Meter World
Oddly enough, last night I actually hit a cab without a meter. Driver said he was getting it tomorrow. Cutting it nice and close there. I know I wouldn't mess with a $1000 fine!Well the verdict is in for my rides at least. They're all more expensive with meters. Anywhere from a couple of bucks to $6 more on one. Each driver I've asked has said two things 1) he's making less money on meters than zones; and 2) yes, he's making more money off of me. Guess I'm the only passenger paying more by meters LOL.
So as of tomorrow everyone's on the meter, or hiding from police while trying to operate on zones.
Any thoughts from folk on the last month of mixed rides?
posted by DC Cab Rider @ 12:15 PM
5 Comments:
They are probably making less since they can no longer have multiple fares at the same time.
I live near a former zone border. I have done very well with the meters. In fact, I was pleasantly pleased to realize that for $4.50 + tip I can get home from the grocery store.
I'll be using cabs more frequently now. Especially for short trips. I no longer have to use the illegal guys who hang out at the grocery store offering "help".
Enjoy it while you can, there Anonymous. You may still be able to hail cabs, you may not. This is the voice of experience; I drove a metered cab in the suburbs for about eighteen months. In the suburbs, NO DRIVER WANTED GROCERIES. In fact, drivers hated the short trips. I can remember having a day or two where I ran more trips than average, but they were all short. At the end of the day, after paying the rent and the gasolene, I did not have too much money. With the meter, it AIN'T all about staying busy. To be sure, you can make pretty good money by getting the long fares, but, you do not get too many days where you have all long trips. The best consistent money is to get mostly the slightly beyond 'average' trips.
It appears that the promise of Dear Revered Leader Kim il-Fenty that 'they would be out there writing tickets on 1 June' was just empty rhetoric. The illegals (unlicenced drivers) were out yesterday AT FULL STRENGTH. So strong were the illegals' numbers yesterday that when I pulled in front of an address to which I had been dispatched, there was an illegal sitting there with his trunk cracked. These illegals are brazen. When I pointed out to the customer that the other driver had no licence, they did go with me, but the illegal screamed, threatened and genrally drew attention to himself. These illegals know that the police will not do anything to them.
They missed a chance to earn some major revenue, as stopping one illegal earns them fifteen hundred bananas. Even when you deduct for the hardware and trouble of impoundment of the unlicenced driver's cab, they still realise twelve to thirteen hundred potatoes. They get only one-thousand smackers for no meter.
Even though the vehicle is legitimate (which is usually the case), if the driver AIN'T (which is usually the case) they can still impound the cab.
I love the meters! The cost is about the same as it used to be, but now instead of getting drivers who want to charge me more because they can't read a zone chart or are just trying to rip me off, there's a charge that can't be argued.
It's been at least $4 more, sometimes I hit the top $19 just as we're pulling up to my stop. Funny thing now drivers will stop to get me. Since I ride all the time, drivers who know where I'm going would drive on by like they didn't see me. Some guys would roll their windows down and when I gave the address, take off (sometimes they'd try and mutter some excuse or another). But now they all stop for me. Gee what a surprise.
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