Forget about getting around New York City if you're in a wheelchair. About two percent of more than 13,000 yellow cabs are accessible. (Compare us to London, where every taxi can handle wheelchairs.)
What's holding New York up?
The taxi industry is resisting accessible cabs - just like the auto industry resisted seat belts, airbags and higher fuel economy. But the City regulates 100% of the taxi industry. So it's time for a mandated, gradual conversion to accessible vehicles for the entire fleet. Otherwise, 49 out of every 50 yellow cabs in the fleet will remain out of reach for most wheelchair users.
It is curious that America is normally considered to be the bastion of deregulation. People look at the banking industry in America and how that is only loosely regulated and imagine that the same ethos of letting the ‘market decide’ and unfettering commercial interests from bureaucracy must exist in other sectors of the economy. Well it does, but not in the case of the taxi industry in New York. In this case, the State of New York imposes strict regulations on taxi drivers and taxi firms. These regulations are designed to protect the customer but sometimes they force the drivers’ salaries below the minimum wage. Moreover, the authorities of New York refuse to make wheel chair access mandatory for new taxis.
Taxis in New York City transport 240 million people a year, making up 25% of all the transport in the city. The Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) set regulations concerning nearly all aspects of the taxi business. The TLC sets fares, issues licenses, imposes fines etc. At the same time most taxi drivers are classified as independent contractors and are thus not protected by employment laws.
There are four types of taxi in New York: yellow cabs, livery cabs, dollar vans and black cars. Yellow cabs dominate midtown and down town. There are 13,000 yellow cabs in operation and about 25,000 drivers. The drivers either rent their cab from a corporate garage, own their vehicle or rent from another driver to do a second shift. There are serious financial and regulatory impediments to owning one’s own yellow cab. Not the least of which are that many drivers are illegal immigrants.
Livery cabs dominate uptown Manhattan. These cabs are on a phone call hire basis only. Drivers get a weekly fee. Again many drivers rent out their livery cabs for a second shift. There are about 30,000 livery cabs in service.
Dollar vans are larger vehicles that cater for people in outlying districts and boroughs. The TLC has licensed 85 dollar vans but many more operate without licenses. Most drivers of dollar vans work independently and foot all the costs associated with their business.
Black cars provide business class services to Wall Street companies. There are about 12,000 black car drivers. Fares are often paid by vouchers issued by companies.
The margins are very tight for most taxi drivers. Increasingly drivers are legal and illegal immigrants from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Dominican Republic and Haiti as well as other countries. The drivers have little cash behind them and so find it next to impossible to save enough to buy their own cab.
Yellow Cab drivers after subtracting costs such as rental, gas and maintenance make between $400 and $500 a week (2004 figures). At slow times yellow taxi drivers can make as little as $22 a day.
Livery cab drivers have large insurance premiums to pay. In 2004 the average annual salary for a livery cab driver was $20,000. Dollar van drivers have a large income but high overheads and make roughly the same as livery cab drivers.
On average drivers work 12 to 16 hours a day. They cannot raise fares ? they must apply to the TLC to do so. When fuel prices go up the TLC has rejected most applications for fare increases. This means the drivers’ net salaries go down.
On top of this, drivers because of their independent contractor status receive no medical, employment or pension benefits. Factoring this in to the above figures it is clear to see that New York taxi drivers are some of the worst paid workers in New York - indeed their salaries often fall below the minimum wage.
Looking at the issue of wheelchair access for the disabled to use taxis it is clear that the financial burden for refits cannot fall on the drivers themselves. At present only 2% of yellow cabs have wheel chair access. This is not going to change unless the TLC approaches the financial entities that do make money from the taxi industry in New York. These are the corporate garages that rent out cabs to the drivers.
Another solution is to introduce subsidies or low interest loans either directly to the drivers or to the owners of the taxis. At the same time set a deadline for the conversion of all cabs to full access for the disabled. The owners that fail to comply could have their licenses revoked.
It is clear that the money has to come from somewhere to make cabs and especially yellow cabs accessible to the handicapped in wheelchairs. It is equally clear that most of the drivers themselves are victims of an unfair system and do not have the financial resources to foot the bill for conversions.
Ever thought of going to Pizza Hut for lunch instead of staying in the office? You might want to consider it. Especially since for just $9.99 (less if you can find the right Pizza Hut Coupons) you can take advantage of Pizza Hut’s All You Can Eat Buffet.
What do you get to choose from? Well there are pizza slices of various different kinds of course, but there are also a number of different of salads, home made soups and tasty fresh bread sticks you can choose from as well.
Another great deal offered by Pizza Hut are their family sized meals. These are larger offerings designed to feed more than just one person (although just how many people they do feed depends on how much they like pizza) An especially good deal is the Big Dinner box which sees you get two medium, rectangular, 1-topping pizzas, 8 wings and 5 bread sticks with marinara dipping sauce for less than $20!
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I understand the concern of the taxi industry as well as groups representing Americans in wheelchairs. In my opinion, both groups make a number of valid points, but shouldn’t we be able to provide a solid set of options for people in wheelchairs, is it really that hard to change out Taxi’s as they get too old to function well for those which are wheel chair accessible? Given the number of miles the average Taxi drives per year, is it really asking that much?
A wine of the month club would basically stop existing if people in the city couldn’t take a Taxi to and from their event. Has either side thought of the unintended consequences of a strike, or worse?
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Over the years the look of the New York cab has changed little by little. This has never been more true than the recently announced version that is to be produced by Nissan. This couldn’t be further away from the iconic look that made the New York cab instantly recognizable around the world.
The Nissan NV200 cab is shaped more like a mini van and resembles something mums would use taking their kids to and from soccer practice! Its not all bad though, inside promises to offer passengers an altogether more comfortable ride.
Features Of The Nissan NV200
Starting with the view from inside the cab the NV200 will sport a panoramic roof which i’ve got to say is a great idea. Any new visitor to the city will spend their whole cab ride straining to look up out of the window of a regular cab, now they can sit back and enjoy the ride!
The interior will also benefit from technology upgrades allowing you to charge a number of portable devices by way of USB connection. Old rules will still apply when it comes to smoking inside vehicles, no breakthrough there unless you use an electronic cigarette device, check out the Sky Cig review for a good option there.
Luggage capacity will be better with enough space for the luggage of four passengers with each having the space to sit comfortably. Along with these added features Nissan are also introducing Microbial upholstery which should come as welcome news to the germaphobes amongst us.
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Security guard jobs are mostly seen in businesses that need protection such as banks, airports, schools, hospitals, bars and malls. Security guards are hired in these facilities to protect the interests of the owners or stakeholders. They are expected to keep the business free from criminal elements. Hired guards should constantly be on the look-out as they patrol their area of responsibility and report what is observed to the designated company representative.
Unfortunately, security guard jobs may cause injury even death when unlawful individuals seek to do harm or forcefully acquire what they were hired to protect. In such cases, the regular salary given may not be enough to cover loss of limb or at worse, loss of life. Take for example working in a bank. An attack from bank robbers requires security guards on duty to defend those inside and the money within. Their lives automatically are put on the line when threatened.
Other drawbacks in working as a security guard include: night shift duty which disrupts normal bodily functions (as sleep and food intake) and lowers bodily resistance to illnesses or diseases; exposure to harmful machines or equipment as cancer-producing x-rays and harmful arms or weapons carried by attackers; as well as boredom from static or single area security.
It is advisable then to move on to a better job. Look for a different type of employment. It would be easiest to transition to what is familiar or simple enough to learn and do. Working as a taxi driver for example requires easy-to-attain qualifications as having a valid professional driver’s license. Other requirements by the taxi company hiring may include: medical or NBI clearance.
Compared to security guard work, driving a taxi is more interesting and even rewarding. Meeting new people every day enriches personal knowledge on different engaging topics. If cab customers enjoy the trip and conversation, beyond the fare a good tip at the end of their journey may be given. There are many other advantages to being a cab driver versus being a security guard. It is thus the more sensible choice.
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Tags: careers, jobs, security guard, taxi driver
Taxi services will boost its business as long as there is a demand for taxis. Cordyceps is known as mushroom fungi that happen to be very beneficial. One thing about it is that it is being used as a flavor and nutritive additive to food. Since it is a food flavor and it has nutritional value, its demand has also gone high. Therefore, when anyone needs to get it, then they will require taxi services to get them to where the Cordyceps food additives are being sold if they do not have cars. When it is ingested in food, it invigorates important body organs like kidneys, lymph’s, hearts and even lungs.
Something to note about the food industry is that any spice introduced that is healthy is going to sell well. Restaurants and hotels are going to invest in the spice because people are all about indulging in healthy food these days. Since Cordyceps spices are nutritious in a healthy manner, many people will flock the hotels and restaurants that use it. When this happens, taxi services will be needed to get people in to these hotels and restaurants. This is how Cordyceps helps the taxi services thrive well and the more its demand, thus the demand of taxis too.
Another important thing about Cordyceps in taxi services is its medicinal value. It is known to reduce cancer tumors and this makes many doctors and chemists buy and recommend them to patients. When pharmacies are buying them, and they do not have means of transport, then they are going to have to use a taxi. Cordyceps has also been known to help the immune system survive tough conditions of cancer and if it is needed urgently; then it will have to be ordered and delivered and taxis are pretty neat at providing such services.
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Taxis are an important means for travelling around Manhattan. While taking the subway is cheaper, it is not always convenient for those who have limited mobility. The nearest Subway station may be several blocks away – and your destination may not be right by the destination Subway stop either.
When you flag a Taxi, you can go straight from where you are to where you need to be. This, while costing more in dollars, can save you time and effort. For short trips especially this makes a lot of sense, for longer trips you do need to consider the risk of getting caught in the dreaded Manhattan traffic – a risk you don’t face taking the subway.
Another concern with the Subway is that for people with disabilities they can be very difficult to navigate. They usually involve going up and down many flights of stairs, which is not an easy task if you have a wheelchair or other walking aid. Some taxis are equipped to handle disable passengers, for a person in a chair these are a great option for Manhattan travel.
Another option for the disabled – if their budget allows – is to hire a limo for transportation in the city. While this is an expensive option you do get the opportunity to travel in style! Some limousines come with all sorts of fancy bonuses – for example a TV, a mini bar, a refrigerator.
Reviews for this type of travel are usually quite positive. If you are going to have a driver you may as well be able to enjoy a cold drink from the refrigerator – reviews love this – while you are chauffeured to your destination!
If you find that a disability it impacting your efforts to get around New York, it is good to find a reliable service that is wheel chair friendly. Get reviews from friends in similar situations to help identify a good provider, and make a habit of using them. If you are a frequent customer you may be able to negotiate some sort of ongoing discount due to the amount of business you are offering the specific Taxi or Limo service.
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If you want to be a good driver on the road, it is highly recommended that you take a formal education for safe driving. Not only the entire driving course would give you an edge in any driving related matters, it will also enhance your practical skills for safe driving habits and give you greater confidence to pass the driving test with flying colors. Remember, in any skills especially if technicality is concerned just like a web designer learning the basics of Adobe Photoshop free download short courses, it requires a good deal of time, constant practice and willingness to master the skill itself similar to a driving course program.
To give you a brief idea of what should you consider when driving, here are 5 safety tips to apply for good driving habits:
- Make the appropriate seat adjustments suitable for your height so that you have a full view of at least 10 feet of the road in front of you. Doing this will also prevent you from being disturbed and blinded by any headlights approaching you.
- If you are for a long distance drive, see to it that your car is in good condition, windshields and side window are clean for better vision on other vehicles, signs or lines and pedestrians. Your headlights should be properly aligned by a professional.
- Although a 20/20 vision is a must in driving, if you need a prescriptive glasses be sure to have your annual eye check-up for better peripheral vision and your lenses are up to date.
- Don’t drive under the influence of medication or liquor since all these elements will affect your mode of driving and may even result to drowsiness or car crash.
- While on the road, observe safety measures always to prevent accidents and distractions like: leave a safety distance of at least 3 seconds between you and the care ahead of you, don’t do unnecessary actions while driving like answering a call, doing text messages or applying make-up.
Top advice:
Availing an extensive driving course program will not only help you attain your target to pass the driving test and get a driver’s license, but this program’s main role is to give you adequate knowledge on how to become a safe driver on the road. Be on the safe side and keep on guard always for any bad drivers while you drive.
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Indeed, the internet has really come a long way. Now, it has become one of the most important tools in everyone’s life. And the fact is that, as I browse through the internet and see the numerous advertisements online, it has hit me that booking a cab online has come a long way and sparkles with technological sophistication.
The fact is, more and more taxi companies are getting online as the demand gets higher. Thus, as a consumer, you actually have a lot of choices when it comes to picking the closest and most cost effective taxi company.
What is interesting to note, is the fact that the vast majority of successful taxi companies hire an seo agency so that people like you and me can find them easier. More so, you must also know that these marketing companies do more than just marketing. They actually program the whole booking system to make sure that it is user friendly and streamlines the business’s operations. I once visited a site that once you have made a booking, you would receive an SMS confirming the booking and lo and behold, the taxi showed up on driveway in 5 minutes!
In the end, there are really a lot of benefits when you do a little research to book a taxi for today’s hectic world.
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Tags: Internet, Online Booking, Technology
Thailand is famous for its people as well as its beautiful beaches, great forest trekking, delicious food and year round good weather. Of course all generalizations are subject to contradiction by the specific. The good weather is not in evidence during the monsoon months, some Thai food is so spicy as to be inedible by all who have not grown up with very chilly laden food, and not all the beaches are that beautiful.
Many people have a dim view of all taxi drivers. The world over they seem to prey on people who are not aware that they are taking the ‘long route’; that their meter is running on double time. In Thailand taxi drivers are a mixed bunch. The yellow taxi drivers in Bangkok are a fascinating breed. Most of them are honest, especially those that speak hardly any English. They will go on the meter and they will go straight to their destination. Sometimes they will refuse a fare not because they are rude but because the problems posed by one way systems and rush hour traffic. I have often notede that yellow taxis in Bangkok are actually cheaper than tuk tuks and over head trains, especially if you travel in groups of 2 or 3 people. Bangkok taxi drivers are often very talkative. If they discover you understand Thai they are sometimes hard to shut up. Despite their tough working conditions they seem to be brimming over with enthusiasm.
It is thus a shock for those people who head down south from Bangkok the tropical island of Koh Samui. Don’t be deceived by the laid back feeling of the island or by the fact that the taxis have a sign saying ‘meter taxi’. It is not an exaggeration to say that down to a taxi none of them will go on the meter. Whether you want to go to a hotel in Chaweng, the airport or just around the corner Koh Samui taxi drivers will demand a fixed fare. The prices start at 250 Thai Baht and go up alarmingly quickly. For the same money in Bangkok you could travel for an hour in a taxi.
It is impossible to successfully haggle with a Koh Samui taxi driver. You might get the ‘standard price’ instead of a hugely inflated ‘tourist price’; but you will never get a bargain.
The reason for this is often said to be organized crime. the mafia have enforced a strict monopoly to keep taxi fares in Koh Samui high and thus profits high. It is beyond the remit of this website to comment on the veracity of such rumors.
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Tags: Chaweng, taxi drivers, taxis in Koh Samui, Thailand
In December of 2011, the city of Portland had to rescind a ban on allowing tax drivers to renew their taxi permits using power of attorney. The city was sued by 11 taxi drivers and owners who felt the policy was unfair and was a thinly veiled attempt to “squeeze out” airport taxi drivers.
The taxi drivers and owners involved in the litigation stated that they sometimes have to return to their home country of Somalia for long periods of time, during which their taxi license may come up for renewal. They use a power of attorney to allow someone else to renew their license on their behalf. The ban had made this impossible to do because it required them to renew their license in person. One of the drivers in the case returned to the U.S. during the ban and found that his permit had expired and he was unable to continue employment as a driver in the city. State law requires that power of attorneys be accepted, so the now defunct Portland law violated that.
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It was way back in 1987 when New Yorks cab drivers won the right to insist their customers refrained from smoking cigarettes while making use of the iconic yellow vehicle as they were escorted to their chosen destination.
This change in the law was a huge win for health conscious drivers fed up inhaling the deadly fumes given off by the burning of tobacco, but it meant nicotine addicts had one less place where they could get their fix. These days of course things are even worse for smokers with just about every public place in the Big Apple being out of bounds when using tobacco products.
Over the last few years a product has come onto the market which is once again allowing smokers and cab drivers to live in harmony. The new electronic cigarette is a device which allows users to get nicotine without giving off any smoke, and it gaining in popularity with people fed up standing on the sidewalk to get their drug of choice. Even Katherine Heigl who is a keen advocate of this device has been photographed puffing on a custom e cig in the back seat of a Miami taxi cab.
One of the downsides of the e cigarette is that it looks a lot like the real thing so many cab drivers are going to be a bit apprehensive about letting their customers use it. There really is no need for this however as the only thing being emitted when the user exhales is a harmless water vapor.
If you get a fare who would like to use their electronic smoking device while you drive them around the city, our advice to encourage them. Not only will your customer be less likely to have a fit of nicotine deprived grumpiness, but it’s also far more likely you will get a sizable tip for your kindness.
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As a resident in the UK and someone who lived in London for many years, I can confirm that London taxis can all carry a wheelchair, and that the drivers are happy to help anyone who has to use a wheelchair. This is, as the website points out, in direct contrast to New York where cabs that can transport a wheelchair are rarer than hens’ teeth.
My elder sister and her husband visited New York last year. The trip was a golden wedding anniversary gift from their kids to celebrate 50 years of marriage and the holiday should have been an enjoyable experience, but my brother in law has to use a wheelchair to get about and the couple spent a frustrating week mostly confined to their hotel.
The hotel staff were sympathetic and not a little embarrassed at the shortcomings of their city’s taxi services, and eventually a taxi was found that could cope with the wheelchair, but by then most of the holiday was over and what should have been an inspired gift for a golden wedding turned out to be more like a spell in prison, albeit in a very comfortable cell.
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Being stick in Manhattantraffic is one of the most irritating experiences. It is even more irritating when you are stuck with an annoying customer that complains about it; like I enjoy being stuck in traffic. Then the annoying questions & manners hinting that they don’t want to pay for the meter that charges for time, I mean, cmon, cabbies have bills than need to be paid. If you don’t like it drive yourself or alternatively you can walk or take the subway to wherever the hell you’re going. Sometimes you get nutjobs that totally are out of control with emotional breakdowns & stuff like that, totally psychotic, psychologically unstable, that you’re thinking like, “Lady, you need to take a borderline personality disorder test or something!”. There are times I’m not even sure if they are for real or it’s just acting to get out of paying their fare. Probably the only thing more irritating than this are the drunk morons. They think cabbies make a lot of money, I wonder if any of them would like to spend one day doing this God forsaken job. People should pass a psychological preparedness test before sitting behind the wheel, you have to be rock solid mentally to deal with psycho customers.
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Taxi drivers are really entrepreneurs. In most parts of the world they are self employed and even own their own cabs. You can easily see which ones take pride in their craft and which ones don’t just by looking at how well kept their taxi’s are.
Even though they are their own bosses and technically work for themselves, they do usually have to pass state or country regulations. It is an industry that is regulated and all taxi drivers must stay within the rules. Additionally, most of them are hooked up to some dispatch service that helps them get business and they have to pay for that.
In many parts of the world, taxi drivers are not viewed with the highest esteem. It is a job that is often taken by immigrants and people who don’t have a higher education. Your ability to drive (and some cab drivers have this ability in questionable amounts) is all that is really needed and so it attracts people who might not be able to get other kinds of traditional jobs. However, even if it is not the most desirable job, it is surely much better than having to file for unemployment.
Being a friendly cab driver and taking pride in your customer service would help anyone who wants to get into this industry. While repeat customers are rare, they do exist as some people need a cab on a regular basis. The better you are at making your customers feel at ease (and the better your driving), the more apt you will be to develop clients that request your services regularly.
Having a taxi that is equipped with wheelchair capabilities would give you even a greater chance of getting business. While more expensive and harder to do, catering to all types of clients including the disabled might be a good business decision.
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Tags: self employed taxi drivers
My story is very personal and to be honest, I have trouble talking about it. That is why I have chosen to share my experience here in the safety of this blog.
For arguments sake we shall say that my name is Dave ( maybe it is, maybe its not). I have been working as a black taxi driver on the mean streets of Glasgow, Scotland. As a city Glasgow gets a lot of bad press for drinking violence and sectarianism crime. To be honest it is soft as a new born puppy these days. Well in comparison to what it was like 20 years ago anyway. The fake dimond earing sporting, chino wearing, overly hair gelled guys today simply do not measure up to the Grade A hard men that roamed the streets back in the day.
I digress slightly. The reason I am writting this is that I have a very big nose and it has been effecting my confidence bady for the last twenty years and is gettign worse as time goes on. It has even got tot he point where I am considering cosmetic surgery. I am pretty thick skinned, as you can imagine being a Glasgow taxi drive I hear a lot of abuse. But the comments about my big nose always hurt the most. I have been called everything from “beaky” to ” ya big snibbed freak”. I cant lie anymore it hurts.
I feel so very self conscious as I turn round to talk to passengers and take their money. Essentiall they are stairing straight at my massive nose in profile, perfectly framed by the talking window of my taxi.
I have almost made my mind up to do something positive about this nose situation. In Glasgow it is not common place for men to have cosmetic surgery but I feel like I have no option. I wouldn’t do anything daft like get surgery in Scotland. Although it would be possible to pass of the bruising and bandages as the after effects of a pub fight or blame it on an unruly passenger. No I am considering cosmetic surgery Bristol, this is far enough away from eveyone I know and should give me time to heal.
Wow, I feel so much better already for sharing this. It has literally blighted every day of my existence. SO here is to 2012 the year when I will get a nice new nose.
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Tags: Cosmetic Surgery, Glasgow Taxi Driver