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SAFETY MEASURES WHILE DRIVING A TAXI

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As an owner-operator my expenses include the cost of the cab and maintenance as well as fuel and insurance. I also pay the taxi company through which I work a weekly fee for advertising, radio service, etc. The total weekly cost to operate my taxi is about $400 per week, but this doesn't include fuel. My fuel usually costs from $5 to $15 per day depending on how busy I am, but it never exceeds 5 or 6 percent of my gross income.

My primary duty is picking up people at the airport, hotels, restaurants, homes, businesses, bus stations-anywhere they are and taking them where they need or want to go.

On a typical day I get up around 4:00 A.M., have a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee, and check in with the dispatcher. Since not all taxi drivers get up early, this is often a very profitable time. Our company has an account with a state health-care provider, so I usually pick up a lady to go to dialysis at 5:30 A.M.



Our dispatcher is able to obtain information regarding checkouts at the major hotels so I often find someone going to the airport. After I drop the person at the airport, I may stay at the airport to wait for another fare. (It isn't a good idea to drive a long distance between every fare because you can use up too much fuel.) With experience you learn to know where you can expect people to need your services, but sometimes, I would have to say, you also get a 'feeling' about business and it's usually a good idea to go with those feelings. For instance, I may take someone from the airport to Brentwood, Tennessee, which is just south of Nashville. We don't get a lot of calls from that area, but I have driven by one of the hotels there and found someone looking for transportation to the airport or into Nashville.

The taxi business can be busy and interesting, but it can also be slow and boring. I enjoy people so it is usually interesting to me. I have met people from all over the world who come here either for business or because of the country music industry.

One of our busiest times is during Fan Fare each year in June, when the country stars are all performing here and signing autographs for fans. This is also a very profitable time for me because people who have been saving for years to come to Fan Fare will pay whatever they have to pay to get to where their favorite star is performing.

Another reason the taxi business is interesting is that sometimes we have an opportunity to meet and provide transportation for celebrities. Some of the ones I have met are Jon Vought, Foster Brooks, Tommy Lasorda, and numerous producers and agents whose names are not household words. I once saw President Jimmy Carter and his wife get into a taxi in front of me at the airport.

Some of my passengers have been mayors, governors, policemen, and other public figures from Nashville, as well as other cities and states.

In addition to the 'strangers' I meet every day, there are several local people who travel in business who are my regular customers. For their convenience, and mine, I have a cellular phone so they can contact me at any time. Sometimes I receive a call from 'Mr. Smith in Denver' giving me the date, time, and flight number for his arrival so I can pick him up at the airport.

One of the downsides is that the taxi business is a dangerous business. We have about one taxi driver per year robbed or murdered here in Nashville, so obviously safety is one of our primary concerns. There are several things you can do to lessen the possibility of having a terrible experience. First, you have to constantly be aware of where you are and what is happening around you. You might be dispatched to a residence to pick up a fare; if you arrive to find a person standing on the street or if someone comes from around the side of the house after you arrive you should drive past them until you are out of sight. If the call is legitimate, they will call the dispatcher and wait until you get back around the block. If it is just someone using the address to get a taxi driver (whom they expect to be carrying cash), you have just avoided a potentially dangerous situation.

Speaking of money: The taxi business can be very profitable when business is good so it is important to stop at your bank and make frequent deposits or drop by the house to leave money in a safe place because if you pick up someone who has the intention of robbing you, it is probably best to have little money with you and to give over what you have.

Some taxi drivers have permits to carry guns, but this is controversial. While it may provide a degree of protection, there is always the possibility that a gun may be taken from you by a robber and used against you. Personally, I do not carry a gun but I have something in my car that could be used as a weapon if needed.

A lot of people have the mistaken impression that all taxi drivers are greedy. Some are, and I suppose I am at times, but I also provide free transportation for people from time to time. For instance, I'll be on my way to a hotel when I see someone walking in the rain. I usually stop and ask them if they would like a free ride. (I'm going there anyway so it doesn't cost me anything, and frequently that person will call me when they need to go somewhere later.)

I spend an average of eight to ten hours a day operating the taxi, but I have worked as much as sixteen hours, the maximum allowed without a break. However, one of the nice things about this industry, especially for owner-operators, is that I can take a day off when I want.

"I like the flexibility of working the hours I prefer to work, and about the only thing I don't like is that sometimes business is slow. Plus, there's always the odd person who treats you badly or the one who 'trashes' your taxi. There are people who will put cigarette butts out on the upholstery if you allow them to smoke in your taxi. Others will drop all kinds of trash on the floor. (Sometimes they also drop money, but I don't mind cleaning that up.) Most of the customers are nice, but there are some who aren't, especially those who have the opinion that taxi drivers are so stupid they are unable to find other work to do."

Expert Advice

Anyone who wishes to be successful in the taxi business must like dealing with people and have a pleasant manner; otherwise the tips will be few. Not getting a tip is terrible for morale!

You also must like driving in traffic, or at least be able to deal with driving in traffic without losing your cool.

It is also necessary to have a good sense of direction and be good at finding your way around. You have to be able to locate alternate routes when you encounter gridlock situations.

You also need to know which restaurants are good and which to avoid; which stars are performing during any given week; what sports events are taking place; the days and hours of operation for museums; what cultural events are taking place, and just about any other information that is available about the area you're in.

I would not advise anyone to get into this business unless; he or she has the self-discipline required to be independent. You also have to be able to deal with making a lot of money one day? And none the next, because that is sometimes the way the business is."
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