INDUSTRY IN REVIEW

By Don McCurdy

Let’s talk logistics.

I’ve been told many times that the devil is in the details. A company has recently introduced a product they call Direct Connect Taxi Network. Normally, I don’t react to press releases, but this particular one caught my attention not only on the “direct connect” aspect of the story, but the claim about “making it easy to find reliable and predictable services”.

I wondered exactly how they do that. Do they have a tie directly into the taxi company’s dispatch computer? I can visualize the devil buying a parka right now. Do they have a vast staff that evaluates companies in each city to determine the most reliable company? Or is this another payment per call hustle on taxicab companies with great bookkeeping? Who can say? It will be interesting to see if we ever hear from them again.

Speaking of logistics.

According to reports, the city of Norwalk, Connecticut is finally stepping up and doing something about the chaos at the South Norwalk train station. They’ve hired a “starter” to keep order and moved the taxi stand to the New York bound side of the station.

The New York side? Now I don’t claim to be a geography major, but I have sat at a cab stand or two. It would seem to me that cabs would be dropping off on the New York bound side and picking up on the Norwalk bound side. Kathleen Herbert, who is reported to “oversee” the Norwalk Parking Authority for the Department of Public Works, is reported to have said that inconvenience is not a legitimate issue. Well certainly not for her, she works in Norwalk. Beside that she said, “it’s a done deal”.

You have to sympathize with Kath, I mean she comes up with a perfectly convenient plan for the parking authority and those whiners that pay her salary have to raise a big fuss. I mean, really, don’t these cattle know what’s good for them. Stick to your guns girl, with asinine ideas like that you’ll be in congress in no time. Of course you may have to take the train.

Does this mean we have to be nice to them?

Apparently, the Colorado legislature has passed a bill allowing some entry into the Colorado taxicab industry. It’s reported that the governor is expected to sign a bill lowering some criteria for starting a new taxicab company. The drivers were up in arms and lobbied hard to get the bill passed.

As a recovering driver and company manager I can attest that some company managers are not as congenial toward their driver customers as they might be. Why, I’ve been accused of being insensitive at times myself. The “let ‘em eat cake” attitude may work in France, ok maybe it didn’t work there either, but it doesn’t seem to have sat too well with Denver taxicab drivers.

Oops. It’s well past time that some reasonable method of entry was adopted in Colorado. Perhaps some other regulatory jurisdictions should pay attention to what happens next. It could well be a lesson in what to, or not to, do. Either way we are sure to see some startup taxicab companies in the area.

My experience has been that the new companies tend to focus on the airport and central business district with little or no regard to actual dispatching of trips. I certainly hope the state has some sort of criteria beyond that anybody can start any size company. To those drivers considering starting their own company I can say that the easy part is over. Running a taxicab company may seem like a simple process for the uninitiated, but when those new wheels hit the streets you’ll encounter issues you never imagined possible. But then that’s what business is all about.

Again? Do we have to?

Yes, it’s coming close to the time TV watchers and taxicab drivers have come to dread - political convention season. Why taxicab drivers you ask. Well, you haven’t lived until you’ve gone through a good dose of politicians getting ready to entertain even more politicians.

City leaders in Minneapolis and Denver are worried about how their taxicab service is going to hold up during the upcoming conventions. Minneapolis is even going to allow drivers from other cities to pick up in town during the convention. Well, that makes sense. I mean just because the driver doesn’t know the area doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be allowed to load.

I’ve heard all of this before. What gets billed as a big time event that will bring millions to the city ends up being a catalyst for changes in the industry that drivers end up suffering with for decades following some forgotten event. If your taxicab service is inadequate it should have been fixed long ago.

Denver isn’t quite as bad although it’s been reported that the state’s new relaxed entry standards “may affect” the taxicab service their convention receives. What could really be a great event for taxicab drivers ends up so watered down from an over influx of cabs that it ends up being more hectic and less profitable for the drivers who work the city day to day. You have to wonder if there’s a rush to open more “gentlemen’s clubs”. I mean hey, they are politicians right?

Man, I knew gas prices were high but….

A recent report out of Seattle has a bank robber hailing a cab as his getaway car. While it isn’t the first time this has happened, and probably won’t be the last, the situation does offer police and FBI agents a potential clue. They know where the robber was dropped off, perhaps a canvas of local gas stations might get them a clue. Look for the guy who paid cash for a fill up in that area.

Mass starvation predicted.

Predictions are dire with possible widespread starvation. An evil that will make global warming seem as tame as a sunburn. A force so destructive that it will devastate the very fabric of our society. Yes, it has happened. Despite my belief that it would never happen, life as we know it is over. DC taxicabs have meters. It’s true. Little old ladies are starving and drivers are passing out at the wheel due to lack of food. Ok, I made that part up. Those are the predictions though. So I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

According to inside sources meters are winging their way to the capital city with meter shops and providers working overtime to handle the load. Mayor Adrian “Darth Vader” Fenty held his ground and actually got it done. Congratulations Mayor. You may still be the mayor of a seemingly third world city, but you’re making progress.

“They’re violating our rights!”

You have the right to remain silent, you have the right to an attorney, you have the right work the airport without an ID badge, uh what? Yes, according to members of the Houston Taxi Association it’s a violation of the driver’s civil rights to require background checks. Unfortunately, the judge has failed to recognize these obvious rights and didn’t stop the airport from requiring badges. It has been reported that the airport has denied a few dozen drivers, but that the vast majority had passed the background checks.

Ok, fine, so I haven’t heard it all.

It’s been reported that a man, dressed as a ninja, attempted to rob a taxicab driver in Eugene Oregon. No, the driver didn’t pick him up. The ninja wannabe attempted to rob the driver through the driver’s window. The driver rolled up the window and drove away. The suspect, described as a male dressed in black, did manage to get his arm out of the window. Too bad, Hollywood may have come up with a pilot for a series called “The Fugitive Ninja” or "The One Armed Ninja".

Surcharge kicks in, along with lawsuit.

I hesitate to mention Chicago, since I get a gust of hate mail with each mention of the windy city, but the new surcharge has kicked in and drivers are not allowed to charge an additional dollar on each fare.

It has been reported that a local drivers' group is not suing the city over the surcharge. As near as I can tell local drivers groups are split on the issue of surcharge, but all agree that it’s been too long since the last fare increase. Which begs the question as why, exactly, has it been so long since the last fare increase? In fact, why is it damned near impossible to just get a cost of living increase every year? Why the big dog and pony show every few years with the drivers demanding 20% and the city offering a surcharge if a gallon of gas gets higher than an ounce of gold?

If bureaucrats are smart enough to figure out what their secretary’s cost of living increase is going to be why not the same amount to the drivers? I know, too simple. Besides, your secretary brings your coffee, she’d already have poisoned you if you didn’t give her a raise for three years.

Des Moines city council swings into action

A recent report out of Des Moines has the city council “requesting a work session” to examine the city’s taxi industry. Well, it’s about time guys, it’s been a monopoly there for decades.

Reports out of Des Moines claim driver abuse, customer abuse and a general apathy on the part of local company owners. A local driver that wanted to organize the drivers to get a safety program going was summarily kicked out of the fleet and had no choice on another company. I’m sure the boys with the money will be stalling this “work session” for as long as possible to keep their seat on the gravy train.

What they really need is a study, yeah, that’s the ticket, a study. Perhaps, a two year study on industry entry methods from around the globe. Yeah, with consultants and junkets and fact finding missions. While I can agree with a ten car minimum, a million and half insurance is pretty extreme. Smells like some trial lawyer is on the council. So what’s the maximum payout in the history of the city for a taxicab accident? I'm betting well under the requirement.

—dmc

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