and
hear just about everything. I'm sure that there's
nothing you could say or ask that I would find
offensive."

"Well, I've always had a fantasy to have a Nun
kiss me."

She responds, "Well, let's see what we can do
about that: #1, you have to be single and
#2, you must be Catholic."

The cab driver is very excited and says, "Yes,
I am single and I'm Catholic!"

"OK" the Nun says. "Pull into the next alley."
The Nun fulfills his fantasy with a kiss that
would make a hooker blush. But when they get back
on the road, the cab driver starts crying.

"My dear child, said the nun, why are you crying?"

"Forgive me but I've sinned. I lied. I must confess,
I'm married and I'm Jewish."

The nun says, "That's OK, my name is Kevin and
I'm going to a Halloween party."

ABC Taxis stuff up again

2006-11-27T02:26:00.000+08:00

Following on from my previous post Wait Awhile I took a job tonight and when the customer got in he mentioned he was afraid he was going to miss his plane. It turns out he had rang ABC Taxis initially and after waiting 30mins had rung them back only to be informed they didn't have a taxi in the area. So he rang Goliath Taxis and was now finally on his way to the airport.

The problem was he had called the cab 1hr 45mins before take off. It should have been plenty of time right? By the time he got the brush off from ABC Taxis, called Goliath and I got there (I was 20 mins away) he was tight for time. I got him to the terminal just 30mins before take off and he still had to check in, get his ticket and make the gate before they closed it.

This had got to stop. His only mistake was calling the wrong cab company. I read today that Goliath has 84% market share leaving just 16% to ABC Taxis is it any wonder they can't cover the work? An hour and three quarters is plenty of time to call a cab and get from his house to the terminal and checked in etc with no stress. Instead the experience left him a bundle of nerves and as far from the relaxed traveler as you can get.

Do you think he will call them again?? Do you think the next time he needs to be on time for a flight he will call a cab?? Any cab? Not likely, he will ask a mate or family member for a lift then not just ABC Taxis but the entire taxi industry will lose out.

Something has to be done.

Fare Increase

2006-11-27T01:06:00.000+08:00

It was announced tonight that as of next Saturday we will recieve a fare increase of just over 4%.

Working it out on the 4.7% they got on the east coast (Either Qld or Vic I can't remember) our new flagfall will be $3.40/$4.80 days/nights with the kilometer rate increased to $1.35 currently they are $3.20/$4.60 and $1.29 respectively. There will also be a $2 surcharge payable on any fare between 11pm and 5am on Friday and Saturday nights to encourage drivers to work the peak demand times.

Update: It turns out we are getting 4.45% starting on the 2nd Dec

Update: The call out fee has also increased from $1 to $1.50

Link: Article about fare increase on TheWest.com.au

Link: New Taxi Fare Structure on the DPI website.

The Perfect Man:

2006-11-24T20:53:00.000+08:00

A man walks into the street and manages to get a taxi just going by.
He gets into the taxi, and the Cabbie says, "Perfect timing, You're just like Frank!"

Passenger: "Who?"
Cabbie: "Frank Feldman. He's a guy who did everything right all the time. Like my coming along when you needed a cab, things happened like that to Frank Feldman every single time."

Passenger: "There are always a few clouds over everybody."
Cabbie: "Not Frank Feldman. He was a terrific athlete. He could have won the Grand-Slam at tennis. He could golf with the pros. He sang like an opera baritone and danced like a Broadway star and you should have heard him play the piano. He was an amazing guy! "

Passenger: "Sounds like he was something really special."
Cabbie: "There's more. He had a memory like a computer. He could remember everybody's birthday. He knew all about wine, which foods to order and which fork to eat them with. He could fix anything. Not like me. I change a fuse, and the whole street blacks out. But Frank Feldman, he could do everything right."

Passenger: "Wow, some guy then."
Cabbie: "He always knew the quickest way to go in traffic and avoid traffic jams, not like me, I always seem to get stuck in them. But Frank, he never made a mistake."

Passenger: "Mmm, there's not many like him around."
Cabbie: "And he really knew how to treat a woman and make her feel good and never answer her back even if she was in the wrong; and his clothing was always immaculate, shoes highly polished too - he was the perfect man! He never made a mistake. No one could ever measure up to Frank Feldman."

Passenger: "An amazing fellow. How did you meet him?"
Cabbie: "Well, I never actually met Frank "

Passenger: "Then how do you know so much about him?"
Cabbie: "I married his widow."

I like Red Bull

2006-11-21T12:18:00.000+08:00

Wow that was a big night. The estimate I heard was 300,000 people turned out for the event some getting to the South Perth foreshore as early as 5am!

There's a story here from news.com.au

As for me I was blown away by the size of it all. The work was solid from midday when I started thru to 5pm when I stopped for dinner. In fact I ended up only working 12 hours (I had the cab for 17) and had my best shift yet.

I can't wait for next year.

Red Bull Air Race

2006-11-19T10:13:00.000+08:00

The Red Bull Air Race is on today in Perth. To be honest I've never heard of it before and don't really know what to expect. I do however know an opportunity when I see one and when I heard the organisers saying they expect next years crowd to exceed the crowd we get each year for the Australia day SkyShow I thought maybe it would be worth the effort to start early.

So I'm going in today at 12pm instead of 5pm like normal. Not really sure what to expect but with a large crowd of people in the city and free transport on the buses and trains bringing them in to the city hopefully they will mean increased demand for taxis as well.

I'll post up how it goes tomorrow.

Hi, How's things??

2006-11-19T07:12:00.000+08:00

I often get comment from passengers about how happy and full of beans I seem to be regardless of the time of night. In the early hours of the morning when they are feeling lethargic and thinking of bed I invariably greet them with a warm, friendly "Hi, How's things??" before they've even made eye contact with me as they're getting in". The funny thing is it started as a safety related thing and has now just become a habit.

What has a bright cherry greeting at 3 in the morning got to do with safety you ask??. Well I was speaking to a few driver mates a while back and we agreed that an effective way of dealing with difficult passengers before anything could actually happen was to come across as their mate. I mean if someone calls a cab with the intent on robbing the driver or roughing him up a bit and when the cab gets there they're greeted with a hearty "Hi, how's things??" then as they're shutting the door and clicking the seatbelt into place I'm asking "How was your night??" at this point nothings been said about the taxi fare or where they want to go. Only once we've had this little exchange do I ask "Where would you like to go??".

Think about it. By the time someone has said hello and given me a brief comment on their night out I have had time to get a feel on how the fare is going to pan out and if I need to be on my guard or not. I've also established a rapport with them and often with the good passengers, we have a enjoyable cab ride chatting like old friends.

Like I said it started as a safety issue trying to catch the difficult ones off guard and now has just become a habit. One I find makes driving a cab more enjoyable as instead of driving people home in silence I am often left wishing the trip had been longer as the conversation was so good. People remember too and when I get repeat business I'm often amazed when people ask me how's the kids or did I manage to sort so and so. It's makes the shift go quicker too.

Sometimes you fluke it

2006-11-13T17:20:00.000+08:00

After posting about how difficult it was Saturday night to get a run going and consistently find the bigger jobs I felt I just had to tell you what happened last night.

It started when I checked my post office box and a customer who I had carried nearly a month ago and at the time hadn't paid, had actually sent me the fare. I mean I know I gave the lady my mailing address but I never really believed I would ever see the money so it was a nice surprise to get the letter.

At the time I had logged off the MDT and was intending on having an early night but after the nice surprise in my mailbox I decided I would head back into the city and see what was around.

I logged back in and made myself available and no more than 30 secs after doing so I scored a medical parcel job. Normally the ones I get are fairly small Perth to Mt Lawley or Nedlands etc $15 max. Not this time thou, I was headed to Joondalup Hospital some $47 away.

Btw the time I dropped and got back on the freeway there wasn't enough time to get another job before I really had to change over but seeing how the morning had gone that was fine with me.

Sat night

2006-11-13T01:30:00.000+08:00

There must be an art to working these busy nights. An art that I have apparently forgotten. I filled in last night for the regular driver as he had to study for uni exams and to put it simply my take for the night was roughly what I would have expected for a Sat night 5 or 6 years ago not 6 or so weeks out from xmas in 2006!.

The work was going gangbusters for the first 2hrs and then I hit the small fares. I got a hail for $6.00 a job off the computer from Mt Lawley to Northbridge that was only $9 things like this. Then later in the night I spent a whole hour for the princely sum of $11 the rest of the time I was chasing jobs that weren't there.

You have to expect these things of course but the most annoying part was the huge volume of work that was there and I just lucked out time and again with either small fares, time wasters or no-jobs.

Less is more

2006-11-12T17:04:00.000+08:00

I worked last night as the regular driver had the night off to prepare for uni exams.

I picked up a couple last night the lady making reference to the level of undress amongst the women that were out. Her comment was haven't they heard of the phrase "Less is More"

I couldn't help myself and had to reply "For sure, The less they wear the more we look" lol.

She just groaned "Thats not what I meant"

What do you think?

2006-11-10T06:51:00.000+08:00

I was faced with a decision this morning and I think I made the wrong one.

I was plotted rank on the Sheraton Hotel waiting for a timed booking when the GPS gave me a job at the Duxton Hotel about a block away. It was for room 1203 @ 4am to the domestic airport.

I get to the hotel and go inside to let reception know I am there and who for etc. Well he tells me the pax has just walked out to the (other) taxi waiting outside, I run outside and call to the customer "Rm 1203 sir?? Your taxi is over here."

At this point the driver of the other taxi approaches me and explains he has been waiting with the gentleman's bags in his boot for the past 5 minutes. I point out that I have the job on my taxi dispatch computer and the other driver hasn't switched his meter on which I can tell because the flee light on the roof is still lit up.

I ended up taking the customer.

Part of the problem was the time of day the situation occurred. My change over time is 5am. It's a 15 minute drive from the city to the airport and I need to leave the airport by 4.20am to have time to fuel up and drive to change over. So had I missed out on the fare I would have most likely not got anything remembering I was sitting on a booking at the Sheraton before all this started.

I think had it been earlier in the night and had I not been so tight for time I would have let the guy take the job and in hindsight that may have been the right thing to do in this case as well.

What would you have done??

I got lucky last night

2006-11-06T16:42:00.000+08:00

Someone thru a bottle at my cab from a pedestrian overpass something that until last night I had only heard about thru messages on the dispatch computer warning us to be careful. As my customer so kindly pointed out it could have been a rock, they could have been a better shot too and then instead of the bottle smashing harmlessly on the road just inches in front of me, well you know what could have happened.

I dropped my pax and contacted base to let them know what had happened and asked them to inform the police. Not that I even saw who it was but if they don't know then nothing will change.

Safe Driving.

The Halloween that wasn't

2006-11-01T14:29:00.001+08:00

It was Halloween last night and to be honest it was a non event. Tuesday nights in Perth are generally my worst night of the week and last night was no exception.

It just isn't the big deal here that it is in other parts of the world. There may be some celebration planned for the weekend but that will be more of an excuse to get dressed up and drink too much than anything specifically to do with Halloween.

The origins of Halloween sometimes also called Samhain.

This was in total contrast to the past 2 nights which were brilliant to say the least I can only hope the last 2 nights of the week are as profitable for me. (I work Sunday thru Thursday nights)

Safe driving.

The things kids say!

2006-10-25T05:50:00.000+08:00

I did a parcel job tonight nothing special and fairly short only $15, It was when I got there that the job became memorable.

A lady came out to collect the parcel and her 5 yr old son came out with her. Anyway the lady wanted to take the parcel inside and make sure whatever it was meant to be it was and she asked me to wait. It was then that the kid spoke up, it went something like this.

kid: Do you kill baddies??
me: Thats the police I'm just a taxi driver
kid: But you don't like baddies?
me: Well no one likes baddies
kid: So do you kill baddies??
me: No I just drive away really fast!!

It was then his mother came back and I relayed the story to her, she saw the funny side of it but I couldn't help wondering what this kid had been watching that had him thinking taxi drivers kill baddies. Robert DeNiro in Taxi Driver perhaps??

Massa wins in Brazil

2006-10-23T06:48:00.000+08:00

Congratulation must go to Felipe Massa of Ferrari for his outstanding win in the Brazilian Formula 1 Grand Prix. He drove a stunning race dominating from start to finish and was rightly ecstatic once he climbed from his race car.

Its been 13 yrs since the last Brazilian the great Ayrton Senna won the event. Felipe is in the early stages of his formula 1 career and as he is staying with the Ferrari team next year his future looks promising.

I look forward to watching him in 2007

Taxi driver assaulted at Eltham

2006-10-09T05:17:00.000+08:00

Also known as "Number 1 thing you should never do driving a cab on nightshift"

A 29yr old Victorian Taxi Driver has been assaulted after getting out of his taxi to let a passenger out of the rear of the vehicle around 01.20am the 8th of October.

It amazes me that we should even have to say this to people but what ever you do, DO NOT!!! get out of your taxi if you in anyway feel threatened, concerned for your safety or unsure of the motives of your passengers. A driver was assaulted here in Perth by a group of young men because he foolishly got out to close a sliding side van door. If you are in the drivers seat you are SAFE!

Sure we need to get out to help load bags for those runs to the airport or to help a couple with their shopping that's a given but if a pax has the door open and you don't want to be their drive off and let the door close itself. If they wont get out call for backup. I know my dispatch would rather I did that than try and be a hero.

Golden Rule of Taxi Driving

Never get out of the cab if your not sure its safe.

Read the brief police report here

Update: Attacked cabbie fighting for life

Cabbie going fare distance to raise cash

2006-10-08T01:56:00.000+08:00

Now here is a story born from a desire to help others and a realisation that if you can raise money for charity by doing something your good at then all the better!

Mr Agnew 47, a Taxi driver from Livingston Edinburgh plans to travel around the world in 3 days to raise money for the British Heart Foundation and for the coronary care unit at St John's Hospital.

It's his method of travel that caught my attention, he will be catching passenger airflights, hence my opening line being a cabbie he is very good at sitting for long periods and now he's planning on doing just that to raise money for charity.

Read the story here. Cabbie going fare distance to raise cash

Fare evaders spoil good night

2006-10-07T02:56:00.000+08:00

Last night I had 2 fare evaders or 'runners' as we call them. They come up with all their excuses, some try the sympathy vote, the 2nd fare last night just plain bolted when we stopped outside his unit block.

The thing is what can you as the driver do?? I went to the police after a runner a couple of weeks ago. It took them 2.5hrs to download the photo's from the camera and write the report. Neither of the officers who were trying to download the camera had ever seen the software before and actually had to refer to the help file while doing it. It took 5 officers before someone could even enter the password to load the software itself as no-one knew what it was.

The whole procedure could have been handled in a half hour or so if police were trained in how to operate the software instead of fumbling along learning as they go and taking up the cabbies work time.

Then there is the pax. They ring from public phones even thou they have mobiles as they are untraceable. There is also the benefit of no traceable address as they aren't at home they are on some non-descript street corner somewhere.

With my 2nd runner last night the 1st couple got out next to a lane way to "save money" instead of driving around the block into their actual street. Again ensuring there is no traceable address. Then the last guy goes to his street and gets me to stop past his apartment block, in front of a house. After fumbling with his wallet for a bit he bolts out the door heading behind me and is gone. I did actually get my hand to his arm before he left which is something I usually never do but I was just so mad.

Lucky for me he got away as you will see here Fare evader stabs taxi driver It's just not worth the grief.

Good things can happen

2006-09-21T03:21:00.000+08:00

Tonight actually ended up being quite good thanks to a job I couldn't do.

Now I know that comment doesn't make any sense so I will explain. I was given a job to pick up at UWA (University of Western Australia) for all those non-locals. It said the pick up point was the main entrance but then under that it said 'University Club'. Well the 2 aren't even close on the map and the operator didn't have a phone number for them so I gave it away. They still would have gotten a cab as when they rang back to find out what the delay was, the telephonist would have asked for more information on exactly where they were waiting.

Anyway because I got that job and then gave it back I found myself vacant in Crawley and almost the exact moment I plotted in on the computer I was giving a job. This time picking up at the Royal Perth Yacht Club (RPYC). When I get there 3 people climb in 2 girls in the back and a guy in the front. "Where we off to ?" I ask. "Ballajura" was the reply. Great I think finally a decent fare maybe my night is going to turn around after all. On the way there I find out that only 1 of the girls is getting out in Ballajura and the other couple are carrying on to Joondalup. Bonus!! It turns into a $61 fare and easily my best fare for the week. 200 meters after dropping them off I score a hail which ended up being $15:00 Then after having a break for a meat pie and a coffee I was sent to Carramar which is past Wanneroo and that gentleman asked to go to the Novotel Hotel in the city a $51 fare. I couldn't believe my luck, other than Friday nights if you get taken up that way to Joondalup etc you can normally expect to run empty back into the city for your next fare. So being paid both ways was a bonus.

Just after I dropped him off I was sorting out my money and writing the fare in my book when a guy asks me if I can take him to Lesmurdie a $36 fare by the time I dropped him off I had taken $163 in 4 jobs and doubled what I had taken for the night.

In hindsight I have never been so happy I couldn't find a customer!!

Mondays shocker

2006-09-19T04:01:00.000+08:00

Monday night was a shocker

It started with an elderly lady who I have taken before and she is a real pain in the butt. She goes from Balcatta to Dianella and she will tell you she doesn't have a lot of money and please don't rip her off by going the long way. The trouble is her sense of direction is shocking especially considering it is a trip she does in both directions at least twice a week. She constantly tells you you should be going the other way ie behind you. If it was anyone else you would turn around and go where they believed you should be going until such time as they realised there mistake and agreed to shut up and let you do the driving but she is on a pension and doesn't have a subsidy book so you try to be patient with her and get her home as quickly as possible.

Now this time she kept on and kept on that I was going the wrong way right until she saw the local supermarket and now realising where she was she took a new tack. "Ooooh you are charging me too much I don't think I have that much" Referring to the amount on the meter. Now she has too know what the trip is worth because as I say she does it twice a week so I patiently explain that I only charge what is on the meter and I can't do anything about that etc etc. But it gets better. She pulls a $10 note out and announces that is all she has. What am I supposed to do ?? If she was a younger person I would turn around and take her part way back and make her walk but shes got to be at least 80 so that is out of the question. The total fare is $18 so I'm short $8 I tell her she knows what its worth and shouldn't have called the cab if she couldn't afford it but she uses her age to her advantage very well and insists I stop the cab which conveniently has just turned into her street. I haven't even stopped when her door is open and she is reach for her handbag and stepping out. What can I do?? So I resign myself to losing the $8 although if I see her again I will be making sure I get the $8 and the fare before we go anywhere.

Update: I picked her up again this week (24/10/2006) and after more fruitless driving around we did find her daughters house and I was paid the fare owing for that nights trip with an agreement to return the following night for the $8. The next night when I returned I got talking to her daughter who told me they are aware of the problem with their mother and are trying to deal with it. It seems she makes the same trip every day.

I felt sorry for the daughter as I explained to her last nights taxi fare should have been $6.00 all told but not having an address and having to play tour guide hoping a familiar sight would jog the old lady's memory it ended up being $22.

I hope they find a solution soon in the mean time if I see her again at least I have an address.

Good fortune

2006-09-18T06:02:00.000+08:00

Well tonight was an absolute burster!!. I've had good Sunday nights before but it seemed I had hit a slump as the last 2 have been barely average income wise but tonight I passed last Sundays total by the halfway point of the shift and just kept on going!!

Not even a broken electric window motor could stop me tonight although I will admit it did get a bit cold as it got down to 10 degrees so I finally stopped and manually lifted the window up so it was 85% closed, then it started raining and I had to get it closed all the way as I was still getting wet.

No drama thou as my owner has told me it will be fixed today as will the squeak in the left front suspension which has gotten quite bad since I last drove on Wednesday. Not surprising I guess when you consider the cars had just shy of 2 thousand kays put on it in 4 days.

It really amazes me just how reliable the cars are not only did it run flawlessly on my shift of just over 400kms but now the owner is in it and its off again still going and not missing a beat.

Longest fare

2006-09-16T16:24:00.000+08:00

Found this news article today seems London cabbies really do have the knowledge, This cabbie managed to find his way from London to Morocco!!

To read the incredible story go here

Thanks to another cabbie there is a link to the video footage of the trip. Only if you have broadband thou. :-)

Helping out

2006-09-13T06:34:00.000+08:00

Tonight was a good example of cabbies keeping an eye out for each other. Not because we are mates, to be honest I've never met either of the drivers before and seeing as I didn't get there cab numbers I most likely wont remember them if we ever meet in the future. But that didn't matter because for a few minutes out of our night we were all focused on the same thing. Helping another driver.

I was heading into the city from northbridge with another cab in front of me and as we rounded the corner from James st into William st he slows. My first reaction is to change lanes and keep going. But then something catches my eye and I slow too. A cab is pulled over to the curb and the driver is out of the car having a heated discussion with a woman passenger.

The cab in front of me stops and I stop next to him effectively blocking the road not that I gave it much thought. Now I never did find out what caused the whole scenario to get out of hand but the driver had obviously had enough and decided to terminate the hiring read chuck the couple out. The woman's boyfriend was still inside the cab.

The police drove down Roe st at the same time and seeing the situation they pulled over to keep an eye on proceedings although they never did get out of their car and they never got involved. They were

The 1st driver to stop tells the couple to get out of the taxi they wont be going any further and surprisingly with very little resistance other than a lot of shouting they do get out. Then the cabbie still incensed by whats happened wants to continue the argument and I have to tell him several times to just get in his cab and drive away before he actually does.

By this time we have been there maybe 3 minutes total, the couple walk off still shouting as their cab drives off and the 2 of us go back to our cabs and leave.

Just 3 minutes out of a 12 hour shift spent making sure things didn't get out of control. I've lost count of the times I have slowed either on a back street or on the freeway to check on another driver 99% of the time he is checking his road map or making a phone call. Just occasionally he might be having some trouble like tonight and having another driver there can make all the difference and things get sorted out with a minimum of fuss.

Just another night on the road.

The Taxi Show

2006-09-10T01:37:00.000+08:00

If your in Melbourne there is a radio show you can check out each and every Monday on 96.5 Inner FM, presented by your taxi driver host, David Gawthorn for those of you not in Melbourne there is a web site you can visit that has links to the shows in mp3 format for you to download and listen to.

Quote from "The Taxi Show" website:

"The Taxi Show is a mixture of humour and yarns from cab drivers' seats - and some are even true - and come from David and his many world-wide cab driving friends. There's a selection of taxi-related news and a good sprinkling of music of all genres from Australia and around the world and there's much, much more."

Check out The Taxi Show

Wait Awhile

2006-09-08T06:36:00.000+08:00

There is a real problem in Perth. It stems from the fact that 1 taxi company has the lions share of the cabs and the other has to put it bluntly bugger all. Now I don't have the numbers regarding exactly how many cabs are with each dispatch so I can't quote exact figures and believe me I wish I could but as a rough guide and from what other people have told me its something like a 1200/250 split.

It doesn't take a genius to work out there is a serious imbalance there. The problem comes from the fact that the smaller company lets call them ABC Taxis runs radio and tv ad campaigns to promote their business and uses a nationally recognised phone number and in other states of Australia actually runs a viable taxi service.

So what happens is people especially infrequent taxi users and out of towners here on business ring for a cab not realising the vast difference in size compared to the larger taxi company lets call them Goliath Taxis and they are then kept waiting often ringing back 2 or 3 times for up to an hour. Bear in mind we aren't talking about the known trouble spots of Armadale and Roleystone where it is more often than not going to be a while before you get your cab. The people I am picking up who are telling me these stories are ringing from areas such as Morley only 10kms east of the Perth CBD.

Take tonight for example. A lady who is over here from Melbourne on business rings ABC Taxis to pick her up from the Morley Galleria at approx 17:15 (5:15pm) After waiting an hour and calling back 3 times she tells the ABC Taxi operator to 'Jam your taxi, I don't want it anymore' and hangs up.

She then finds the number for Goliath Taxis and orders a cab thru them. As the telephonist is about to hang up she asks if it is at all possible to get an ETA as she has waited over an hour with ABC Taxis and really just wants to get back to her hotel. Not a problem is the reply the job has been dispatched and a car is on its way already. I was there 5 minutes after she placed the call.

The situation is so bad that ABC Taxis actually tells customers over the phone that they wont be able to get a taxi to them and gives them the phone number of Goliath Taxis!.

I drive for Goliath Taxis and make no bones about telling anyone who asks that ABC Taxis are a complete and total waste of time and there is only 1 company worth calling, then I give them one of our cards of which I carry a large supply.

The point is thou when someone calls for a cab regardless of the company they call and they are kept waiting for over an hour it reflects badly on the industry as a whole. How long are ABC Taxis going to be allowed to continue dragging down the image of taxis in Perth ?? and what is going to be done about it??

Can you take me to ..... It's just 'round the corner

2006-09-07T06:58:00.000+08:00

I stopped in Leederville tonight as is my habit on a wednesday for a mid shift kebab. To reduce the number of times someone would ask "Can you take me to.....?" I always park in the rear car park. Unfortunately so do a large number of club goers. So I get my kebab and am eating it at the cab when I get asked the inevitable question but this time with a twist. The conversation went something like this.

girl: Hey could you take me to xxx street in wembley and can I get half your kebab?
me: No and No.
girl: Yeah okay forget the kebab bit but can you still take me?
me: No I'm eating.
guy: Yeah he's too busy stuffing his face to take us.
me: For your information I've been driving since 6 o'clock and this is my 1st break.
guy: So you should keep going, make money, people want to get places.
me: Too bad if they do I'm on a break.

Not only would it have been a $7 fare if I had taken them but she wants half my kebab thrown in with the deal. I have to say that was a new 1 for me I've never been asked that before.

The problem with these people is they think that because they only want to go a few kay's we wont mind taking them. When in reality they are exactly the fares we are trying to avoid while we have a break and something to eat. On the rare occasion I have agreed to take someone while I've had a kebab the fare has been worth the interruption. 2 such examples being Leederville to Quinns Rocks approx $50 and Leederville to Rockingham approx $75 but I agreed to do it for $60.

1 friday night I stopped and foolishly parked in front of the kebab shop I was asked 15 times in 5 minutes "Can you take me ......?" Even when I explained it was my first break in 9 hours and 300+km of driving they still didn't get the hint trotting out the "It's only 'round the corner"

So if you see a cabbie standing outside his cab, kebab in hand say "G'day!" but don't ask him to take you somewhere.

Leederville rank

2006-09-07T05:59:00.000+08:00

I just want to say I was really impressed tonight when I noticed the changes that have been made to the Leederville hotel rank.

It used to be a 3 to 4 car rank with the usual problems of private cars parking behind and on it and generally making it difficult and at times impossible to get onto.

Well now it has been redesigned and I have to say to both the "Town of Vincent" and the "Taxi Council" a big "Thumbs Up!".

Exiting the rank is now MUCH easier and safer and it will go along way to reducing tension between taxi drivers and clubbers leaving the hotel.

Quiet night

2006-09-04T03:56:00.000+08:00

I don't really have much to say about tonight. I started late then finished early and the time in between was less profitable than I would have liked. Everyone paid, no-one spewed and I met a driver who seems like a nice bloke, speaks english as a first language and laughs at my jokes, hopefully I will run into him again.

In the mean time check out Blanktop Taxis this guy is a telephonist at a cab company. He doesn't seem to post often but going thru the archives has me in stiches. Well worth a read.

Life as a cabbie

2006-09-03T02:23:00.000+08:00

Ever wondered what it's like working the night shift in a city cab ?? Read this great account by a brisbane cabbie of his typical Friday night shift.

Life of a brisbane cabbie.

You find it!

2006-09-01T04:11:00.001+08:00

What is it with cab drivers that they think the passenger should tell them how to get to their destination even when they are new to the city and can't tell 1 end of town from the other??

What I am refering to is the increasing instance of passengers relating to me how a cabbie they were unfortunate enough to come across upon being told the destination has replied with "I don't know where that is" and then handed the passenger the map book!!

I'm sorry but that really gets to me. Isn't it the cabbies job to know where to go when asked and if he doesn't to find out?? You may think its the more unusual addresses they don't know or places we rarely get asked to go to but it's not. More than 1 driver I've heard of has asked his pax (passenger) for directions to the airport!!!

I'd say as a rough average I get taken to the airport 15 times a week and that doesn't include the times I might drive there empty looking for a job.

The other thing that amazes me is that people actually put up with this from their cab driver. I know at a private house it is a bit harder to send the driver away and call another cab as there will be a delay involved but at the airport or on a city rank where there is another cab waiting I tell people to get out and try the next one.

Imagine this, you've just arrived in Perth on business never having been here before, you get your bags and struggle out to the cab rank. Finally with your bags in the boot you settle back into the seat give the driver the address and expecting a trouble free ride to your hotel you start to relax. The driver has other plans, you suddenly you find a road map in your lap and the drivers telling you in no uncertain terms "If you want to go there you find it!" Welcome to WA!

This actually happened and when I heard the story later that same night I was gobsmacked. She had to find the address, then find the airport and then give directions to the driver. She then paid the fare and got out. As she was on business she paid with a company Cabcharge and I suggested she call Cabcharge in the morning and cancel it as he didn't deserve payment. Unfortunatley I'll never know if she actually did.

Please if you ever get a driver who thinks it is your responsibility not his to look up an address, take down his cab number then get another cab and make sure you report him to his dispatch when you get a chance. I take pride in the fact I know where I am going and if I don't I stop and check the map, I even pause the meter.

Find 30

2006-08-31T05:13:00.000+08:00

A guy flagged me down tonight in northbridge "Where we off to mate?" I said as he climbed in. "South st Murdoch" was the reply not a bad fare and 1 I desperately needed as I wasn't having the best of nights. Anyway we get talking and it turns out he is the head chef at a popular resturant and is on his way home after a 14 hour shift. I jokingly made the comment that the health gurus would still tell him he needs to find his 30.

He then relates a story to me of a trial he participated in last year where he wore a pedometer for a week while at work. The numbers were astounding!. In 1 day he walked 26 kilometers and for the week his total mileage was over 160km!! Keep in mind this was all racked up whilst inside a kitchen and while it would be a fair bit bigger than your average family kitchen it's still a very impressive set of figures.

He claimed the average person would walk at most 40km's in a week so the team doing the study agreed he didn't need to worry about finding his '30 :-)