Another Violent night at 17th and Mission Street in San Francisco

While I was driving my cab tonight and strolling down Mission street in San Francisco. I came across a young lady in her twenty's who looked like she had been shot in the leg or stabbed. The incident occurred about 1:00 a.m. in the morning. About five police cars were there but no ambulance when I was going by. I noticed her white shorts she was wearing drenched in red blood on her right leg. The police cleared the scene pretty quickly.

But I will be darned if when I drove by around 2:10 again another victim at the same street intersection. This time looked like a young Hispanic man was either stabbed or shot this morning. The police did tape of the crime scene in two locations (one at 17th and Mission and the other where the young man was at by 15th and Mission.

The second incident seem to prompt the police to do a further investigation. I would have stayed out later tonight but seeing these two incidents was a bit much for ma and I took my cab in.

Defective San Francisco Taxi Equipment

Tonight I had the opportunity to drive a cab with out a two way radio. A two way radio is used to dispatch calls from the company to the taxi's. In San Francisco we are required to take one radio call per hour if available. The radio was done for about 3/4 of my shift.

I called into dispatch tonight to tell the dispatcher about the radio. At least tonight I was not called faggot or any other racist comment like usual. I was told I could bring the cab in and pick up a spare which are smelly and usually make me sick. I decided to keep the cab though I did not have dispatch service. I thought I would get some consideration, meaning some money of my rental of the car which includes dispatching service. Well of course not, no consideration for a defective taxi in this industry and of course no one to report it to either without getting into trouble.

The public wonders why it is so hard to find a cab in San Francisco. Well I was one with out the ability to take radio calls from customers.

I really wish with all the money the SFMTA gets from the taxi industry that they would do some checking on the vehicles, or at least have a line where we can report the cars that are not functioning correctly.

Passenger from 532 Cole

I accepted a call from dispatch tonight and traveled to it from Fell and Franklin. When I got to the location a Yellow cab was there as well, and when I asked the driver he said he was there for the same person. I told the dispatcher about this. The passenger never came out after about ten minutes. When dispatch called the person they got no answer and told me to go.

About 10 minutes later, the passenger called again. I said I would go back to the address because I was over at Post and Baker. When I arrived, I waited for about ten more minutes and the dispatcher called again and still no passenger.

I decided to go after being told to do so. Then the passenger called a third time. I was a block away so I went. As I pulled up a Desoto cab was coming to the same order. The Desoto driver told me go ahead and take it. She came down with her friend. I had to ask so I did what happened. She told me her phone was not working and could not get calls. She told me the dispatcher never called her. She got a little upset with me. I mentioned to her I ask because I have been to the apartment three times for a total of about 25 minutes of my night. She told me she did not care and did not even apologize for my wait time. Then continued to tell me about customer service. I was felling very uncomfortable, I almost kicked her out of the cab. I tried to phone into Byron, the first time he answered and I tried to tell him the situation. Byron did not want to hear it and would take care of me later. I called back a second time and Byron would not even answer the phone.

When I got to the garage, I finally was able to tell him the whole story including no tip, and the passenger thought I was abrasive. I am amazed we are required to take radio calls, even if they waste our time and are promised to be taken care of which the dispatcher did not. This is a good example of how the dispatch service does not care about the driver or passengers because the cab company gets their money no matter what.

The passenger called three different companies and made me come back three times and waste 25 minutes of my shift. The dispatch could not even give me what is called a bonus load which is 10 off my gate.

Wednesday April 20th

I came into work today and the first thing Dugan said to me is that I am not on the list but my dog is. I asked him why he said that. Dugan said he was just trying to find something smart to say. A simple hello how are you would be great!

California's Workers' Comp Laws and San Francisco's Taxi Industry, A Cab Driver's Experience. By John Han

SF Taxi Driver Dean Clark.

The following is a highlight and recap of a discussion I had with SF taxi driver Dean Clark.

Clark is a gate and gas taxi driver working night shifts at National Cab. Clark alleges that in April of 2010, his taxi was struck by another vehicle driven by an uninsured motorist at 8^th St. and Minna, in which he had suffered, and still suffers from injuries unaccounted for today. Here are the highlights of the accident, and the details of what later took place with the cab company, as they have been relayed to me.

In April of 2010, Clark was driving southbound on 8^th St. in the far right lane. A woman in another car was heading westbound on Minna. She attempted to crossover 8^th St to get to the other side of Minna, but in doing so, struck the front driver’s side of Clarks taxi, causing the taxi to spin. Clark says that upon impact, the taxi’s seatbelt locking mechanism had failed, and that no airbags were deployed because the vehicle did not have any. Consequently, Clark’s head hit the front windshield, and as the car spun, also hit the side window, causing blurred “temporary blindness”, for several hours.

He says his legs struck the front of the cars interior causing temporary loss in the use of his legs. After being taken to General Hospital, his vision and limited use of his legs returned, although with numbness.

According to Clark’s telling of the accident, the cab company at the time, and possibly the police report, claimed that the woman had liability insurance. But after filing a claim, the insurance company said that the woman’s policy had been canceled recently because of lack of payment, and then had then been reinstated, but only after the accident occurred. Therefore, the woman’s insurance company denied the injury claim.

This led to Clark being referred to National Cab’s attorney. But Clark says the cab company’s attorney didn’t want to represent Clark in a workers’ comp claim nor defer him to another attorney. Neither did the cab company post information about California’s Workers’ Compensation laws anywhere at the company where drivers could see it.

According to Clark, after National Cab had initially delayed in filing a workers’ comp claim, and then seemingly repudiated further attempt to do so, he contacted the cab company’s insurance carrier, which he identifies as Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association (PMA), a Pennsylvania lobbying firm.

According to PMA’s website, the firm is involved in, “enacting workers’ compensation reform”, and since 1909, has been, “defending free enterprise and fighting to improve the competitiveness of Pennsylvania’s business climate.”

Clark says that when he contacted the firm, it had denied any knowledge of a policy number associated with National Cab, and that the medical bills resulting from the accident to date have gone unpaid. After that incident, Clark sought help from a private attorney and is currently being represented by that attorney.

In another matter not related to the accident, but related to Clark’s relationship to National Cab, an MRI revealed white spots in his brain. Clark says he believes it could be from long-term exposure to cab fumes.

Dean Clark…

“For the first three years or so driving for National Cab, I was placed in some of the most nastiest cabs you could ever imagine. And my clothes and everything else would smell like a sweet odor. And we’re not talking about dirty. We’re talking about some sort of odor or gas because it would make you light headed. I would have headaches sometimes for almost seven hours and would have to take Exedrin. So I started getting worried about that so I went to the doctor (Kaiser). The doctor there took three different blood tests at three different random times throughout the course of a year or two, and found that I have high carbon monoxide levels.”

According to Clark, National Cab told him his high carbon monoxide levels were the result of him being a smoker.

Going back to the accident though, he says he has been diagnosed with post concussion syndrome, three herniated discs, vision issues and others as a result. He continues to see a neurologist, and still suffers pain from the three herniated discs.

As for airbags, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) does not require taxis to be equipped with airbags, which Clark believes could have dramatically prevented the injuries. Nor does it require cab companies to carry uninsured motorist coverage in their insurance policies. But Transportation Code Division II, Article 1100 Section 1106(i) does state…

“Color Scheme Permit Holders shall comply with all applicable state laws and regulations concerning Workers’ Compensation”. (Transportation Code Division II, Article 1100 Section 1106(i))

With regards to state laws and regulations concerning Workers’ Compensation, this following excerpt is from a memorandum put out in 2008 by the former SF Taxi Commission.

"The state judicial system has affirmed that California taxi drivers are employees for purposes of workers' compensation in certain employment situations. These employment situations have included "gate and gas" drivers. Local cases making this finding include Tracy v. Yellow Cab Co-Operative, Inc. (San Francisco Superior Court No. 938786) and Yellow Cab Cooperative Inc. V. Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (1991) 226 Cal.App.3d 1288. Another case on point is Santa Cruz Transportation, Inc. v. Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board (1991) 235 Cal.App.3d 1363."

(SF Taxi Commission memorandum 2008)

In the same memorandum, the former taxi commission held that San Francisco cab companies are required by State laws to purchase and maintain workers’ compensation coverage for individual taxi drivers. This excerpt cited local codes pursuant to California’s laws.

"Municipal Police Code 1147.4 provides:

All persons, firms or corporations holding taxicab color scheme permits pursuant to Section 1125(b) of this Article shall comply with all applicable state statues concerning workers' compensation and any applicable regulations adopted pursuant to those statutes. Taxicab color scheme permit holders must include a sworn statement attesting to compliance with such applicable statutes and regulations as part of an annual filing required by Section 1095 of this Article.

Rule 5.H.16 requires that "the color scheme holder must have a copy of Certificate of Worker's Compensation Insurance prominently displayed at the place of business so that it is visible to drivers." This is based on California Labor Code 3350 which requires the same posting. Notably, Labor Code 3550 administers a civil penalty of up to $7000 for failure to post the certificate. The Commission also assesses a fine of $75 for the first offense of failure to post a current certificate."

(SF Taxi Commission memorandum 2008)

“I’m fed up. You can’t treat people like this”, says Clark. He says he wants the lawmakers and the public to understand his experience. “I hope that they gain some perspective of what San Francisco taxi drivers have to go through, and how underrepresented we truly are”, he says.

“Also when it comes to looking for a lawyer, for looking for someone to represent us, we’re just underrepresented across the board. And things like that need to change.”

Clark has an attorney, and says he expects his case will eventually go to court.

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency can fine a cab company for failure to comply with workers' compensation laws $45 per day for each day without insurance. (Transportation Code Division II, Article 1100 Section 1106(i) Schedule of Fines)

Finger

Yesterday while working Mike whipped the finger at me and honked his horn around 4:30 - 5:00 p.m. at Mckinnon and Jerold

Cary at National

Tonight when I came in from work Frank the night dispatcher told Cary I called him incompetent. I never called Cary Incompetent. Frank told me months ago he would get my Friday shifts removed from me, which has now started. Unfortunately I can not go to management because in the San Francisco taxi industry nobody listens to the cab driver. Plus Jesus said he does not want to hear about it. In fact now he claims that I might lose my Thursdays. Cary inferred tonight that I would not be able to work on Fridays and made mention of I talk bad about Mike, him and everyone else. When I tried to communicate with him he would not listen and only felt that he should talk. Cary is a pretty bright person and was very helpful to me when the accident occurred last year. I have always respected him for the help when no one else at the company cared when I was injured after the accident. It bothers me that Cary did not listen because even Frank wavered and said I might have said he was incompetent in math. These games cost drivers their shifts and money they need to live. A guy named Smitty was present when these things were being discussed. Jesus has taking the away the shifts even though I take a lot of radio calls. Radio calls have been over the last two years the criteria that allowed me to work on fridays. The rumor of I said something about Mike comes from a guy named Colin, a big pot smoker and one I would truly call incompetent as a human being.

Pot Head Colin

When I came into the garage tonight. Colin once again started in on me about something he heard from a customer which was not true. Colin stated that I talked about him to his regular customers while I took them to Oakland one night. I kinda of remember this ride but when asked about him I told him that I am not fond of him. Evident ally either the customers were fabricating a story or Colin is still upset with me for reporting him for smoking pot before going out on his shift. I dont smoke pot and not opposed of others smoking pot, but if your going to drive for a living do not smoke pot before you get in a cab and drive people around.

Got out tonight at work

I was able to get out to work tonight. Though there were some problems I was charged 68 dollars for a five hour shift. Subba brought the cab in without putting enough gas in the car, and I tipped the dispatcher 10.00 to go out tonight. I did not make much money.

Trying to work on Friday night

I have been working for two years now on Friday nights. I am now being told that they dont have the cars to place everyone out to work. I personally think it is a personal attack on me because of needing a workers compensation claim for my injuries in an accident.

At about 11:00 a.m. today I got a call from the general manager telling me to call Mike and get on the list for the night. I tried two times and got hung up on both times. I was at the doctors that was nearby and figured I would stop in to see what the issue is. I asked Mike do I take enough radio calls and he said yes. I said what is the problem then and he said they lost one medallion. Jesus just told me two days ago that Mike should rotate the drivers.

I called Jesus after my visit and he told me that Medallion 446 is being sent back to the city and they were losing it. I drive 446 on Thursdays.

Everyday I get more upset over our government not helping people who get discriminated against because of a disability. These same government workers are so concerned over their own pensions and wages and can not understand why the public is losing interest in assisting them. Well they don't seem to be helping anyone else.

Crabby Cabbie - Peter Wit from Yellow Cab Comments on Industry

From Crabby Cabbie,...

To all the Don's and Prima Donna's,

who "can never get a cab-when they want one" and want'a to saturate San Francisco with cabs...just like NYC.

In the first place , don't we hear that a line about cops ? Isn't that a mis-quoted joke that goes."You can never find a cop when you need one", ...not cabs. Second, you might also not know... S.F. already has more cabs per-ca-pita then N.Y.C.. It's not April fools day but there is a joke going around S.F. and it's on the general public. Perpetrated by those in the business of exploitation.

Like the small-town cry-ers, (doormen at hotels) or the SFMTA-who now runs taxis- or a big-time taxi company or perhaps ... a small time politician or possibly a hard up news reporter stuck on recycle.

Common sense should tell anyone who has any, when it rains,(it pours) and when it's..."rush-hour" or when it's Friday at 2:00am or when the Opera, Symphony, Opheum and War Memorial let out at the same time ..it just might be a little inconvenient to a cab, ...at the flick of a finger. Not that, it wouldn't be nice, but if one were mature enough, and not a little baby or an animal, like those around the Civic Center, one could reason, that, ... if, EVERYONE wants ANYTHING at the same time,... it may be a little in-convenience, to say the least, to get. You should never say never anyway. Certainly some people that live in S.F. might think their ... "so special" that they don't need to think, ahead, (as a human might) to anticipate man-made behavioral patterns.

There's a little saying, I seem to recall, that goes something like ... "You can't please all the people all the time"... (I don't wonder why) but ..."you can please", ...I forget the rest,... maybe I'm getting too mature.

I marvel at the X-Taxi Commissioners (TXC), Malcom H. and Bruce O. -who currently sit on the MTA board who thought of peak-time taxis, in 2007, when they were on the TXC. Why didn't they put a mechanism in place to measure the difference before or after they added approximately 10% more " from 2007-till today? Because, still, there is nothing is place to measure any effect, that may have occur or not as a result of their action.

It seems ..."Like it or not"...the 64 million dollar answer for MTA's budget is, peak-time taxis. The 64 million dollar question for the public is ...how many more cabs will MTA need to add, to service the... so called "tourists" when they can never get a cab ...when "they"...want one (just one), when it's rains during rush hour? Clearly MTA is displaying animal instincts when suggesting more cabs as a solution. When it contradicts one or two of their own mantras. One, being ... "Auto redaction" and the other,... "Public transit first". Cabs are not public transit, their motor-vehicles for hire and -closer to limousines. A conflict of interest and the City knows it. MTA doesn't need to make cent, thou, they need to make dollars and lots of them. Which means, you can forget about reducing the number cabs, when there's too many cabs, as the article clearly pointed as a problem and common knowledge.

Never mind the heart of S.F. taxi problems such as dispatch, the elephant in the room that taxi-drivers and customers have been complaining about for decades. ( as noted by the Taxi Task Force in 1998, headed by G. Newsom).

You can forget about the working and living conditions of cab drivers or the negative effects as a result of adding an over-flow of cabs. And such things as, traffic, air, or quality of taxi-service (i.e.-taxi-driver).

One SFMTA Board members also professed that "cab drivers are professionals and drive clean cabs"... I'd like to know his source of information. It sounded exactly like it came from the missing - 2007 PC&N report, that was so amateurishly done, just before the TXC added more cabs.

So all is well in taxi-land,...or so it seems,... except some Broad members friends, right around Christmas time, again, can never get a cab when they need. Maybe their from around NYC and late to a party. I can see them now trying flag a cab down around, 38th and Wawona. Maybe if they tried calling for one they'd have a little better luck, I'd suggest the smaller cab-companions for even better luck.

Then there's the MTA's (PR) spokesman who said..."The idea, (of peak- time taxis) is ... so people can get around especially at night and to help tourists get from place to place". He went on to say ..., it "could have a positive revenue impact for the agency as well". Only , could have ?

Well, idealistically that's all fine and dandy, people getting around more easily but, if you do the numbers, historical, on the people's side it doesn't add up. However that would be inconsequential to the larger taxi-companies or MTA.

It should be said..."non-taxi riders" might consist of 95% of the public 75% of time, on any given day. If your a cab driver their never enough customers. And for MTA it's like shooting fish in a barrel because they have on numbers to crunch or final plan conceived. The numbers I crunched don't lie but MTA and the TXC keep throwing them in the trash. Frankly it only seemed logical (elementary)... since no one else was.

To review, -as I've documented and submitted to City Hall (13 years of comparable data) suggests ; tourists from abroad/calif./u.s. fair better (above average) over-all, compared to locals and visitors from the bay area markets. Also never mentioned, when referencing tourists, all, need a hotel or place to sleep and ... three meals a day but certainly not all tourists choose a cab for their transportation needs. Like-wise... taxis do not dependent on tourists. None the less, it makes for a great sound bit and don't you know... MTA knows the drill well.

One also might presume,... logically (?) that "tourists", as it were, like knowledgeable taxi-drivers, not a, .low paying, non-English speaking, rookies. It's no wonder MTA has yet to define what "good taxi service" is ...and maybe you'd like NYC or Boston taxi-drivers in S.F.

If you ask someone who lives in NYC, not the someone who just passes through, about taxis during rush hour, when it's raining, they might also say ..."you can never get a cab". But they don't cry about it. One New Yorker I talked to termed rush-hour in NYC as ..."the bewitching hour". That's the time, all over the world when cabbies change their shifts, from day to night driver. NYC also is a 24 hours city, S.F. a sleepy little town and NYC has a working transit and subway system in place and an after 2:00am night life, to support cab business, unlike S.F.

The idea of peak-time cabs is not new to S.F. it's an old idea that's long been bantered about in City Hall but only used as a ploy, so far, to just add more cabs. The S.F.P.D. and T.T.F. first in suggested the idea in 1998, when there was just 981 cabs in S.F.. One hundred cabs later, then Board of Appeals order to add 300 cabs and then define "peak-times" before releasing them "if needed". But just like the idea of dispatch, peak-cabs got lost in the fog and in the minds of S.F.'s politics, which may explain why the cost of living for cab driver hasn't been addressed since 2003. "It seems"...no one really cares in City Hall about S.F.taxi drivers. With-out a Union or any real representation their pretty much, pickled in a barrel, going down the river for a-dine a dozen. All S.F. did for the last 12 years was add more cabs, it forgot cab service. Today (2011) S.F. has 1500 cabs. After a double dose reality, I for one, presume MTA not capable of acting with well intent.

It's easy to see taxi dysfunction in S.F. , it's right on the tops of taxis. If they can't even get an off and on of a taxi to work right. There's something awfully disturbing about being in a world class city and them not being able to get a light switch to work right, especially, in the middle of the mecca of hi-tec, in ..."the age of communication". Local law and international standers should dictate along with common sense. But that might be weird S.F.

Never mind the eternal frustration for both, customer and cabbie not to mention safety. Clearly the top-light should be ...off when a cab has customer or,...when off duty or the cab has a radio order. But you won't hear any complaints about that from MTA. Do the words "revenue source" mean anything to you? Ever hear of "comcast"... like in advertising? (please note; Cab-vision is coming soon with ads talking) The profit is in the dysfunction, two things,MTA and Big companies can't seem to do without.

To find the real "true grit"of S.F. taxi service, you'll have to dig deep and sift though all the dirt City Hall keeps kicking out.

Noting the limited scope of the reporting.

1.) Certain doormen at many major Hotels in S.F. ; Take bribes from limos for SFO rides, which causes cabs to avoid many hotels, creating a back log of customers, or a black-hole effect, if you will, for good service. It should be noted that the Taxi Commission added more cabs, even thou their 2007 PCN documented, most doormen thought taxi-service was adequate.

2.) Mark Gruger ; The mouth piece for UTW, at times, speaks for himself mostly and is a medallion holder, also an owner operator of Green Cab. As for UTW... they lost credibility with most older taxi drivers years ago, Taxi drivers do not have a union and use of UTW suggests taxi drivers have a Union. If one were to do a poll, one would find this greatly misleads public perception that S.F. taxi drivers have a real union.

3.) Barry Taranto (x-cabbie 2plus years..., casualty of the taxi commission, currently un-employed, due to stress...and his own poor driving skills as a cabbie. Is a way over-used resourced for taxi news who's also been refereed to as a "nat" by some insiders.

Other-wise, I see this article as balanced somewhere between ..."I can never get a cab" and ..."there's to many cabs on the streets during slow times".

Now, if it was only possible ...to find some hard-data, as opposed uncatalogued anecdote, like what's in the 2007 PCN report. Some of the most relevant reports published have also been over looked, ...or just plain buried. Perhaps they're a little too equitable (hint) or balanced and they -costly, in-depth reports- best be keep in the dark,... out of sight and out of mind.

Is this why doesn't M.T.A. have a good plan in place or a leg to stand? And, how does adding more cabs make S.F. any greener. Peak-time taxis is not a novel idea either, however to date S.F. would be the first actual city ...to make it work. Many other cities (both abroad and in the U.S) have already addressed peak-time taxi demands and taxi dispatch in a more realistic or humane manner.

Some cities like the idea of "cab-pooling", (also brought up in 1998 and forgotten) and some cities like "congestive pricing" or "dispatched pricing" or advanced deposits. The point I'd like to make is there are plenty of practical options out there, that are working.

One scenario, that does not address dispatch, I see working in S.F. -if thought-out properly - would be a win win, win, win, win for all. That would be to implement a combination of both... "peak-time pricing" (to ease demand, so as to increase cab availability and for radio service) while developing and encouraging ..."city cab-pooling" naturally (easing the cost while increasing the supply for flag consumer and radio service). By one simple flick of a finger. In a matter of moments, no fuss and no muss. Theoretically doubling or tripling the availability of taxis, without adding one. Taxi-meter rates can be changed accordingly, to peak-times. Higher rates can be set to activate between, 7:00 to 9:30 and 5:00 to 8:00, during the week-days and at late night times on weekends. This will give induce maximum flexibility as well assuring efficiency and effectiveness. Assuming "most people"... don't take taxis and taxi driver's need to make a living too.

Perfect for tourists - in Que lines at hotels- as well as for the downtown worker (one) waiting for a cab home, I would think in "the" city of love, S.F. it would be the perfect fit. Bar crowds on the other hand, may need special attention such as girls-share-cabs only as one country is doing. I imagine most tourists or conventioneers go to the usual tourist spots,(Chinatown, Fisherman's wharf, N. Beach or Union sq.

MTA does want to help tourists don't they? I don't think they'd mind sharing as opposed to waiting,... for their crooked doorman to try and flag one. I'm sure the details could be worked out, if one put a mind to it, we did go to the moon, didn't we?

Think about this..if it is a small world, after all and you do like to travel might not what go to other side of the pond. I hear if you get caught in the rain wearing a white shirt, your shirt wouldn't be white for long. With that in mind keeping congestion and pollution in check should be the first think in the minds of our City care takers along with maintaining a S.F. taxi driver's income. And I don't think they should be baiting the public based on information on a plan from the obis. .

No one likes to be left in the cold, on hold or in the dark. Like the time one night, when I drove passed City Hall around 10:00pm and a party was letting out. I didn't see anyone laughing there. Someone should have told them, (if they needed a cab) they should have walked around to the Van Ness side because no one likes to be left on the wrong corner either. Maybe MTA's little joke is on some of the insiders of City Hall, too. If the S.F. City "insiders" and MTA truly want to service the "public" needs, they'd set their sight on the recent S.F. taxi history -so as not to repeat it- see just adding cabs, these days, simply compounds the -un-reported joke of dispatch. Then quit joking around and consider a more realistic approach to the bigger problems. Because "Tricks are for kids"... and adults, who don't know any better or can't plan ahead.

Called National Cab Company for a Taxi Tonight

I called National Cab Company for a taxi tonight and Mike picked up the phone and told me a cab would be there soon. I did not get a call back so I called back in about ten minutes. Mike started to yell at me calling me a mother f*(cker, etc. Claims he called me and left a message. I never got a call from Mike that a cab was downstairs. I do not believe a cab ever showed up.

This is a prime example of dispatch service. The dispatch service foes not care whether they get you a cab or not because there is no incentive. Customers are treated like crap and there is no recourse for these actions. The cab company already gets there money from the driver, so they dont care if people call or not. The SFMTA if this is reported will more than likely do nothing using the excuse that the cab companies are privately owned and they have no say.

Computerized centralized dispatch would be handy, because than we dont have to deal with incompetent or socially inept people to get a cab delivered to your door.

Arthur

Arthur told me that John could always tell Dan Hinds that I told him that National does not have workers compensation.

It appears as though some people might be trying to get me fired from driving a cab. I simply think its retaliation for being injured in an accident. I dont see why I cant just get the medical treatment I need, instead of dealing with these childish attempts.

Dan Hinds and John Han

A conversation with Jon Han today. John indicated that Dan Hinds in a casual conversation about verifone in National Cabs, that Dan stressed the point that I have an open Workers Compensation Claim with the company.

Dan is under the impression that I told John that national Cab does not have Workers Compensation, which was never stated.

Meeting with Dave

I got a call this evening from Dave to talk about a comprehensive survey. We went to eat at Sparky's. Very interesting meeting. I was asked if I was offered some money from the owner of the company would I drop what I was doing.

Strange Passenger

Tonight around 1:00 a.m. I picked up a passenger at 26th and Mission. A relative young Latino male who got in and asked me to take him to 16th and Valencia. In route I noticed the passenger fell asleep, when we got to the destination I said "here we are 16th and Valencia". He responded that he wanted to go to 16th and Valencia. I said "that's where we are at", then he said I want to go to 16th and Mission, we went there, then he said he wanted to go to 15th ans South Van Ness. In route to his third destination I felt uncomfortable thinking he was looking for an intersection where no one would be around. Seeing that I have been robbed several times driving a San Francisco Taxi Cab. The thought of being robbed again was in the for front of my mind, so I decided to call the night dispatcher Mike on the phone. I emphasized that I was at 15th and South Van Ness and felt uncomfortable. Mike the dispatcher hung up the phone on me.

When I first started driving a cab for National I was told if you have a problem or concern to call in and not make sense. Which I was trying to hint to Mike on the phone but he did not get it, or as he says simply does not care. I am paying 100 for rent of the car which includes dispatch service. My understanding when I first started that dispatch service included in case of an emergency. Not that this was a complete emergency and thank god nothing ended up happening to me tonight, but I think the dispatcher should have asked are you in danger or some sort of trouble.

Calling into work tonight

I just tried to call in and ask if I could work. I got hung up on when I called the first time. I am on hold right now for the second time to call and ask. I have been on hold for about 20 minutes.

The dispatch service in San Francisco has no incentive to answer calls and get people cabs nor assist the drivers when they call because they get their money at the company anyway from the drivers. centralized dispatch has been suggested over the years but no one listens.

Computer Equipment

I have to drive with this faulty computer equipment in my cab, my first ride of the night was to the airport and the customer shorted me because I could not get the computer to work. Why is it my problem I am fine with the old system where the meter worked.