Comments on: ‘hail-a-taxi’ initiative launching awareness campaign http://www.angelenic.com/6241/hail-a-taxi-initiative-launching-awareness-campaign/ Downtown Los Angeles Blog: Restaurants, Retail, Culture, Events, Lofts, News. Rich Alossi, Author Sat, 19 Dec 2009 02:28:02 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Bert Green http://www.angelenic.com/6241/hail-a-taxi-initiative-launching-awareness-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-22550 Bert Green Wed, 26 Nov 2008 05:48:11 +0000 http://www.angelenic.com/?p=6241#comment-22550 It's also important to not take any lip from drivers. If they refuse your fare or break the law, ask them firmly for their license number and cab number and tell them that they will be reported to LADOT. Then actually report them. It’s also important to not take any lip from drivers. If they refuse your fare or break the law, ask them firmly for their license number and cab number and tell them that they will be reported to LADOT. Then actually report them.

]]> By: Lance http://www.angelenic.com/6241/hail-a-taxi-initiative-launching-awareness-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-22545 Lance Wed, 26 Nov 2008 04:43:36 +0000 http://www.angelenic.com/?p=6241#comment-22545 Justin - Any minimum charge by any business for the use of a card is a strict violation of Visa/MasterCard regulations. I'm sure the other major cards are the same. The companies can have their merchant accounts revoked if there are enough complaints. A business may give a cash discount but minimums are a no no. Most people don't challenge posted minimums but maybe it's time we do. On our way back from LAX [using the Fly Away out of Union Station] we got a cab to our place @ 3rd & Broadway without any problems, $7.00 I think + tip[cash]. No problem with the short hop. If any cabbie yelled at me for something like that, believe me, they & their boss/company would hear about it. Maybe the cab companies should be approached regarding a dedicated crew of cabs for the short hops, possibly susidized as David suggests. Justin - Any minimum charge by any business for the use of a card is a strict violation of Visa/MasterCard regulations. I’m sure the other major cards are the same. The companies can have their merchant accounts revoked if there are enough complaints. A business may give a cash discount but minimums are a no no. Most people don’t challenge posted minimums but maybe it’s time we do.

On our way back from LAX [using the Fly Away out of Union Station] we got a cab to our place @ 3rd & Broadway without any problems, $7.00 I think + tip[cash]. No problem with the short hop. If any cabbie yelled at me for something like that, believe me, they & their boss/company would hear about it.

Maybe the cab companies should be approached regarding a dedicated crew of cabs for the short hops, possibly susidized as David suggests.

]]> By: LA Lola http://www.angelenic.com/6241/hail-a-taxi-initiative-launching-awareness-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-22462 LA Lola Tue, 25 Nov 2008 08:18:03 +0000 http://www.angelenic.com/?p=6241#comment-22462 Frankly, all of the DTLA cabdrivers I've ever encountered are complete assholes, whether dealing with them in person trying to convince them to take me across town or whether it's on the road, where common courtesy and traffic laws are completely foreign concepts. I find it difficult to compel myself to give them ANY business at all. Frankly, all of the DTLA cabdrivers I’ve ever encountered are complete assholes, whether dealing with them in person trying to convince them to take me across town or whether it’s on the road, where common courtesy and traffic laws are completely foreign concepts. I find it difficult to compel myself to give them ANY business at all.

]]> By: Lauren http://www.angelenic.com/6241/hail-a-taxi-initiative-launching-awareness-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-22450 Lauren Tue, 25 Nov 2008 05:20:24 +0000 http://www.angelenic.com/?p=6241#comment-22450 As Brian points out, the first step has to be getting cab drivers to accept and be okay with driving short fares. I've been yelled at multiple times for getting a cab at 3am to go only a mile. Once, the driver drove about 55 mph on downtown streets, ignoring the stoplights the entire way. So much for my belief that it would be safer to take a cab than walk at that time of night. New signs on the streets are not going to make me want to start taking cabs more often until such behavior is curbed. As Brian points out, the first step has to be getting cab drivers to accept and be okay with driving short fares. I’ve been yelled at multiple times for getting a cab at 3am to go only a mile. Once, the driver drove about 55 mph on downtown streets, ignoring the stoplights the entire way. So much for my belief that it would be safer to take a cab than walk at that time of night. New signs on the streets are not going to make me want to start taking cabs more often until such behavior is curbed.

]]> By: David Kennedy http://www.angelenic.com/6241/hail-a-taxi-initiative-launching-awareness-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-22446 David Kennedy Tue, 25 Nov 2008 03:20:54 +0000 http://www.angelenic.com/?p=6241#comment-22446 To break the "sit'n wait" mentality of the cabbies, change the fare structure. The cabbies are (presumably) just engaged in rational behavior maximizing their income. If the fare structure is altered to make short trips finacially attractive, the behavior of some cabbies can be changed to the benefit of customers seeking short trips. And, the cabbies can make a profit. Moreover, to jumpstart the process, maybe the BID or some transit authority needs to hire/subsidize a group of cabbies for the explicit purpose of cruising. The point being, in addition to the changed fare structure, create a critical mass of cruising cabs and customers until a virtuous cycle of reinforcing behavior kicks in. Frankly, the signage initiative sounds like a waste of money. I don't see how it is going to encourage the desired behavior. It sounds more like an effort for the BID to show they are 'doing something'. I'd prefer if they did something which had a reasonable chance of changing the situation. To break the “sit’n wait” mentality of the cabbies, change the fare structure. The cabbies are (presumably) just engaged in rational behavior maximizing their income. If the fare structure is altered to make short trips finacially attractive, the behavior of some cabbies can be changed to the benefit of customers seeking short trips. And, the cabbies can make a profit.

Moreover, to jumpstart the process, maybe the BID or some transit authority needs to hire/subsidize a group of cabbies for the explicit purpose of cruising. The point being, in addition to the changed fare structure, create a critical mass of cruising cabs and customers until a virtuous cycle of reinforcing behavior kicks in.

Frankly, the signage initiative sounds like a waste of money. I don’t see how it is going to encourage the desired behavior. It sounds more like an effort for the BID to show they are ‘doing something’. I’d prefer if they did something which had a reasonable chance of changing the situation.

]]> By: Brian http://www.angelenic.com/6241/hail-a-taxi-initiative-launching-awareness-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-22444 Brian Tue, 25 Nov 2008 03:02:35 +0000 http://www.angelenic.com/?p=6241#comment-22444 I know cabs are supposed to take any and all fares, but perhaps a large root of the problem is the failure for some cabs to accept short-haul fares. My wife tried twice recently to get a cab to take her from 7th and Grand to the Flower district and she couldn't get anyone to do so. I'm amazed with the three-hour wait Rich describes waiting for the downtown to LAX fare. It's that mentality that must be broken - getting the cabs to work instead of sitting for three hours. I know cabs are supposed to take any and all fares, but perhaps a large root of the problem is the failure for some cabs to accept short-haul fares.

My wife tried twice recently to get a cab to take her from 7th and Grand to the Flower district and she couldn’t get anyone to do so.

I’m amazed with the three-hour wait Rich describes waiting for the downtown to LAX fare. It’s that mentality that must be broken - getting the cabs to work instead of sitting for three hours.

]]> By: Justin http://www.angelenic.com/6241/hail-a-taxi-initiative-launching-awareness-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-22430 Justin Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:43:50 +0000 http://www.angelenic.com/?p=6241#comment-22430 One of the main problems besides cabbies just waiting at the taxi zones for people to come to them is an insisted minimum for on card transactions. I'm not sure if this is resolvable, but taxi in and around downtown while fast is also cheap yet a lot of cabbies insist on 10 dollar min for using a card. If I didn't have to find an ATM and most likely pay a fee just to then go find a taxi, I would be more inclined to use this mode of transport. One of the main problems besides cabbies just waiting at the taxi zones for people to come to them is an insisted minimum for on card transactions. I’m not sure if this is resolvable, but taxi in and around downtown while fast is also cheap yet a lot of cabbies insist on 10 dollar min for using a card.

If I didn’t have to find an ATM and most likely pay a fee just to then go find a taxi, I would be more inclined to use this mode of transport.

]]> By: Vanzant http://www.angelenic.com/6241/hail-a-taxi-initiative-launching-awareness-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-22429 Vanzant Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:41:14 +0000 http://www.angelenic.com/?p=6241#comment-22429 I hailed a taxi coming out of the Standard last Saturday...and to just go to Blue Velvet, maybe I got lucky but it was pretty simple I hailed a taxi coming out of the Standard last Saturday…and to just go to Blue Velvet, maybe I got lucky but it was pretty simple

]]> By: Shawn http://www.angelenic.com/6241/hail-a-taxi-initiative-launching-awareness-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-22311 Shawn Sun, 23 Nov 2008 05:24:15 +0000 http://www.angelenic.com/?p=6241#comment-22311 Even if the trial proves to not be very popular I don't see why LA wouldn't continue to allow taxi's to pick up fares anywhere they can. If it's not very popular that means that it's not causing traffic problems and is therefore successful. Even if the trial proves to not be very popular I don’t see why LA wouldn’t continue to allow taxi’s to pick up fares anywhere they can. If it’s not very popular that means that it’s not causing traffic problems and is therefore successful.

]]> By: Bert Green http://www.angelenic.com/6241/hail-a-taxi-initiative-launching-awareness-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-22301 Bert Green Sun, 23 Nov 2008 02:54:43 +0000 http://www.angelenic.com/?p=6241#comment-22301 The cruising zone is a good idea, but I NEVER see cabs cruising Main Street. I'd take cabs more if I could just flag one, and I have done so, but it is hard to rely on one showing up. I will call if I need one and one does not drive by, and they usually come in less than 5 minutes. If everyone knew they could get cabs on the "cruising" streets it might be easier, but I am not sure why the 110 would be part of that, considering you can't hail a cab on the freeway :-) The cruising zone is a good idea, but I NEVER see cabs cruising Main Street. I’d take cabs more if I could just flag one, and I have done so, but it is hard to rely on one showing up. I will call if I need one and one does not drive by, and they usually come in less than 5 minutes.

If everyone knew they could get cabs on the “cruising” streets it might be easier, but I am not sure why the 110 would be part of that, considering you can’t hail a cab on the freeway :-)

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