I was never ever very close to my father. In fact although we lived under the same roof for 18 years he was more like a stranger than a father. He never gave me much advice except the one and only advice I can remember was the following:
" I do not care what you chose to do in life, carpenter, plumber, truckdriver or whatever you want to do except Don't ever be a fucking cabdriver only x-cons, and losers drive a cab."
I have been driving a taxicab for over 25 years. I am glad he did not tell me to not be a bank robber as I would probably still be doing time.
I have had CEO's of major companies tell me their secret fantsy was to drive a cab. People ask me alot of questions about driving a cab as if the taxicab profession is some kind of secret society. This article is to give the reader what a day in the life of a cabbie is like.
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The first thing you have to remember about driving a cab is you are responsible for paying the taxicab company a daily lease which can vary from 110. to 140. per day plus gas that usually runs 20-30 dollars. In other words before you even pickup your first fare you owe 150.00 payable at the end of a 10 or 12 hour shift. A taxidriver must net about $30.00 per hour in order to realize a good night. Sometimes, you get lucky and book more sometimes less but in order to be successful this means sitting behind the wheel and having a quick snack on the road and finding a bathroom whereever you can in order to get through a shift. Over the past 25 years I have been rearended, t-boned, one roller over in a vehicle and one head on collision. I have been vomited on had my car covered in vomit front and backseat all at the same time been robbed once, have had passengers have sex in the back sea. Cab driving is ranked the #3 most dangerous job in American more dangerous than prison guard, or law enforcement.
I compare driving a cab to a Navy Jet Pilot taking off and landing on an aircraft carrier in the middle of the ocean. You are responsible for the safety of yourself, your passenger, bicylists that run red lights, tourists that walk out into the street disregading "Don't Walks Signs" Motorcyles, Scooters, Skateboarders, People in Wheelchairs not to mention people on drugs that seem to just run across the street at any given moment when you are not expecting it.
After, 10-12 hours on the streets of San Francisco your nerves are frayed, your heart is pumping and you often have to sit for an hour just to unwind.
Considering what I have just told you about driving this does not include having a flat tire, a taxicab mechanical failure of an accident that closes streets and traffic jams that eat into your goal of 30.00 per hour.
I try to keep a postive attitude throughout the night even though many things are out of my control. I cannot let negative energy effect my relationship with my passengers or driving. I pray alot before I hit the streets and the following statement is what I live by. "THE DAY YOU GET BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A CAB AND NOT SCARED TO DEATH OF DYING OR INJURY IS THE DAY YOU WILL DIE OR BE INJURED."
" I do not care what you chose to do in life, carpenter, plumber, truckdriver or whatever you want to do except Don't ever be a fucking cabdriver only x-cons, and losers drive a cab."
I have been driving a taxicab for over 25 years. I am glad he did not tell me to not be a bank robber as I would probably still be doing time.
I have had CEO's of major companies tell me their secret fantsy was to drive a cab. People ask me alot of questions about driving a cab as if the taxicab profession is some kind of secret society. This article is to give the reader what a day in the life of a cabbie is like.
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The first thing you have to remember about driving a cab is you are responsible for paying the taxicab company a daily lease which can vary from 110. to 140. per day plus gas that usually runs 20-30 dollars. In other words before you even pickup your first fare you owe 150.00 payable at the end of a 10 or 12 hour shift. A taxidriver must net about $30.00 per hour in order to realize a good night. Sometimes, you get lucky and book more sometimes less but in order to be successful this means sitting behind the wheel and having a quick snack on the road and finding a bathroom whereever you can in order to get through a shift. Over the past 25 years I have been rearended, t-boned, one roller over in a vehicle and one head on collision. I have been vomited on had my car covered in vomit front and backseat all at the same time been robbed once, have had passengers have sex in the back sea. Cab driving is ranked the #3 most dangerous job in American more dangerous than prison guard, or law enforcement.
I compare driving a cab to a Navy Jet Pilot taking off and landing on an aircraft carrier in the middle of the ocean. You are responsible for the safety of yourself, your passenger, bicylists that run red lights, tourists that walk out into the street disregading "Don't Walks Signs" Motorcyles, Scooters, Skateboarders, People in Wheelchairs not to mention people on drugs that seem to just run across the street at any given moment when you are not expecting it.
After, 10-12 hours on the streets of San Francisco your nerves are frayed, your heart is pumping and you often have to sit for an hour just to unwind.
Considering what I have just told you about driving this does not include having a flat tire, a taxicab mechanical failure of an accident that closes streets and traffic jams that eat into your goal of 30.00 per hour.
I try to keep a postive attitude throughout the night even though many things are out of my control. I cannot let negative energy effect my relationship with my passengers or driving. I pray alot before I hit the streets and the following statement is what I live by. "THE DAY YOU GET BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A CAB AND NOT SCARED TO DEATH OF DYING OR INJURY IS THE DAY YOU WILL DIE OR BE INJURED."
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