Uber killed the taxi business during Gasparilla

Uber killed the taxi business in Tampa today. The Pirate Festival today is traditionally considered the busiest day of the year for taxi drivers. Today, it was like a slow Tuesday. When I say they did not take half the business or most of the business, I would be miss speaking. They took it all. Based on what happened today street level taxi driving in Tampa is now over. That is not an exaggeration. It is a reality. If not for the medical charges that I run Monday through Friday, and the right to work the airport, there would be no business left. Yes you would have the poor sections of town in the minority communities that over does not work but that would not be enough to even pay the lease. This gig is over. The handwriting is on the wall. That is why I am glad to be transitioning into other opportunities. There is no way this business can sustain itself at this point.

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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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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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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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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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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 summer solstice

This was sunrise Sunday beginning the longest day of the year. First light gets the birds riled early and the late darkness keeps this cab driver up late. Unfortunately, I need to get up earlier every day because goon cab drivers are trying to take my morning special from me. This morning, Jackamino (372) checked in at 3:57 for my call which will not come out until after six. For me to beat him, I would have to go to bed around seven p.m. like I was a little kid. The late sunset is making that a little bit difficult. posted from Bloggeroid

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The deep end of transportation

I have been diving deep, way deep in the pool. In fact, it has been raining so hard in Tampa, I have needed a snorkel to take my failures on a ride. The rain has been coming down so hard, major rivers have been flooding and people have been told to evacuate their homes. Fortunately I have managed to stay on high ground when I have been working. But when I am at play, I take it to the deep end of the pool. Perhaps, this is a sort of metaphor for living in the deep end of life. I do admit, that I was unexpectedly pushed into the deep end by the ascent of rideshare and uber. This phenomena has left me in a war stance footing. I check my feeds every few hours to see if the judge in Tampa has ruled in favor of the County Transportation Commission. In the world I live in, that would be the easy right and necessary thing to do. I have no idea what is taking this judge this long to make a decision. Uber was in clear violation of all regulations. They were ethically and morally reprehensibl...

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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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Tampa Taxi Shots

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