Called Puta at work

Saturday I was driving down mission street when I got to 30 the mission stop light. Another driver from the National Cab Company (ROB) pulls up on the side of me and calls me a Puta with no laughter after wards. Rob was concerned months ago that I was carrying a recording device to work to capture the harassment I was getting while at work. Most people would simply stop harassing me abut apparently not this guy.

San Francisco Taxi Drivers Income may be Reduced

I just read a disturbing article written in San Francisco Business Times that a newly elected Supervisor wants to legislate more cabs on the streets of San Francisco to cover supply and demand. The article is located at this URL: http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2011/03/01/san-francisco-taxi.html

San Franciscans I don’t understand the oversight on our San Francisco Taxi Drivers.

Currently most cab companies do not carry uninsured motorist coverage for their taxis and are not required to by the city. In addition there in no car insurance coverage for the drivers who drive a cab in the city of San Francisco.

In addition did you know that air bags are not required to be replaced in a taxi after the car has been in a prior accident?

I am aware of this dilemma for taxi drivers because I was driving a car last April 2010 when and uninsured motorist and I collided at the intersection of 8th and Minna. At the scene of the accident I lost my vision temporarily and lost the use of my legs for several hours. My injuries were many because there was no air bag in the taxi to break my head and body from the dashboard or window. I really would have hoped the seat belt I was wearing would have kept me steady, but the seat belt locking mechanism broke. What safety checks are in place to make sure the cars the taxi drivers drive and passengers ride in our safe for the public? I was taken to San Francisco general Hospital where I finally regained the use of my legs and vision luckily. I have been driving a cab for several years and was told when I started by the driving instructor that we are covered by insurance in the event of an accident that is not our fault and that cab companies carry uninsured motorist coverage. Boy was I lied to. The driver of the other vehicle who did not stop or apparently look to see if cars were coming entered into 8th street from Minna making contact in my right corner of my taxi. I found out days later she was uninsured.

This is when I found out that cab companies no longer have to insure the driver behind the wheel (no insurance? What in San Francisco) and to the companies benefit no uninsured motorist either. I was then told by a San Francisco Licensed attorney that cab companies are required to carry Workers Compensation Insurance to cover the driver in the taxi. It has been a year and I still get calls that the bills have not been paid by the Workers Compensation Insurance carrier. Do I really have Workers Compensation Coverage, I wonder.

My point is this San Francisco, we hear at City Hall that we need to protect the jobs of our city workers and their benefits and pensions. What about the thousands of cab drivers in San Francisco who do not have health insurance, no retirement, not insured by taxi companies while driving, no uninsured motorist coverage and apparently no legislation to enforce that an air bag is in place while driving a cab. I did bring this to the attention of the SFMTA Taxi Division. I was told that currently their is no legislation in the city to carry other than simple liability insurance for the taxis and that their is no legislation to require air bags be replaced after a taxi has been in a prior accident.

My message to the board of supervisors and the city of San Francisco is that can we pass some legislation that protects the people and their families who drive in the city of San Francisco? and why do we keep taking money from these already poor drivers who serve our community. I understand that MUNI is broke, but why are we trying to take money from taxi drivers who have nothing and give to the MUNI operations?

Please throw the taxi drivers and the public a bone and legislate something we all would benefit from car insurance for the drivers and uninsured motorist coverage. Also lets legislate that we must have an air bag in taxis, imagine if I would have had a family in my car at the time of the accident, we need safety in our San Francisco Taxi Cabs!

Jane Kims Office Public Safety Issues

I have contacted the supervisor elect Jane Kim's office. This is my second attempt, I walked in last week and requested a meeting time to discuss public safety issues (airbags and seat belts in taxis). In addition the lack of car insurance and uninsured motorist with taxi companies.

Meet and Greets receive oposition

I have been holding meet and greets in San Francisco and been getting opposition on basically just trying to build community in San Francisco. Drivers and dispatchers alike are interfering with my parties I throw at various places around the city. Tee Off, Mayes are just a few. There is a group of drivers who consistently over the years of driving who have interfered with my pursuit of happiness. To include teaching, business, and now the meet and greets.

No sick Day for San Francisco Taxi Cab Drivers

While a taxi driver may get injured in an accident, they can not get sick days unless a doctor gives them a note not to drive. If they don't have a note than they could be assessed to pay their gate fees of approximately 100 per day while they are sick. Which would have to be paid when they come back to work.

I posted Concerns on the following website regarding Scott Weiners idea to pass legislation regarding more taxis on the street.

In addition my understanding is that cab companies are not required to replace air bags once deployed. I am aware of this because I was driving a cab when the air bag did not deploy, and was told because there was no air bag in the vehicle. Its great to assess the taxis as a revenue source to help with the failing MUNI but what about public safety?

Read more: S.F. supervisor wants more taxis available during rush hour | San Francisco Business Times

I am not saying we don't need cabs, but we should look at making sure we are all covered by insurance when we get into a cab including the driver. There are people driving these cabs who have real families and have to pay bills. With no uninsured motorist nor car insurance behind the wheel. One accident could wipe them out financially.

I find it amazing in San Francisco where everyone seems to be concerned about keeping individuals employed at 100,000 a year. We care nothing about the people who are making 25,000 a year and want to reduce their income even more even though there is no health care or retirement for them.

Read more: S.F. supervisor wants more taxis available during rush hour | San Francisco Business Times


This to me sounds like a selfish move seeing that most taxi companies currently do not carry uninsured motorist coverage for the drivers nor insure a taxi driver behind the wheel when working. There are currently no safety nets regarding taxi drivers at work. In fact Workers Compensation is suppose to be provided for drivers and in most cases is not. I would think the board of supervisors and the public would be more concerned about issues such as mentioned, seeing that we do live in what is suppose to be a progressive city.



In addition there are no health benefits or retirement for the drivers.

Should we not be looking at addressing some of these concerns. I understand that the city needs money to help out MUNI. But what about the poor drivers who serve the community, making less money. If the drivers bring in less money, how are they to pay for health care for their own families.

In addition, we already have a traffic issue in San Francisco, and adding 200 more cars to the streets would only lead to more traffic congestion.

Read more: S.F. supervisor wants more taxis available during rush hour | San Francisco Business Times

Dispatcher

Today I go into work and a dispatcher at the company says I look like crap. I should consider working less hours. I drive full time like many drivers. I only look like crap because I am still recovering from an injury accident I was involved in last April.