There is a very old adage or idiom that states "When the cat is away, the mice will play," but in this case, dealing with Seattle's taxi industry, it is inherently unclear who is cat, who is mouse? Is the cat taxi association leadership; or is the cat actually all the independent operators (single owners and lease drivers) not chastising the mouse that is industry management?
I say this because it truly is unclear who is ultimately in charge because association power is truly illusory, because, without me and others paying our fees, there would be no industry. So minus all doubt, someone (and something) is clearly absent from the "taxi wheel," meaning, like some wayward vessel, if we collectively strike against bureaucratic shoals and sink, who is the captain responsible, who was at the helm?
As I am inferring, it is very unclear concerning who just is in charge and ultimately responsible for what has happened and will occur to those us currently dependent upon taxi for our livelihoods. Who is the perpetrator, who is the victim? Like some mystery novel, maybe we discover the truth at the story's end, too late for any true victory or resolution, taxi already dead and buried.
I pose these questions due to what occurred at yesterday's Port of Seattle commission hearing concerning the pending award of the next five-year Sea-Tac outward-bound service contract. Even after knowing better, ( or perhaps they don't), taxi industry representatives outlined some details concerning their respective RFP proposals, this in direct violation of commission rules stating that the RFP must remain private.
In theory, their leaking RFP "secrets" essentially negates their effort, legally allowing the Port Commission, if they wish, to toss out the errant applicant's RFP. And perhaps even worse, it opens any potential award of services to legal challenge. Impressive it isn't which is why I say, who exactly is in charge here?
That this kind of mindless transgression could destroy the lives of hundreds of Sea-Tac based taxi operators is outrageous. How could the industry, or better put, how could all of us be so dumb? I find it a serious question shouting out to be addressed.
Can we, in the near future, trust association management to make correct and logical decisions and choices? The resounding answer is obvious, isn't it. And since it is obvious, what are we going to do about it. Maybe it is time to stop thinking in terms of cat and mouse and instead decide who is going to be the "top dog" growling at all inept and incompetent decision making. Maybe, more than barking, it is time to bite.
For anyone interested in seeing all this for yourselves, please google the following address to access the Port Commission site:
https://www.portseattle.org/About/Commission/Meetings/Pages/default.aspx
Positive Changes to Yellow's Computer Dispatch System
I doubt anyone is sad to see "the closest cab will be belled" system mothballed but that is exactly what is happening, June 24th, 2016, the date when the newly installed computer tablet will be completely operational, allowing a return to much appreciated queuing, the first cab getting the next call. Antiquated perhaps but us cabbies are old fashioned, thinking it is only fair that a driver, having waiting an hour, should get the next fare available, not one who just arrived a minute earlier and happens to be five blocks closer. This new system will be in effect in all the zones except downtown and the airport. To me it would make sense to keep the "closest cab" system in the bigger county zones but perhaps not, given what happened in Snoqualmie..
In the "almost funny but not" category is what occurred with the Snoqualmie School District and a long $140.00 daily school run. It turns out up to seven Yellow cabs would turn up, all trying to be the closest to the door in hope of being that day's very lucky cabby. These dumbbells in general caused their own personal traffic jam, clogging the driveway and just making a nuisance of themselves. It was this kind of nonsense that finally persuaded Yellow to revert back to our original queuing system. Whoever thinks "total idiots" can't be helpful, are wrong, at least in this instance. Again, thank you guys, for your stupidity. This is one time it is appreciated. Just try not make it a habit, difficult as that notion might seem to be.
In tandem with this change has been the "Union" generated review of various computer dispatch operating systems, with presentations made over the past four weeks at their Tukwila Teamsters Building. This fact too might have accelerated Yellow's decision to alter what it was doing. What is now more than likely to happen now is the proverbial period of "wait and see," assessing just how successful the new tablet is. Personally I don't care what system we have. I just want it to work 24/7. That can't be too much to ask.
There have been other problems associated with Yellow's system, especially an almost weekly shutdown of the entire operation on Monday mornings. While they attributed this to faulty ATT relay towers, a remedy had to be found, and hopefully that galling issue has been fully resolved. We can only hope, all of us disliking inherent dysfunction screwing up our day.
City of Seattle Collective Bargaining Workshops Are Now Scheduled
Most everyone probably knows that the Seattle City Council passed a bill allowing taxi/Uber/flat-rate driver Union formation. That Mayor Murray remains non-supportive is another issue, something that might derail the entire effort. Nonetheless, the City (or least one governmental part of it) is proceeding forward with the council's wishes. Listed below are the times and locations for what are called the "For Hire Driver Representation/Collective Bargaining" workshops. If time permits, given my curiosity, I will try to attend one of the workshops.
Saturday 6/25/2016 9:30-11:30 AM North Seattle Community College, Center Room 1456,
9600 College Way North, Seattle
Thursday 7/07/2016 1:30-3:30 PM New Holly Gathering Hall, 7054 32nd Ave. South, Seattle
Friday 7/08/2016 1:30-3:30 PM Miller Community Center, 330 19th Ave. East, Seattle
Call Julie Moore/Cyndi Wilder at 206-684-0909 for further info and details.
More Real Taxi As It Truly Is:
Near Accident
Saturday midnight I am proceeding west-bound on Denny with four passengers aboard when a driver in a big VW turns straight into me, providing me the quick option of either the hospital and wrecking yard or driving directly into the curb,the latter becoming my first choice. Surprised that the right front tire stayed inflated I continued on to Ballard. Funny part is that three of the four passengers were so stoned on some unknown substance that they barely recognized what had just occurred. Unfortunately, the tire was, after closer inspection, found to be deeply cut, meaning $150.00 later I again had a new tire, curb damage not covered under my new tire warranty. Oh well, least we and 478 remained intact. Thank goodness for that.
Departing Rich Chinese Student Largess
Since it is semester's end and UW graduation days I decided to check out some apartment building dumpsters for items better left for the thrift store than the garbage. Striking it rich, I found many wonderful items including a very expensive black wool jacket; and a beautiful rice bowl intended for that troublesome person, "she-who-can't-be-named."
As I was gathering my new found bounty, I was belled into the UW ER. Picking my passenger up, I saw that the coat might be a perfect fit. Dropping her off nearby, I asked if she might be interested in the garment. Upon trying it on, I exclaimed, "It's you!" and it truly was, fitting her like a thoughtful birthday present. And also upon this imaginary birthday my lucky passenger received four beautiful large dinner plates and a glass bowl. She was happy and I was pleased to find a proper home for the tossed treasures. For myself I retained some plastic "camping" bowls plus a like-new rubber trash bin. Thank you, taxi universe, is all I can say. Thank you!
I will end with a stanza taken from Keats:
So, ye three ghosts, adieu! Ye cannot raise
My head cool-bedded in the flowery grass;
For I would not be dieted with praise,
A pet lamb in a sentimental farce!
Fade softly from my eyes, and be once more
In masque-like figures on the dreamy urn;
Farewell! I yet have visions there for the night,
And for the day faint visions there is store;
Vanish, ye Phantoms! from my idle spright,
Into the clouds, and nevermore return!
taken from the poem---
Ode On Indolence
"They toil not, neither do they spin."
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
What People Recognize, What They See
Why wouldn't I dislike marathons occupying, disrupting Seattle's streets regardless of purpose or cause? Sunday, during one such staged event, the main north-bound DT arterial, 4th Avenue, was closed off all the way to the Seattle Center, literally splitting the DT core into two, making the simple difficult.
Picking up the couple at King Street station bound for the Mayflower Hotel at Fourth & Olive, I instantly understood a detour was in order. Having done this more times than I have ever wanted, I knew that either 6th or 8th would do the trick. Also knowing that all traffic was being routed east onto Spring Street, it was obvious avoiding that morass was necessary, Seattle driver simpletons proceeding directly into the "jaws of death," or more prosaically, a hot and tedious and irritating "Manhatten-style" traffic jam. Who needs that on a record 93 degree F. Saturday? Not me, not that day, not ever.
My goal was to get them at the bottom of the hotel, on Fifth, allowing them a relatively easy haul of too much luggage up the short hill. And thankfully everything went as taxi formulated, getting them there from Sixth minus much fuss or trouble. Only cabby's know the minor miracles we produce daily, and this my friends was one of them, getting them there for just over nine dollars through the potentially insane. While having few expectations, I do wish for basic recognition of the readily apparent despite it being their first time in Seattle.
As they got out of 478, a nearly blind woman, white cane in hand, approached, needing a ride. Sure, I said, allowing her to enter when suddenly the less observant of the pair from Florida nearly knocked the woman over, thinking she had left something in the cab. She hadn't, plus also failing to apologize for her stupidity. She then offered me a ten for the $9.20 fare---"Is that okay?"---and in a rare response, I said, "No, it wasn't," adding that I had just achieved something special, which I had. She gave me twelve.
Who is blind? Who is awake? Or was her mind "just on vacation?" One can only hope, knowing that in America, paying attention is optional. Why understand what is going on around you when instead oblivion is better in any city or state, making it convenient upon your personal demise not noticing your surrounding temperature, heaven and hell the same even when Beelzebub polks you in the buttock with a pointy pitchfork. Will she exclaim "Ouch!" with a puzzled smile? My guess is yes. What do you think is her response?
Picking up the couple at King Street station bound for the Mayflower Hotel at Fourth & Olive, I instantly understood a detour was in order. Having done this more times than I have ever wanted, I knew that either 6th or 8th would do the trick. Also knowing that all traffic was being routed east onto Spring Street, it was obvious avoiding that morass was necessary, Seattle driver simpletons proceeding directly into the "jaws of death," or more prosaically, a hot and tedious and irritating "Manhatten-style" traffic jam. Who needs that on a record 93 degree F. Saturday? Not me, not that day, not ever.
My goal was to get them at the bottom of the hotel, on Fifth, allowing them a relatively easy haul of too much luggage up the short hill. And thankfully everything went as taxi formulated, getting them there from Sixth minus much fuss or trouble. Only cabby's know the minor miracles we produce daily, and this my friends was one of them, getting them there for just over nine dollars through the potentially insane. While having few expectations, I do wish for basic recognition of the readily apparent despite it being their first time in Seattle.
As they got out of 478, a nearly blind woman, white cane in hand, approached, needing a ride. Sure, I said, allowing her to enter when suddenly the less observant of the pair from Florida nearly knocked the woman over, thinking she had left something in the cab. She hadn't, plus also failing to apologize for her stupidity. She then offered me a ten for the $9.20 fare---"Is that okay?"---and in a rare response, I said, "No, it wasn't," adding that I had just achieved something special, which I had. She gave me twelve.
Who is blind? Who is awake? Or was her mind "just on vacation?" One can only hope, knowing that in America, paying attention is optional. Why understand what is going on around you when instead oblivion is better in any city or state, making it convenient upon your personal demise not noticing your surrounding temperature, heaven and hell the same even when Beelzebub polks you in the buttock with a pointy pitchfork. Will she exclaim "Ouch!" with a puzzled smile? My guess is yes. What do you think is her response?
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Sand Tiger Sharks And Uber---Embryonic Siblings
On the Seattle Times' Saturday May 28th's front page was Evan Bush's featured article about Uber drivers working Sea-Tac International airport and its personal consequences. From his various interviews, it appears all is not well, Uber drivers expressing dissatisfaction with 1 1/2 hour waits and fares to downtown averaging between $25-30.00 before gasoline and Uber's 20 percent cost, translating, if you count driving time, into about a $10.00 per hour profit (my estimation). Making it worse for them were many "holding area" flat tires caused by numerous nails somehow mysteriously scattered in and around the parking lot. Suspects, including taxi drivers and nearby careless construction workers, were mentioned but no one truly knows the source and cause.
Given all these drawbacks, the biggest issue might be Uber itself and its internal competition, UberPool, with the drivers forced to transport passengers for as little as one dollar, meaning less than half of local Metro bus fare. But why would Uber care when they just received 3.5 billion in investment dollars from Saudi Arabia, further bolstering their $62.5 billion evaluation?
What Uber drivers have failed to understand is that Uber business practices emulate that feared and mighty sea-going predator, the Sand Tiger Shark (carcharias taurus) and its singular reproduction system. You don't want to be reincarnated as a Sand Tiger shark because very likely you won't even make it out of your mother shark's womb. Not a good way to get started because your end is already foreseen.
Given all these drawbacks, the biggest issue might be Uber itself and its internal competition, UberPool, with the drivers forced to transport passengers for as little as one dollar, meaning less than half of local Metro bus fare. But why would Uber care when they just received 3.5 billion in investment dollars from Saudi Arabia, further bolstering their $62.5 billion evaluation?
What Uber drivers have failed to understand is that Uber business practices emulate that feared and mighty sea-going predator, the Sand Tiger Shark (carcharias taurus) and its singular reproduction system. You don't want to be reincarnated as a Sand Tiger shark because very likely you won't even make it out of your mother shark's womb. Not a good way to get started because your end is already foreseen.
What it is called is intrauterine cannibalism or embryophagy, where one baby sand shark consumes its siblings while still in an internal state. Pretty amazing, I would say, something also referred to as adelphophagy, literally meaning the eating of your own brother. It is interesting that modern corporate capitalism mimics the ancient shark but capitalism has always been closely connected to our species more primitive instincts, from the caveman clubbing a rival to early industial England employing hungry youths in dank factories 16 hours a day.
So is there anything new to being eaten alive? It appears not but I sure the hungry baby shark makes a swift meal while Uber slowly consumes its drivers bite by bite, first a hand, then a forearm until nothing is left but a brief newspaper mention stating that once again an Uber driver has utterly disappeared, nothing remaining but an unoccupied car at the side of road. There is not even an official obituary, only another unsolved mystery, the Sand Tiger Shark swimming swiftly and rapidly away, having left Austin, Texas, to newer feeding grounds. Burp!
So is there anything new to being eaten alive? It appears not but I sure the hungry baby shark makes a swift meal while Uber slowly consumes its drivers bite by bite, first a hand, then a forearm until nothing is left but a brief newspaper mention stating that once again an Uber driver has utterly disappeared, nothing remaining but an unoccupied car at the side of road. There is not even an official obituary, only another unsolved mystery, the Sand Tiger Shark swimming swiftly and rapidly away, having left Austin, Texas, to newer feeding grounds. Burp!
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
She Requested That I Zip Up Her Dress
As I mentioned a few months back, with that New York Post headline about a headless body found in the topless bar, salacious or sensational headlines are eye-catching, grabbing the reader's attention. And while it is completely true that a female passenger asked me to zip up her "The Great Gatsby" party dress, it was more silly than anything close to stimulating. Believe me, dumb is not exciting, and anyway, why should I care about someone's nonsense? No good reason that I can see.
It is the kind of non-thinking incident that occurs too often in the cab, in this case a passenger telling me, when I call her that I will be there in two minutes, that she needs her dress zipped up. The inherent insensitivity involved here, at least in Seattle, is that many of the drivers come from "very" traditional cultures, and their religion would forbid this kind of interaction. Most you can be sure are not hippies who lived on a commune at age sixteen, an environment where sex and nudity were the commonplace vernacular. So what was this woman doing? My assessment is that she didn't know what she was doing. Or perhaps she did, treating the average cabbie like public property. Nothing new here.
Getting to her house on the western side of Queen Anne Hill, I find her late for a birthday party with a "F.Scott Fitzgerald" theme. The zipping took a mere second, a space of two inches requiring closure. "Oh I just couldn't show up with my dress unzipped!"
The truth is, I doubt that anyone would have noticed, leastwise the "girlfriends" at the party. And besides, I am sure anyone would have taken the time to assist, not bothered in the least or at all put out. But when you are this frivolous, and where appearance is all important, I guess this type of thing takes priority. "What would everyone think?" appears to be the governing attitude. My approach is decidedly different but again, I am a alienated cabbie so that is to be expected. Why would I care?
In Monday's New York Times, there is a book review commenting upon the kind of woman (age 31) I met, "We Were Feminists Once," by Andi Zeisler, commenting specifically on the current cultural pressures molding and forming modern, young American womanhood. A quote from her introduction I find especially apt.
"There a mainstream. celebrity, consumer embrace of feminism that positions it as a cool, fun, accessible identity that anyone can adopt." Yes, according to this societal philosophy my passenger is a liberated and autonomous woman. I beg to differ, and certainly given the urgency of the situation, deserving of a much larger tip. Please, not sex, honey---All I want is the money,!
As both Pete Seeger and Peter, Paul and Mary sang, "Oh, when will they ever learn?" "Beats me?" is my rhetorical response. And again, ha, ha, ha!
And a quick WWII trivia question, "What ever happened to Lord Haw Haw?" Nothing good I can assure you.
PS: I thought I had posted this on Tuesday. Shows what happens to the taxi-tired body, or should I say, booby!
It is the kind of non-thinking incident that occurs too often in the cab, in this case a passenger telling me, when I call her that I will be there in two minutes, that she needs her dress zipped up. The inherent insensitivity involved here, at least in Seattle, is that many of the drivers come from "very" traditional cultures, and their religion would forbid this kind of interaction. Most you can be sure are not hippies who lived on a commune at age sixteen, an environment where sex and nudity were the commonplace vernacular. So what was this woman doing? My assessment is that she didn't know what she was doing. Or perhaps she did, treating the average cabbie like public property. Nothing new here.
Getting to her house on the western side of Queen Anne Hill, I find her late for a birthday party with a "F.Scott Fitzgerald" theme. The zipping took a mere second, a space of two inches requiring closure. "Oh I just couldn't show up with my dress unzipped!"
The truth is, I doubt that anyone would have noticed, leastwise the "girlfriends" at the party. And besides, I am sure anyone would have taken the time to assist, not bothered in the least or at all put out. But when you are this frivolous, and where appearance is all important, I guess this type of thing takes priority. "What would everyone think?" appears to be the governing attitude. My approach is decidedly different but again, I am a alienated cabbie so that is to be expected. Why would I care?
In Monday's New York Times, there is a book review commenting upon the kind of woman (age 31) I met, "We Were Feminists Once," by Andi Zeisler, commenting specifically on the current cultural pressures molding and forming modern, young American womanhood. A quote from her introduction I find especially apt.
"There a mainstream. celebrity, consumer embrace of feminism that positions it as a cool, fun, accessible identity that anyone can adopt." Yes, according to this societal philosophy my passenger is a liberated and autonomous woman. I beg to differ, and certainly given the urgency of the situation, deserving of a much larger tip. Please, not sex, honey---All I want is the money,!
As both Pete Seeger and Peter, Paul and Mary sang, "Oh, when will they ever learn?" "Beats me?" is my rhetorical response. And again, ha, ha, ha!
And a quick WWII trivia question, "What ever happened to Lord Haw Haw?" Nothing good I can assure you.
PS: I thought I had posted this on Tuesday. Shows what happens to the taxi-tired body, or should I say, booby!
Monday, May 16, 2016
A Tale Of Two Taxi Cities
No, not Dickens, and no, this is not 1789, San Francisco and Seattle not Paris, not France. But what might be, or is true, is that a new non-monarchical caste has firmly entrenched itself in America, money, having lots of money enfranchising a new nobility class. While one may not be a hereditary King or Queen, money allows individuals an out-sized influence and stature, providing power and influence over others. Travis Kalanick of Uber, and John Zimmer of Lyft are representative of this new class, dominating people's lives not unlike Russia's Catherine the Great's relationship with 18th Century Russian serfs.
Has the interrelational dynamics changed sixteen years into the 21st Century? No, unless surface alterations pass as permanence, choice remaining the same if your pockets, and stomach, are empty. Isn't the worker narrative from slave to serf to indentured servant to option-less modern day laborer the same story, where the underlying directive and message repeating that where and how you were born is what and how you will remain? In America, one of the few escape routes is a university education but even a PHD doesn't guarantee a seat amongst the new social rank, only meaning you have an opportunity not dissimilar to buying a lottery ticket. Yes, you might win but overall odds are slight.
Seattle and San Francisco's story then, taken in this light, are one and the same. While San Francisco's taxi industry is more egalitarian that Seattle's, it remains controlled and stymied by municipal and wealthy elitists who know what is best for their unwashed inferiors. While seemingly an exaggeration it probably isn't, because in both cities their daily fates are dictated by those who have not and never will drive a taxi.
Why? Because, as adults, certain kinds of playgrounds are reserved for children only, and for the New Royalty there is no changing that attitude.. For instance, despite my tugging upon the regulatory sleeve, why am I never listened to? I just told you why, which is perhaps why a return in 1789 would be a good idea. Until then, cabbies will remain subject to the harshest punishments and legal judgments while the real criminals will both remain in charge and rule the world. Glory hallelujah, let Jesus set us free! Or at least for a few minutes. That would be nice.
Has the interrelational dynamics changed sixteen years into the 21st Century? No, unless surface alterations pass as permanence, choice remaining the same if your pockets, and stomach, are empty. Isn't the worker narrative from slave to serf to indentured servant to option-less modern day laborer the same story, where the underlying directive and message repeating that where and how you were born is what and how you will remain? In America, one of the few escape routes is a university education but even a PHD doesn't guarantee a seat amongst the new social rank, only meaning you have an opportunity not dissimilar to buying a lottery ticket. Yes, you might win but overall odds are slight.
Seattle and San Francisco's story then, taken in this light, are one and the same. While San Francisco's taxi industry is more egalitarian that Seattle's, it remains controlled and stymied by municipal and wealthy elitists who know what is best for their unwashed inferiors. While seemingly an exaggeration it probably isn't, because in both cities their daily fates are dictated by those who have not and never will drive a taxi.
Why? Because, as adults, certain kinds of playgrounds are reserved for children only, and for the New Royalty there is no changing that attitude.. For instance, despite my tugging upon the regulatory sleeve, why am I never listened to? I just told you why, which is perhaps why a return in 1789 would be a good idea. Until then, cabbies will remain subject to the harshest punishments and legal judgments while the real criminals will both remain in charge and rule the world. Glory hallelujah, let Jesus set us free! Or at least for a few minutes. That would be nice.
Friday, May 13, 2016
As The Taxi Stomach Churns: News From San Francisco & Seattle
Taxi is a wild world and the longer I reside on the cabby planet, the wilder it seems to be. For instance how can I explain how and why, on two connective nights, two women, one older, one much younger thrust themselves from the backseat and through the gap between the bucket seats, suddenly looking right at me?. The first was just frantic, and the latter invader was obviously fueled by some unknown drug and alcohol combination, prompting her to attack while we flew down the freeway. Maybe worse were her attempts at apology, her repeated efforts skipping like a flawed CD. Only good part is that I got forty for a 23 dollar fare but jumping into the front seat at that moment was not smart. Fun stuff, huh, but maybe not!
From San Francisco Yellow---
San Francisco taxi buddy Gerald N. provided a great (and informative) tour of the Yellow lot at 1200 Mississippi. Never have I seen a cab lot like this one, reminding me more of a functional taxi city than anything else. With more time permitting I will describe in detail this most amazing functional, all-inclusive and efficient taxi institution. There is much to tell.
Unfortunately they almost lost it all due to an accident settlement, that without legal maneuvering, would have cost them the effort of nearly four decades toward creating something special. The accident itself spells out why industry regulatory reform across the entire nation is necessary.
The City of San Francisco has at least two outmoded rules that assisted in an eighty-year old driver fainting in his cab and careening into two people standing on the sidewalk. One is that to retain medallion ownership you must continue to drive a percentage of the time. And the other is that you never have full ownership, meaning you either lose the medallion upon death or you sell it at an disadvantage, with the City getting a sizable chunk of the owner's profits.
With these kinds of archaic rules it isn't surprising that San Francisco City officials have so eagerly jumped on the Uber and Lyft bandwagon. The City of San Francisco isn't going to support an industry they clearly despise. Instead they have and will continue to treat their local cabbies like criminals, little deserving of anything but a kick in the pants. As for those bastions of upper-middle class propriety and goodness, Uber and Lyft, well, they are in a different and far more exalted category, residing in heaven, not down somewhere here in taxi hell with all us lower-class denizens, minus fans and suntan lotion. And they have the legion of lawyers available preventing 10 million dollar judgments.
One very surprising piece of news is that someone from Seattle Yellow has proposed to buy the Las Vegas dispatch call center which both companies now share. Isn't that interesting? More upon that subject as details become clearer. It something that was discussed at the Monday SF Yellow board meeting.
And something new in San Fran Cab Land is Desoto Taxi's transformation into Flywheel Taxi, which of course is a dispatching app that has been attempting the past three years to become firmly established and operational. In Seattle Flywheel is primarily used by the flat-rate for hire companies.
As for news pertaining to Seattle---
---A Seattle Weekly newspaper ad gave the surprising news of a commerical partnership between the City of Seattle and Lyft offering discount rides during a particular drinking holiday. After contacting everyone I could think of, I did receive a friendly and official response saying that while the City of Seattle remains open to working with local taxi industry, they wanted to offer drunk passengers discounted rides, something taxi can't offer.
I find this response problematic for at least two reasons because I am too tired to think of any more at the moment. One is that this partnership acts as a great public relations promotion for Lyft, giving potential customers the impression that "Lyft really loves them," except perhaps in Austin,Texas; and that when considering some kind of transportation, consider us first, we are your best friends!
And other problem is that it is the City of Seattle (and King County) that isn't permitting us to consider lowering our meter rates, even for a short-term promotion---simultaneously limiting our options while blaming us for not having any options. Now while fully willing to accept accountability, how in the world are we accountable in this situation? Alice in Wonderland, here we come!
---This is what happens when drivers are not fully vetted or checked out thoroughly. A former Seattle police officer who was fired from the department in 2015 for various degrees of sexual harassment of female suspects is now under investigation for sexual assault while driving for Uber. The complaint is that he tried to kiss a female passenger and attempted to get into her apartment. A true background check would have told Uber about his SPD firing, thus preventing the entire incident in the first place.
---Computer system problems continue to plague Yellow. There has been explorations and presentations with and by other companies but isn't the real question here is why did Yellow commit to something without first fully understanding whether it would successfully operate trouble free? At least this time they are allowing operator input. That of course is a great stride forward. We will see if collective decision making really works.
There is more but my short nap on the flight back up to Seattle was only a band aide, time for more serous sleep on a sunny May afternoon. Happy Friday the 13th everyone. Watch out for Judas and his glad hand, waiting for that bag of silver.which just might be a bad bargain in the long term. Do we really need two thousand more years of distorted mythology? I don't think so!
From San Francisco Yellow---
San Francisco taxi buddy Gerald N. provided a great (and informative) tour of the Yellow lot at 1200 Mississippi. Never have I seen a cab lot like this one, reminding me more of a functional taxi city than anything else. With more time permitting I will describe in detail this most amazing functional, all-inclusive and efficient taxi institution. There is much to tell.
Unfortunately they almost lost it all due to an accident settlement, that without legal maneuvering, would have cost them the effort of nearly four decades toward creating something special. The accident itself spells out why industry regulatory reform across the entire nation is necessary.
The City of San Francisco has at least two outmoded rules that assisted in an eighty-year old driver fainting in his cab and careening into two people standing on the sidewalk. One is that to retain medallion ownership you must continue to drive a percentage of the time. And the other is that you never have full ownership, meaning you either lose the medallion upon death or you sell it at an disadvantage, with the City getting a sizable chunk of the owner's profits.
With these kinds of archaic rules it isn't surprising that San Francisco City officials have so eagerly jumped on the Uber and Lyft bandwagon. The City of San Francisco isn't going to support an industry they clearly despise. Instead they have and will continue to treat their local cabbies like criminals, little deserving of anything but a kick in the pants. As for those bastions of upper-middle class propriety and goodness, Uber and Lyft, well, they are in a different and far more exalted category, residing in heaven, not down somewhere here in taxi hell with all us lower-class denizens, minus fans and suntan lotion. And they have the legion of lawyers available preventing 10 million dollar judgments.
One very surprising piece of news is that someone from Seattle Yellow has proposed to buy the Las Vegas dispatch call center which both companies now share. Isn't that interesting? More upon that subject as details become clearer. It something that was discussed at the Monday SF Yellow board meeting.
And something new in San Fran Cab Land is Desoto Taxi's transformation into Flywheel Taxi, which of course is a dispatching app that has been attempting the past three years to become firmly established and operational. In Seattle Flywheel is primarily used by the flat-rate for hire companies.
As for news pertaining to Seattle---
---A Seattle Weekly newspaper ad gave the surprising news of a commerical partnership between the City of Seattle and Lyft offering discount rides during a particular drinking holiday. After contacting everyone I could think of, I did receive a friendly and official response saying that while the City of Seattle remains open to working with local taxi industry, they wanted to offer drunk passengers discounted rides, something taxi can't offer.
I find this response problematic for at least two reasons because I am too tired to think of any more at the moment. One is that this partnership acts as a great public relations promotion for Lyft, giving potential customers the impression that "Lyft really loves them," except perhaps in Austin,Texas; and that when considering some kind of transportation, consider us first, we are your best friends!
And other problem is that it is the City of Seattle (and King County) that isn't permitting us to consider lowering our meter rates, even for a short-term promotion---simultaneously limiting our options while blaming us for not having any options. Now while fully willing to accept accountability, how in the world are we accountable in this situation? Alice in Wonderland, here we come!
---This is what happens when drivers are not fully vetted or checked out thoroughly. A former Seattle police officer who was fired from the department in 2015 for various degrees of sexual harassment of female suspects is now under investigation for sexual assault while driving for Uber. The complaint is that he tried to kiss a female passenger and attempted to get into her apartment. A true background check would have told Uber about his SPD firing, thus preventing the entire incident in the first place.
---Computer system problems continue to plague Yellow. There has been explorations and presentations with and by other companies but isn't the real question here is why did Yellow commit to something without first fully understanding whether it would successfully operate trouble free? At least this time they are allowing operator input. That of course is a great stride forward. We will see if collective decision making really works.
There is more but my short nap on the flight back up to Seattle was only a band aide, time for more serous sleep on a sunny May afternoon. Happy Friday the 13th everyone. Watch out for Judas and his glad hand, waiting for that bag of silver.which just might be a bad bargain in the long term. Do we really need two thousand more years of distorted mythology? I don't think so!
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Coffee At 26th & Dolores
Greetings from San Francisco, having caught a 6:10 AM flight from Seattle. Sitting here in a local coffee shop, I am in a very familiar state of taxi exhaustion, having slept a total of about 20 hours the past four days. Ostensibly I am here to visit San Francisco Yellow taxi, hoping to have met with the board but that isn't going to happen. Instead tomorrow I'll be picked up by a taxi buddy and be shown around Yellow. One fact I have leaned about taxi, at least here in the United States, is their inability to understand what is happening and what might be and is important, not understanding priorities. And the reason for this? Well, that is something I will leave for a much later date but I will say it is the same reason we have been decimated by Uber and Lyft. Not only are we in trouble now, we as an industry have been "residing in confusion" ever since my first real introduction back in 1987. I say first because my father, back in 1969, having totally sabotaged his teaching career, began driving taxi in Denver, Colorado, and everything he told me about Denver taxi has been confirmed by Seattle and then some, so why should I expect San Francisco in 2016 to be any different? I don't but it does appear to be different in Austin, Texas, given the municipal government's support for the industry, refusing to take any nonsense from Uber and Lyft. One positive in Seattle are new cab stands, even one newly situated next to the recently opened Capital Hill light-rail station. It took too many years for the new stands to be installed but when you are treated like beggars you expect bread crumbs and little else.
Hansel and Gretel took a long walk in an urban forest
unfortunately getting very lost, the city sweeping their bread
crumbs away,with the mayor, a local witch, telling them who is
boss, insinuating that if you don't obey, that just like Jesus,
you will be nailed to a cross you will pay for daily,
and twice that rate on Sunday, and certainly, my children,
no complaints of any kind or way,
because I am disregarding, and don't you forget it,
anything you might
have to
say.
Hansel and Gretel took a long walk in an urban forest
unfortunately getting very lost, the city sweeping their bread
crumbs away,with the mayor, a local witch, telling them who is
boss, insinuating that if you don't obey, that just like Jesus,
you will be nailed to a cross you will pay for daily,
and twice that rate on Sunday, and certainly, my children,
no complaints of any kind or way,
because I am disregarding, and don't you forget it,
anything you might
have to
say.
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