Tampa Taxi Shots

Long time taxi dispatcher and driver Tom Rhodes (Pirate) has passed away of natural causes. Tom was afternoon dispatcher when I started 18 years ago and perhaps the best voice guy ever. He would never feed a call even if you were his best friend. Tom did a lot in his life. Fast living and fast times where no stranger to him. He had lived all over the country and had experienced much. In fact, he told Nancy the night before he died that he could go in peace because he had done everything with his life he had wanted to. Few people can say that.

What a cab driver will do to make a living is beyond what most people can handle or comprehend. One thing we do is go into very bad areas of town and pretend it is normal. At least I still think it is normal. Like the Pakistani store owner who sells smokes, beer, lotto tickets and blunts to the people who walk in his door while all the time hoping he doesn't get shot, you begin to think this is normal. I got this call about 4 in the morning today. Things got a little weird. Not to bad, but not what I was expecting. It was the Downtowner Motel, one of Tampa's swankier joints. Its the kind of place that has "weekly rentals" and calls them apartments; imaine what kind of crowd that will draw. The dude was on the balcony and very anxious to get going, a clear sign that someone wants to buy drugs. I guess his buzz has worn off and he needs to get more. He and some chic with sunken cheeks and a glazed stare get in the backseat. They seem to have a bunch of nervous ene...

NOTE: this was from one year ago this week If you live in Tampa and ever wondered what Marshall law looks like, just go downtown. There is a steel parameter fence too rival the Berlin wall. Citizens that pay taxes are not allowed in. All this because of a private event? Mitt Romney is a citizen (he says he's unemployed) and they have drones flying overhead and the crosstown is closed. Before I start sounding like Alex Jones,  I stand to make a lot of money off this event. Go GOP.

Fast food workers nationwide will march today to demand $15 an hour instead of minimum wage. The protest in Tampa will be at Fowler and 15th at 4:30 pm. I hope they draw a good crowd. The Casper company owns most of the MacDonald franchise in the Tampa Bay area and they are cheap. Have you checked your bag lately at a drive thru for order accuracy? In most cases they will omit basic condiments and napkins unless you specify when ordering. They do that deliberately because they save millions a year by not giving ketchup, salt, pepper, jelly and so forth. They have no clue how much that angers people. Now, all items on the dollar menu have been raised in price. Nothings a dollar, but they still call it that. Do you expectva company that treats its customers like fools to treat its workers with respect? Good luck on the strike. Customers should just boycott all Casper stores until they get the message.

"I'm cold..Please turn the air up." She says after stumbling to my cab, and almost falling as she opened the door. One of the things cab drivers look for are signs that things will go smoothly and we will be paid. A bad sign is when fares start complaining before they even tell you were they are going. You really want to speak your mind and tell them that if she were actually wearing clothes, maybe she won't be so damn cold. You can't. You really can't. You want to be paid. Believe me, there is no other reason I am out at 2:30 in the morning when I could be home sleeping. I prepare for this; I just expect something else. Bad experiences are common for cab drivers, as common as swamp water to a Florida hog hunter. As much as you trek through it and hope you've reached the end, stretching to the horizon and beyond is the swamp, with no hog in sight. It becomes the norm after a while. We deal with humans; we are not hauling packages. I turn the air down...

Editor's Note: Cesar Padilla of the HCPTC will resign Friday after corruption charges came to light. I posted this article in 2008. Seems nothing's changed " I came across this info recently. It seems one of the Hillsborough county Commissioners Kevin White was attempting to bribe Hillsborough County Transportation Interim Commissioner Cesar Padilla for a political payoff.White has been pushing the TPC to double Padilla's salary to $100,000. Why? White had a campaign advisor named Victor DiMaio who Padilla subsequently hired as a lobbyist for $5,000 a month. Some things never change.Does Padilla know how little money the taxi drivers are making at this time because of the climate created by his agency. What makes him worth this much money paid for by fines to cab drivers for not wearing collared shirts and having dirty cabs. This agency needs reform...not more graft. After John Cox, I really thought that would happen. Read this by By JANET ZINK, Times Staff Writer...

Working hard to secure Tampa airport,cruise and hotel service, it seems now Bay and Beach taxi are now using vans with horse trailers (you can see the trailer behind the van). They can move more people and luggage with those. The picture here was taken at the airport and a ton of people got off. Nancy has modern ideas about customer service , and how to run a fleet. Just saying. I am sitting like a lump this morning when I should be moving. We have lost so much business. Related articles Hanging out in holding Republican National Convention in Tampa

I saw this today on the back of a tow truck going down Dale Mabry. It must be from the late 1950's and was, perhaps, being taken somewhere to be restored. There are no cabs like this commissioned on any local fleets, so I'm sure it must be a collector's prize. Those cars were sturdy and gas was a dime a gallon.

I saw this article on Ybor City Stogie from 2008 about an apartment building near Westchase going clothing optional. I am very much aware of the nudist resorts and naturalist palces in the Tampa Bay area, and Pasco county. I don't believe I have heard of this place. Perhaps it never got off the ground. What is interesting is the article on Stogie is still one of his highest rated pages. With a photo like this, I wonder why!/>

Many people come to Florida for a fresh start. They will tell you its because of the weather but it usually involves the circumstances of their life. Things will be better in Florida - they are certain of that. In Tampa, most people you meet are from somewhere else. There is a reason for that. They come here with Florida dreams. I got a call around sunset for a middle age couple living out of a cheap motel. They had out of state tags on their car from the north. They were trying to survive until they had saved some money for an apartment, and were paying out the nose for this dump motel. They needed me to help them with their stuff. They had filled their car up with stuff, but had a tv and other items to put in mine. They also had a cute little dog. The lady said it was just too expensive to stay. I know how they feel. The reason I drive a cab is because I can't work at near minimum wage and survive. I helped them but could see they have a tough road to go. Low wages and few ben...

Ybor City strip right at sunrise I was dropping some very late-night party people off on west side of the Ybor strip and I turned down a side-street. The sun had just come up and I knew it was going to be another hot day. Over in a parking lot, I could see them. There they were....dozens of  them...the chickens! They must have been meeting there to plan the days activities of what mischief they were going to get into today. A chicken meeting of the high commnad..reporting for duty A blogger once said that he has never seen any hens in Ybor. Well, there were several hens with little ones followinig them. Perhaps it is right at sunrise that you have the best chance of seeing these guys. They do seem to be growing in population A hen with her young These big guys were screaching their guts out

A test of new template. This is the Cass street bridge. The railroad section is a drawbridge which only comes down when a train is coming. The bridge is tended 24/7

Taxi Drivers in the holding area at Tampa International Airport The  St. Petersburg Times  ran an article about the state of taxi cab companies and drivers in Hillsborough County. They quoted me (Tim Fasano) in the article because of this blog. I believe the article hit hard on some very real aspects of the current state of cab driving.  Jack Nicas went all over Tampa talking with taxi drivers and cab company owners. He went to the holding area at the airport, the major hotels downtown, the club party areas on the weekends and he saw first hand what goes on in our work. This is what he saw at Tampa International Airport. "For hours under the sun in a lot near Tampa International Airport, a harsh course in economics plays out. Dozens of taxicabs snake into a queue. Men shout and engines start. The line barely budges. Rene Jeune is up front now, having waited two hours for one customer. Farther back, Jean Bourdeau watches birds fight. He has just $25 in his pock...

Weekends are long and involved for cab drivers. You see people involved in recreational activities and wonder why you're not. If you only had a normal life is a constant refraim for me. A twelve hour day on Friday, followed by a sixteen hour day on Saturday, and a ten hour day on Sunday is what I look forward to. Even with that, I have worn out shoes that need laces (don't have the money for laces). I'm making someone a nice living. All I want are some new shoes. A nice living I gave up on.

Shoe seen in Ybor city by a jogger The famous former dispatcher "Shoe" was found on another blog about jogging. A blogger who takes images of where he runs was photographing this Jamaican restaurant, and the United Cab was parked out front. The driver loading the trunk is without a doubt Shoe. He has had the owner as a special account for years. Specials are good deals if they put real money in your pocket.

Many people in the cab business in Tampa know Steve the United Cab mechanic. He has been out sick for the past few months. He may actually retire on disability. He came by the shop the other day to say hi, and get his tools. Many folks gathered around to wish him well and get caught up on stuff. Steve was working for United when I started in 1995. Hard to believe its been that long. Anyway, he looked good and I told him he was much better off getting away from the grind. You look better and feel better without the stress.

I took a walk Sunday, on what had to be the hottest day of the year. Wish our business was hot. Last year we had the RNC. This summer we have yet to have one convention of any size. Next time, I will wait for a cooler day.

Eric Martin of Chicago is currently producing a documentary film about the abuse and exploitation that exist in the Chicago taxi industry and believes this is endemic across the United. States. He hopes his efforts lead to reform at the legal and political level. I am at risk of my job by commenting further on this matter. I don't want to shit where I eat. However, I support all forms of free speech, and believe documentaries can be very effective (Edward R. Murrow HARVEST OF SHAME about exploitation of migrant farm workers lead to Bobby Kennedy's involvement) . As you know, the RNC. will be here next week. Not too many sympathetic ears in that group.

We could use this convention this time of year. Anyway, I did find this photo from last year by a reporter that was leaving downtown Tampa.