Bad News For Seattle Cabbies: The Queen Anne Bartell's Drugstore Is Closing & Two Perspectives On New iCabbi Dispatch System & 252 Robotaxi Crashes In San Francisco Bay Area & Robotaxis Coming To A Local Street Near You

 Seattle's Last 24 Hour Pharmacy is Closing

Back in the late 1980s, there was only one 24 hour pharmacy open when your prescription need to be filled at 3 in the morning.  Located near the intersection of 26th and East Cherry, in the center of a then Cocaine Crack-era war zone, it was always an adventure getting your prescription filled.  I know this because I was driving for Farwest Taxi, making it a popular run in the early morning hours.  The usual pharmacist on duty matched the territory, a somewhat quirky individual who made the mundane somehow surreal.  

Later, quite thankfully, at least two other drugstores began offering 24 hour services but alas, no more, as the Uptown/Queen Anne Bartell's is closing its doors permanently on September 10th, 2023.  No longer will cabbies be rushing passengers there to fill an emergency prescription.  Where will you have to go instead?  Issaquah.  A better fare but one certainly not making an already ill passenger very happy.  Seattle, once a 24-hour city back in 1973 upon my arrival in that distant January, is closing down.  Does anyone truly care?   At least at City Hall, I am doubtful that they do.

iCabbi One and Two

One friend, an over 40 year taxi veteran, hates it, finds it confusing, and not quickly understanding all its "helpful" features.

Another friend, half the age of my aforementioned colleague, has more readily transitioned from the old MTI to the new iCabbi dispatch.  Clearly there are more initial steps regarding iCabbi but once learned, it should be superior to anything the industry has previously utilized.  iCabbi is very similar to the Uber app.  Hopefully soon, all the Seattle Yellow cabbies will have mastered the system, and suddenly, their beaming smiles will light up any cloudy Seattle taxi day.

Zoox

There are three robotaxi companies operating in SF and area. Zoox has been involved in 42 crashes.  Waymo, 110.  GM Cruise, 64.  All these since Jan 1, 2022, for a total of 252.  Safer?  Maybe not.

Run for Your Lives: The Great Robotaxi Invasion is Attacking Seattle

Yes, taxi boys and girls, Cruise and Waymo robotaxis will soon be visiting Seattle streets.  Look for one DT soon.  Won't it be fun, new technology beneath the not always shining Seattle sun?