Cab driving back in the day at the airport

The late Tom Rhones

Has anyone seen this man? His name is Pirate alias Tom (the real pirate!)Rhodes. He’s our primary second shift dispatcher at United Cab. If you have ever downed a beer at the TINY TAP in Hyde Park, you must know him.

I don’t know if his nick name has anything to do with tomorrows Gasparilla festival or what. I guess I was thinking of that when I saw him. He must have been trying to get in a couple of fares at the airport before he came to work. Funny, he told me he never works the airport?

I don’t work out here a lot but I do when I’m looking for a BIG SCORE! When you work the streets you can get bogged down in all the peripheral stuff that goes with it-No shows, little old ladies, now shows, grocery stores, now shows and GNOMES. That means people that “Got No Money!” But at the airport that all changes. You are either going somewhere or your not. Today the fares had places to go. The cash register kept ringing all day. My hands got dirty from counting all that grubby money.

Talk about real pirates. Have you seen our meter rates lately? Holy shit! We should be wearing mask and holding a sword. But that's what the Public Transportation Comminsion allows us to charge.

In between rides in holding I ran into “Sam.” Sam is from Iran. I have known the man for 10 years. Talk about a renaissance man, this guy has been a professor and airline pilot and can speak 7 languages. On 9-11-01 I was wondering where he was. I knew he had flown for Iran Air and combined with the fact that Muhammad Atta had received a hack license from the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission, I was concerned. For some reason when I did catch up with him he was laughing because he knew I would think he was involved. I must stress not laughing at what had happened, only about our personal relationship. Sam began to talk or I should say lecture. It is easy for him to digress into heavy subjects - such as the Second Punic Wars effect on 18^th century economics.

Well, the line was moving fast. We were soon on our way. This time of year should be a gravy train.

After seeing Pirate, I could not help but think how busy tomorrow will be. Hey if anyone reads this blog and you need a cab call 253-2424 and ask for #497. I’ll come and get you or peal you off the pavement.

Speaking of the pavement. I know tomorrow there will be Pirates throwing trinkets to drunk girls who are showing their tits for 10 cent beads. And there will be about 500,000 people convening on the place. But when I think of Bayshore I think of the image to the left. It's the quit and subtle beauty of it that makes it "Bayshore Beautiful."

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The Party Cab

I've seen this guy at Tampa airport before. He is the Party Cab Guy. The inside even has a disco light and he plays club music as he takes people out to party. Paul Hinton, manager at United Cab, said he remembers the guy from St. Petersburg. The Party Cab dude is personable and the chicks dig him. Paul thinks he is from Turkey and has a beautiful wife. I noticed he was wearing eye liner. Just another eclectic guy that drives taxi for a living. I saw him again today and he gave me his card. Thus dude is high energy and he puts a lot into it. It shows real ambition. Strange. Taxi driving is not an ambitious man's pursuit. However, I think he is independent which means he pays no high lease to the taxi overlords. He is expending that energy in something that will really pay off. Good for him.

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FUCK UBER

Listen, you Uber fuckers, you screwheads. You are stealing my shit. I tried to be rational (What's that?). But not now. I am a man who will not take it anymore. A man who stands up against the scum, the cunts, the dogs, the filth, the shit. I am a man who stands up. Look at it this way. A man takes a job, you know? And that job - I mean, like that - That becomes what he is. You know, like - You do a thing and that's what you are. Like I've been a cabbie for nineteen years. Ten years at night. I still don't own my own cab. You know why? Because I don't want to. That must be what I want. To be on the night shift drivin' somebody else's cab. You understand? I mean, you become - You get a job, you become the job. One guy lives in a shit hole, another lives on drugs. You pick up a lawyer. Another guy's a doctor. Another guy dies. Another guy gets well. People are born, y'know? Why do you want to drive Uber? You think you can avoid your destiny? You'l...

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Crossfit Training

A slamball, a kettlebell, and a 20 lb dumbbell These are my new toys. In my quest to transform my body, I have incorporated many aspects of the Crossfit theory. They combine combat style cardio with weight training in a dynamic, athletic way. The training is functional. For example, I will be 60 next month. From what I hear, there are people a little older than me that can't even get out of bed in the morning (or don't want to get out of bed in there mommies house). That will not be my fate. The best part of all this, is you can take it outside and enjoy the fresh air. I bring my toys with me. You workout three days in a row, then take one off.

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Key West Uber drivers face arrest

Uber faces another battle for its drivers in South Florida. Uber drivers in Key West will face arrest and a possible $500 fine if caught driving without a passenger vehicle-for-hire license, following a city ordinance that went into effect on July 1. The ordinance, which city commissioners approved last year, says it is illegal for Uber or any other ride service to operate passenger vehicles-for-hire without the proper licenses. Key West spokeswoman Alyson Crean said drivers without this license can be arrested, although no arrests have been made. Crean says the ordinance has to do with city liability, since Uber takes passengers on city roads. Uber uses freelance drivers operating their own vehicles; passengers hire them via an app. Uber spokesman Bill Gibbons says the company hopes Key West officials rethink the ordinance. "It is unconscionable that [Key West] would seek to limit safe, reliable transportation ahead of one of the deadliest weekends of the year for dru...

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The Taxi Truman Show

I may have found the escape hatch Regulated Taxi driving is now dead. Uber has taken over. The current situation is no longer tenable for drivers who face an old model of cab leasing, and can no longer continue paying a Pre-Uber lease. Today was the tipping point. This time of year we should be very busy...EXTREMLY BUSY. We are not. It is dead as a doornail with drivers at the airport waiting up to 5 hours to a ride. It should be off the hook. It is for Uber. They pay no fee to the airport, yet they are allowed to operate. I made a good living for years. Transportation was regulated in Hillsborough County. This insured uniformity or rates, insurance, and accountability. But no more. The HCPTC has now allowed a gypsy cab company take over. Uber has not only taken some or part of our business - they have taken it all. This is because they are low balling the market in an attempt to establish a monopoly. They are well on their way to doing that with the compl...

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How Uber is hurting workers

Robert Reich is an economist who worked in Bill Clinton's cabinet. His problem with Uber and the "shared economy" is no sharing is going on. The worker absorbs all cost and risk, for less than minimum wage.

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RETIRED..what did you expect?

I have retired from taxi driving for good. I turned the keys in and walked away from 24 years on the streets. In a way, like Ronald Reagan said, the taxi business walked away from me. Anyway, I am home and doing nothing but getting caught up on a bunch of personal stuff. I am loving it. Check out this video about how I spend most mornings now. I have applied to work for Lyft and was approved, of course. I should be getting a new car next week and will be driving for them. Ride share has become the new taxi companies and they deliver what I am looking for. I have two monthly checks coming in which are enough to live off of. So don't worry about me. Its just that I was not exactly ready to retire but the circumstances gave me no choice. It does feel good, by the way.

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4 things you wish you knew about Uber

Is "ridesharing" safe? Who are these amateur uberX drivers and are they properly screened for criminal backgrounds? Do they have proper insurance? And what happens when inevitable accidents occur? Are riders in danger? Uber thinks they're above regulations and oversight. They claim to only be a technology company. But don't be fooled. Here are four Uber myths debunked. They seem to value profit over protecting the public they claim to serve. UberX services and companies like them want all reward and no responsibility. And they will take it, unless we hold them accountable and protect the public's basic right to safety. Vimeo link: https://vimeo.com/109264278 posted from Bloggeroid

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A Trolly crash on Channelside along with Gasparilla

It was bound to happen. A car hit the trolley on the way to the cruise ship today before the Gasparilla parade. The cross ways are poorly marked, and someone from out of town would not be looking for it, or expect it. Believe me, I have come very close in the past. I always thought those things were a bad idea for nobody rides them, and the conductors come flying through intersections. I wonder who was at fault. We were busy today as the pirate festival kicks off the start of our tourist season. May, 5 will mark the end.You will see me with my Corona beer that day drowning my sorrows for the party is over. That's what really sucks about the seasonal nature of Florida. Today was not a normal Gasparilla day for me. I was working the Westshore area and got three ship runs in a row. They were very nice people from up north that were amazed and loving the beautiful weather we are having. They wondered what all the fuss was about and I explained the pirate heritage of Tamp...

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Death of the taxi business

The taxi business is dead in the United States. This industry is going the way of the Payphone and the neighborhood video store. Did I mention Kodak film? I know technology has changed the nature of work but in this case the politicians are who ruined the taxi industry. They were unwilling to support a regulated industry. Keep in mind, almost all businesses are regulated. For some reason, the politicians decided that because of the popularity of uber, they would allow Rideshare to operate until state legislators made them legal. Therefore, killing off my business. Why it was transportation and not construction, hairstyling, pizza delivery, hot dog stands, insurance, law, and so forth, I will take to my grave not knowing the answer. All I know, is that my life has been ruined. It is over. I cannot make a living. I'm being evicted from my home I cannot pay my electric bill or any other bill. My life is in shambles and I face an uncertain future. Is there really anything more to say? ...

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