Live Taxi Daily Journal 7

November 30, 2000

Knock Knock. Did you call a cab?

These people are wacked. No, he looks fine. "Did you just get here?" Yeah. "I'm going up to (something) & Frankford. It's just 2 blocks. Yeah, I got to get my car." While I was taking him to his car, I seen 15 coke girls along the way. That's the neighborhood he lives in, don't you know. Guy gave driver 8 bucks for a 5$ ride. Nice guy. That was a tough neighborhood.

11/30/00 1:11:00 AM

Driver starts conversation with the next passenger. She's a girl going home. She sounded available for chit chat when she got in cab and how she said hello. Maybe the driver knows her from taking her home before and she might be a waitress or bartender from some place.

I'm getting over being mad.

I was mad because I worked too hard over Thanksgiving. I wasn't sitting back and watching football games.

Just getting mad about anything, effects my production too much.

Are you going to sleep tonight or are you waiting for the snow?
Look, two assistance police showed up for the job just here. Oh, I hope they don't start shooting. We got front seats and a red light too. Passenger takes that well. I think she laughed nervously and then they just sat there is silence.

Driver continues their conversation about the service business. If she's in the service business, she can probably take a little front row seat action.

"Thank you also", driver says.
$8.25.

Driver told me about "the blessing". You see, for about half and hour to an hour the driver was riding around missing the 'closer' bids and worst of all, blanking on jobs that people had previously wanted. Customers either get very impatient after a couple of minutes or its just part of leaving one destination for another. The customer thinks of the fastest and most efficient way to leave rather than respect for a driver who's job it is to service you fast and efficiently. Then after that frustration, driver got a job with people who were so appreciative his service, they gave him double what the job was worth.

11/30/00 1:23:46 AM

Everybody get in! Passengers sound rambunctious. The passenger who sits in the front seat notices and wants to talk about all the stuff driver has up front. Driver is in a good mood, he say 'sometimes I open the bag and you get to see what's inside.'

I love it when the driver toys with his customers. Then the rambunctious ones want to talk about what it's like being a taxi driver.

We're all on our own, there is no comradery amongst us cab riders.

Quick ride. Driver say passenger said he'd give him three for the ride. Luckily driver got 6.

11/30/00 1:26:35 AM

Got a young girl. She's quiet and not going anywhere. 4 for 3.

11/30/00 1:35:08 AM

Parked in front of Envy. People all around. Girls talking.

11/30/00 1:39:28 AM

15 minute roll to the northeast. No one got in at Envy night club. Got the bid from radio dispatch because he was closest to exit. I've been making this trip a lot for this cab company to Ooxford Circle. Scary area if not careful.

I have no boss. I am my own boss.

If I give them the money they smile, if I don't give them the money they take the car away.

I want it lots, everywhere, so people don't want to walk anywhere. One good snow can give me good business for weeks.

When driver is on, he's on.

The little bit of money I make in a few months won't last forever.

I don't know if you remember the ice storm in 93 and the snow that fell over 12 inches that year. Yeah, you still got to put the hours in and you still got to hustle.

You got to be willing to work the extra 20 hours. After 25-30 hours, you make profit...you really got to commit to the hours. If you aren't going to do the hours then you aren't going to get paid right. This is the most challenging part of the job. Once you learn everything, all you got to do is show up and put the hours in.

But if you aint (running) it –and don't know what's going, u will make less. Lot more stress and a lot less money.

You got to try to get a descent car too—the car can make you unhappy – got to get a good car, so don't have to sweat that part of the job.

Passenger was apparently curious about the driver and why he does what he does and what he does and how it feels to be a cab driver. Driver is amused. He is more amused knowing that he shared something. Yo.

Driver asks him, have you ever driven people around for a living? Driver struck up conversation with the guy. He is a manager of something and driver now asking him questions about his job. Not too many. Driver say 'lot of companies are hard up now ..they treat them real good' - got to bend over backwards for their employees. They are being so careful about who they pick up. They are so cynical. They think you are all that, they don't have faith in the human race. I'm only cynical because people expect it of me, cause of my job. LOL. I could be being truthful, or not. No, I have my moments.

$26.

11/30/00 2:17:47 AM

Think there are anymore girls coming out of there?
Nope.

11/30/00 2:28:29 AM

Driver goin' to Pat's Steaks. Mushroom Cheese, without, wit extra cheese, to go.

Steep price for it, but driver gets a re-ward for takin down the money. Tonight. The day before he got to start all over again with rent, breaking even and churning in the hours for profit.

Driver say a lot of people comment on how they think he is enjoying himself.