Here is the link to the story and video….Cab confession: More taxis have drivers seeing red

The story has stimulated many responses from drivers and the public. One of the better ones from a driver I have included here.

I can appreciate that there are misconceptions about the Transportation Industry in Las Vegas due in part to biased reporting by the local media.

I challenge YOU, the Media, and especially those on the Nevada Taxicab Authority Board, to forfeit YOUR paycheck for 1 week and drive a Taxi in Las Vegas for 5 /12 hour shifts and “see” for yourself what we are concerned about.
With actual knowledge & not a “He said, She said” reporting mentality, perhaps you would be able to HELP OUR CAUSE rather than criticize it. The TA will never take the challenge because THEY already know the outcome.

A NOTE REGARDING KVBC REPORTERS THE WAGNER’S COMMENTS ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY IN GETTING A CAB TO A RESIDENCE:
There was a time when business was booming in this town and it was difficult to get a cab driver to leave the “strip” corridor to “run ” for a radio call.  For a driver, it’s a gamble that your time and fuel would only be wasted because the “RESIDENT” would call 3 cab companies and take the first one that arrived;  never calling to cancel the other 2.  Drivers quickly learned not to TRUST YOU. We don’t receive an hourly wage and lost time “chasing” a “maybe” ride is not economically sound.

For those of you who arrogantly say “If you don’t like it, go find another job”, you only display your ignorance as well.  Civil rights in this country came about because of “action” not complacency.  We as drivers deserve the right to earn a fair wage for our efforts.
Unemployment in Nevada is still climbing and it is the Unemployed from OTHER occupations that are pounding on the doorstep of OUR industry seeking work… until they realize they are making more with “unemployment benefits” than they would working 60 hours a week as a Taxi driver.

In our defense, there are many honest and upstanding drivers who also must bare the reputation of our industry because of the deceptive practices of a few amongst us.  That is true in ALL occupations, even within our CHURCHES.

We have a legitimate complaint and Our Hope is that CHANGE will come to our industry as well. The time has come.

posted by lvcabdriver

Thursday, January 22, 2009