New York City Taxi In 1924 & 9th US Circuit Court Of Appeals Uber Decision & Poem: "The Taxis" By Louis MacNeice

NYC Taxi Fare War 1924

One hundred years ago, taxi fares dropped from 30 cents a mile to 20 cents a mile, encouraging a huge increase in ridership and traffic congestion.  Taxicab ridership in August 1924 was averaging 300,000 passengers daily in New York City.  NYC population that year was 10, 943,000.  Some cabbies were complaining that the new rates were too low.  

Here is a list of monthly average taxi expenses for the NYC cabbie in 1924:

Car payment                 $132.00

Garage rent                   $25.00

Insurance                      $30.00

Gas & Oil                     $50.00

Tires                              $35.00 

Repairs                         $15.00

Association Dues.        $5.00

Total                             $301.00

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Back in 1924, that was a lot of money.  Taxi overhead has always been high.  A rough estimate of my monthly taxi expenses, counting dispatch fees, insurance, gasoline was about $2000. per month.  That's why it always felt I was working myself to death.  Being a lease driver was a breeze.  Initially, way back in 1987, my entire weekend taxi lease was $100.00.  Even later at Yellow Cab, at first, I think the lease was $160.00. per weekend.  Later it was $200.00 per 48 hour weekend and still quite the bargain.  I normally had my lease and gasoline paid for by 7 AM Saturday, leaving the rest of the time to roll in the money. And gasoline was cheap, averaging 90 cents a gallon in 1987.  

Appeals Court Ruling 

Friday, a 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals panel, in a 2-1 decision, ruled that in the case of State of Washington liability laws, Uber owes "a duty of care" to its drivers.  This case involved the December 13th, 2020 murder of Uber driver Cherno Ceesay, stabbed to death in an apparent carjacking attempt by his Uber dispatched passengers.  This is a big deal.  If the ruling holds, big bad Uber will be liable for millions of dollars in this case and others.  I encourage everyone to search for articles concerning this decision. 

Taxi Poem by the Irish Poet Louis MacNeice 

MacNeice is a long time favorite and influence of mine.  He was born in Belfast in 1907.  Here is a strange, funny poem about taxis.  Please note: there are four stanzas with no double space in each stanza but my computer will not allow me to eliminate the double spacing hence the small line earmarking the next stanza.  Got that!?   Damn computer! and damn my lack of computer skills!

The Taxis

In the first taxi he was alone tra-la,

No extras on the clock. He tipped ninepence

But the cabby, while he thanked him, looked askance

As though someone had bummed a ride.

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In the second taxi he was alone tra-la

But the clock showed sixpence extra; he tipped accordingly

and the cabby from his muffler said: 'Make sure

You have left nothing behind tra-la between you.

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In the third taxi he was alone tra-la

But the tip-up seats were down and there was an extra 

Charge of one-and -sixpence and an odd

Scent that reminded him of a trip to Cannes.

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As for the fourth taxi, he was alone

Tra-la when he hailed it but the cabby looked

Through him and said: 'I can't tra-la well take

So many people, not to speak of the dog.'

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Odd piece of poetry.  I can only wish that the invisible dog would have growled at the cabby.  The clock mentioned is the term for the taxi meter.  On a personal note, my ex-wife, back when she was 14, studied dance in Cannes with the famous and not always nice Maria Tallchief.