Twenty-nine Airport Runs & Wednesday TAG Report

Is everyone fleeing Seattle or more correctly, has the booming local economy created a new wealthy sub-class launching everyone into the air?  Whatever the impetus, it has been impressive, providing me with twenty-nine fares to Sea-Tac over three consecutive weekends, meaning in six total days I have averaged nearly five a day.  Nothing like this has ever personally happened to me before, signifying something whatever that something might be.  And amazingly they are not the only good fares I am getting.  Saturday I got a cash fare from the VA Hospital to Tacoma, that large city about 30 miles south of Seattle.  Last weekend I kept going to the City of Kent, again located about 17-20 miles southeast. While airport runs are always welcome, it doesn't mean they are always the perfect fare, a situation too well illustrated by a fare last night originating in the north end, at about 88th NE and Roosevelt NE, an approximate 18 miles north of the airport.

Sunday night in Seattle can be and is one of the best times to latch onto an airport fare, given the many "red-eye" flights leaving for the East Coast.  Knowing this, I have gotten into the habit of working the more demographically prime areas for such fares. And sure enough, just before 9:00 PM the fish bit, and all I had to do was drive about 3/4 of a mile to the required address.  Not being a time-call I assumed the person would be ready to leap out and go.

Alerting the passenger by telephone I pulled up and began waiting.  Minutes passed and no passenger.  Getting out of 478, I made sure I was at the correct address.  Verifying I was there I relaxed and soon the garage door opened, signalling the guy was finally coming.  What shocked me was his flight's departure time.  It was now 9:10 PM and his New Jersey flight was leaving at 10:57! 

Ridiculous but there it was, provided no choice but to fly like a taxi banshee.  Voicing my displeasure and clearly hinting this effort was worth a good tip, off we roared down south-bound Interstate 5.  Further complicating the drive was a very congested roadway, prompting countless maneuvers and lane changes at 60-80 MPH.  More than once I told him his poor planning was unwise and hazardous, endangering all concerned.

Arriving at the ticket level exactly at 10:31 PM he had 26 minutes to make it aboard which I assume he did.  He gave me with tip $68.00.  He wasn't generous.  What else is there left to say?

Craig Leisy's TAG (Quarterly Taxi Advisory Group

Much more on this later but I made a point of attending because Mr. Leisy would be providing everyone an overview of the mayor's Uber bill which became operational in part last week.  Am I pleased that the Office of Consumer Affairs is as confused as everyone else concerning it?  No, I am not happy.  Tomorrow I am going hiking and camping in the North Cascades.  Part of the reading material I am taking along is that damn bill.   Expect a thorough review next week unless I run away with a pack of woolly marmots, never to be seen again.  Sounds like a rational alternative.