Consider This: Even The Leader Of The Philly Cabbie Union Has Assault Charges Pending/Swears The Credit Card Swiper Is Broken
The Metro ran an absolute humdinger of a lead story today, running down the hows, whys, and wherefores of The Day The Cabbies Stood Still (And Continued To Bitch About Taking Your ATM Card). The protest, led by cabbie union leader Ron Blount, was so absurd it even made the Philadelphia Parking Authority seem like reasonable human beings:
Whatever Blount says these days fall on deaf ears at the PPA, as officials say they haven’t acknowledged Blount in meetings since he was arrested in March 2008 for allegedly choking a female passenger who wanted to pay with her credit card.
Now, Blount’s arrest is old news, but the real story is the still-raw, raging levels of anger the new ATM/credit card swiping system still held by most rank and file cabbies in Philadelphia. To which we say: Grow a pair, fuckers. We’ve been listening in on your various and sundry domestic squabbles since you had that Bluetooth phone receiver soldered to your ear. The least technology and you could afford us is the convenience allowed by a quick ATM swipe. If it’s that much of a problem, then just run a straight-up gypsy cab; we wouldn’t complain.
July 23rd, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Cabbies are being kind of dumb about this issue. I understand that they are used to an all cash business and not paying taxes, but thing that credit cards will only increase ridership. Accepting credit cards can only increase the number of people who are willing to grab a cab. Most people will probably keep using cash anyway.
July 23rd, 2009 at 2:06 pm
my biggest issue with them is they drive too slow, obviously trying to stay on the meter as long as possible. quit slowing down for green lights, assholes.
July 23rd, 2009 at 2:36 pm
my biggest issue with them is the fact that there is no rule about having an operable dome light and using it when occupied. So many times have I flagged a lit cab, only to have it speed by with a fare in the back seat.
I remember for a time the dome was wired to the meter; so when the meter was running, the dome was dark. Not sure what happened there.
As for my other issue; cabbies on cell phones. It’s totally out of control and – when I have taken a cab overnight or early morning en route to work, they are STILL on the cell. Who the F are they talking to at 4:30am ?!?!
Grrrr…
July 23rd, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Everyone in the city should use credit cards for an entire day just to piss them off. Why would cabbies want to drive around with a ton of cash anyways? Oh yeah, so they can cheat their boss out of money like when they ask you if you want to turn off the meter for a flat rate.
July 23rd, 2009 at 2:55 pm
I think the issue is that if you are going to mandate that taxis upgrade their equipment – GPS and credit card machines, you should allow them to increase their fares to cover the costs. Also when gas prices flucuate dramatically. As it is, fares are dicated by the Parking Authority(?)
No one forces Dirty Frank’s or McGlinchey’s to take credit cards. Why should cabs be any different?
July 23rd, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Cabbies were forced to take credit card/GPS machines in NYC a few years ago and they tried the same tactics, namely protests and a strike or two here and there. Ultimately they lost and I have a feeling Philly cabs will too. The only thing not in Philly’s favor is the lack of an easy enforcement tool. Riders need to be able to turn the frauds and assholes in to the PPA easily. If a cabbie gives you shit in NYC you just start talking about 311 and some of them straighten up. If they don’t then you actually call 311.
July 23rd, 2009 at 3:32 pm
If they have a credit card reader, then I presume I can pay with a credit card. If cabbies say the reader doesn’t work, then I can’t pay. It’s probably not the best solution as far as diffusing the immediate conflict, but it would seem to be persuasive in encouraging cabbies to embrace credit cards.
July 23rd, 2009 at 4:02 pm
@DJRob — Agree about the dome light. I don’t get it. Very frustrating.
As far as the phone, I think they are on the phone with other cabbies and/or friends and family in India and east Africa. That would explain the hours at least.
July 23rd, 2009 at 11:45 pm
the dome light thing happens when you drive a customer but don’t turn on the meter. they do this all the time and pocket 100%.