How much money can you make being an Uber driver?

Watch this video first, before you sign up with Uber or Lyft for unrealistic earnings promises, which will turn out to be slave wages.

How much can you make as a Lyft or Uber driver?

Is  driving for Uber or Lyft legal in Tampa Bay? Can you really make $35/hour driving for Uber in Florida? Can you really make $70,000 a year driving for Lyft in Tampa Bay? What are your weekly expenses when you drive for Uber or Lyft? Is it safer in Tampa Bay to take Uber or Lyft than Taxi? Why people hate taxis in Tampa Bay and love Uber and Lyft? Is it tip included in all Uber and Lyft fares? Who has better cars and better drivers, Lyft, Uber, Taxi? How to improve Uber, Lyft service? Why Uber drivers refuse to take my call?  

feel free to comment as a anonymous person

Uber Rates in Florida as of July 2014

Uber Rates and fares in Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, Orlando , Miami. Gainesville and Tallahassee

Uber rates in Tampa Bay
Tampa, Clearwater, Largo, St Petersburg, Palm Harbour, Clearwater Beach, St Pete Beach


UberX $1.50 / mile $0.15 / minute waiting time
$5.00 minimum fare, $2.00 base fare (to start the meter)
UberXL doesn't operate in Tampa Bay
Uber Black Car doesn't operate in Tampa Bay
Uber SUV doesn't operate in Tampa Bay
Uber Taxi doesn't operate in Tampa Bay


Uber rates in Jacksonville

UberX $1.30 / mile $0.20 / minute waiting time
$5.00 minimum fare, $1.00 base fare ( to start the meter)
UberXL doesn't operate in Jacksonville
Uber Black Car $1.50 / mile $0.55 / minute waiting time with $12 minimum fare
Uber SUV doesn't operate in Jacksonville
Uber Taxi doesn't operate in Jacksonville


Uber rates in Orlando

UberX $1.50 / mile $0.15 / minute waiting time
$4.00 minimum fare, $2.00 base fare ( to start the meter)
UberXL doesn't operate in Orlando
Uber Black Car doesn't operate in Orlando
Uber SUV doesn't operate in Orlando
Uber Taxi doesn't operate in Orlando


Uber rates in Miami

UberX $1.75 / mile $0.20 / minute waiting time
$5.00 minimum fare, $1.50 base fare ( to start the meter)
UberXL, Uber Black Car, Uber SUV and Uber Taxi don't operate in Miami


Uber doesn't operate in any other major cities in Florida

* please remember, Uber rates may vary, due to demand and discounts
* all Uber rates include tips and are subject to 1099 forms
* this post is based on information available on 7/25/2014
* UberX drivers operate illegally in all of Florida, risking high fines and possible criminal charges.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

November 29th 2014  UberX rates update in Florida

Tampa Bay $1.20 a mile vs     $1.50 4 months ago

Miami $ 1.25 a mile         vs     $1.75 4 months ago

West Palm Beach $1.25   vs     $1.75  4 months ago

Orlando $1.20                vs        $1.50 4 months ago

Jacksonville $1.30 a mile  

Gainesville $1.80 a mile    vs  $1.50 2 months ago

Tallahassee $1.50 a mile

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As of Dec 19th 2014, Uber rates are no longer visible on their app in Florida.

_____________________________________________

As of Apr 24th 2015, Uber rates in Tampa Bay were lowered by %15 to about $0.95 a mile.

Uber Taxi in London and Florida?

Guess what, Uber is flinching when black cabs of London go on strike,- instead 20% of Uber preset taxi rate, they ask from black taxis for only %5 of the meter as a "taxi booking fee".

Taxi Driving in Downtown St Petersburg, FL

picture by TampaBay.com

St Petersburg's thriving bar scene fuels cabbie wars

By Claire Wiseman,  Tampa Bay Times

It's a warm Friday night, a few minutes after 8, and Douglas Osterman-Burgess is maneuvering his cab around Red Mesa Cantina. He pulls up out front, on Third Street N, where a red and white sign says "Taxi Stand."

"Look at this," he exclaims. "I've been asking for this!"

The spot looks unremarkable but for him represents a victory. He says he has been "agitating" for this kind of change for three years. With extended bar hours and the ever-increasing lure of downtown, the city's entertainment district has turned into a taxicab battleground.

As patrons spill out at closing time, those who need a ride home might have to wait 45 minutes for a cab. Despite the demand, fights for fares often erupt.

"It gets very competitive," said St. Petersburg police Lt. Gary Dukeman, who oversees the downtown entertainment district at night.

Osterman-Burgess, 55, deals with it in part by reporting his fellow cabbies if they don't follow the rules.

From the driver's seat of his white and orange van, he sips from his 7-Eleven Big Gulp and points out the many ways cabbies break the rules. They don't bother to register. They steal fares. They park illegally.

"There are rules, people," he says. "If you don't like the rules, fight to get them changed.

The city extended bar hours until 3 a.m. in 2010, setting off an expansion of the downtown bar and club scene.

The city doesn't have taxi records back to that year, but in 2011, 573 taxicabs were registered to pick up and drop off within the city. So far this year, 549 have registered.

>>>Read More

ObamaCare for Taxi Drivers

picture by Zazzle.com

"Flagging Down Taxi Drivers To Sign Up For Obamacare

Dan Ware has been driving a taxicab in Chicago for more than a decade, but he still  doesn't have what many jobs offer: health insurance.

"I'm without health coverage," he says.

And that's not unusual, says Chicago Public Health Commissioner Bechara Choucair. "What we know in Chicago is that around 70 percent of taxi drivers are uninsured," Choucair says.

That means about 8,000 cabbies could be eligible for coverage under the Affordable Care 

Act. Nationwide, there are more than 200,000 taxicab drivers, and so in a few big cities 

— including Chicago — supporters of the Affordable Care Act are working to recruit them 

to sign up before this month's open enrollment deadline.

Choucair says a couple of years ago, a study showed taxi drivers in Chicago had plenty of health problems, largely due to the long hours they spend behind the wheel.

"They don't eat as healthy, they don't exercise as much and those are definitely risk factors for diabetes, for heart disease, for strokes," Choucair says.

Add to that chronic back issues that can come from sitting and health problems caused 

by traffic accidents.

Kevin Counihan, CEO of Connecticut's health insurance exchange, hopes to be able to market

 their expertise............. "

>>> Please Read More

Marco Rubio (R): Screw Florida cab drivers, I Like UBER

(R) Marco Rubio: screw Florida cab and limo drivers, let the big corporations like Uber or Lyft  with heavy backing from venture capital take over personal transportation market in US, Europe, Australia, Mars, etc, and make all the transactions go through ONE company...........isn't this a corporate monopoly at birth?
.......something like all those small mom and pop hardware stores were put out of business by Home Depot few decades ago or like Walmart put out of business small manufacturing companies around US in name of "lowering customer prices"...!!?? yeah, right.

Decades later, we know results, China and Walton family are getting richer, employees at Walmart are collecting all kind of governmental support (at cost to tax payers) because they can not afford to live on $8.00 an hour and we as customers are forced to buy cheap Sh^%$ made in China, which falls apart after 2 weeks of using it..........

picture by UsNews.com

"Why Marco Rubio's Embracing Uber

The hip-hop listening, Netflix-watching Florida GOPer aligns himself with another hip, tech-driven company.

Sen. Marco Rubio was looking to score a quick ride in Miami, but when he tapped his white Uber button on his smartphone, the Florida Republican came up empty.

“I was bragging to someone about this service in Washington and I clicked onto my app … and up comes a message saying, ‘Sorry we can’t pick you up in Miami because the county commission won’t allow it,’” he recalled. 

That incident was the impetus for Rubio's Monday visit to Uber’s Washington headquarters, where he used the struggle of a growing and fashionable tech company to underscore his case concerning overburdensome regulations.

“We should never allow government power and government regulations to be used to protect an establishment incumbent industry at the expense of an innovative competitor,” he said.


Operating in 37 U.S. cities, Uber is a transportation company that allows a customer to order a taxi, town car or SUV to a specific location with just a click of a phone app. All transactions are paperless and tips are included in the fee. The service quickly gained popularity in Washington due to frustration with the lack of available cabs in certain parts of the city and the inability to pay with credit or debit cards......."

>>>Read More

Everyday Taxi Business / Bribery Part

Picture by RedBubble.com

DA: 16 Kennedy Airport taxi dispatchers arrested in bribery scheme

from Newsday.com

Sixteen taxi dispatchers have been arrested and charged in a bribery scheme in which they solicited kickbacks from cab drivers who were then allowed to cut lines at Kennedy Airport, bypassing long waits for fares, authorities said Wednesday.
The arrests were announced by Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown and Port Authority Inspector General Robert E. Van Etten, who said the dispatchers were all employed by subcontractor Gateway Group One Frontline Services.
The scam allegedly allowed drivers to "cut the line" -- moving them ahead of honest drivers, who were forced to wait in holding lots where they were queued for passenger pickups -- by paying dispatchers bribes of a few dollars, Brown said in a statement Wednesday.
With thousands of cabs servicing airport terminals on a daily basis, dispatchers raked in hundreds of dollars each during an eight-hour shift, Brown said. It also allowed drivers paying bribes to make many additional trips during a shift, authorities said. Authorities said the scam was in effect from December 2012 until February.
Van Etten said that Gateway and the Taxi and Limousine Commission cooperated with the criminal investigation.
In a statement released Wednesday, Gateway Group One said:

>>> Read More

Want to be a taxi driver? Read This

Safety tips for new taxi drivers in Tampa Bay, Florida and not only........

picture by wnyc.org

TAXICAB DRIVER SAFETY

by Gord Barton

Taxi Training Instructor

GOAL:

To maximize personal safety for taxicab drivers
OBJECTIVE:
To ensure that all new and veteran taxi drivers fully understand and comprehend the basic safety rules that they need to follow and embrace.
MODULES:

• Understanding the inherent dangerous nature of the industry
• Understanding the nature and personalities of people.
• Learning to "read" your customer.
• Learning and understanding the basic safety rules.
• Police relations.
• Weapons - the none use of and why.
• Prostitution - your legal guidelines
• Needles - the extreme danger of drugs/disease
• Hostility and negativism
• You and your part.

Foreword:

It is extremely important that all taxi drivers, especially those of you that are new to the business, to understand the dangerous and complex nature of the industry itself, to understand some of the dynamics, to learn how not to become a victim.

Module 1: The danger of the industry

The taxicab business is a very different one from most occupations, and there is a very real and high risk of personal danger to each driver, and it appears to be getting steadily worse each year, and the statistics bear this out.
The last report on workplace violence and homicide places TAXI DRIVERS in the unenviable spot of #1 most dangerous occupation in North America at the present time, and this danger is rising. There are 20 homicides where taxi drivers are victims to every 100,000 drivers. Convenience store clerks are #2, being out 15 homicides to each 100,000 workers. In contrast, the police ratio is only 7 homicides to each 100,000 officers. This alone should tell you something.
The reasons for this are actually very simple in nature, seemingly unrealistic, but they are true, and they are as follows:

• You work alone
• You work all types of long, 12 hour shifts
• You work in isolated areas.
• You always have ready cash
• People perceive that you have the lowliest job of all, and therefor you are of no human value.
• You are always dealing with strangers.
• The very nature of your business, service, requires you to deal with everyone.
• Very often, you have a language barrier, which is difficult to deal with.
• Your own peers often cheat the public, thus raising disrespect and contempt
• Racism plays a factor

Module 2: Understanding the nature and personalities of people

• No two people are the same, in body, or in mind.
• Some people are psychopaths with no emotions, feelings, or remorse.
• Most people you deal with are nice, but we all have our bad days
• People judge other people by their own values, with little regard for reality

Module 3: Learning how to "read" your customer

• You must read up on and become familiar with "body language". This goes hand in hand with "active listening" to what the people are really saying versus what their "body language" is telling you.
• You must never, ever, underestimate your customer and what they may be capable of doing to you.
• You must never let your guard down when you have a fare in your taxi, irregardless of who they are, or how they are dressed or appear to be.

Module 4: Learning and understanding the basic safety rules.

1) Radio and the dispatcher

• The most important piece of equipment in your taxi is your radio, as it connects you to your dispatcher. The dispatcher is "your lifeline".
• They are the ones who will get you help if you are in trouble.
• They are the ones who will give you accurate information when you need it.
• They are the ones who will "sense" when you are in trouble and assist you.
• They are the ones who will dispatch you for trips in a fair and equitable manner with all the other drivers.
• They are the ones which will keep you informed on what is happening.
• Have a good relationship with all dispatchers - you need them on your side.                                                                                                                                                                                          
• 2) Be alert and aware.

You must keep yourself very alert and aware of what is going on around you at all times, whether you are parked or driving. Take good care of yourself, be rested, eat well, and get lots of exercise. The exercise and movement around you will get by handling peoples luggage, going to doors to get your customers, opening and closing doors all contribute to the enrichment of oxygen in your blood, which is what keeps up your energy and awareness.

>>>Read More

Taxi app wars in China fought over information...NO KIDDING

Picture by wantchinatimes.com

At least Chinese are honest and transparent about why they are spending $100's millions of dollars on developing and popularizing taxi apps, which has yet to build up a clear profitability model.

.......We don't get that from Uber, Hailo, Lyft or any other local taxi app hailing / booking company in US, but constant stream of legal controversies and misinformation, wonder why?

"Alibaba, Tencent spending big on taxi apps despite lack of profit model

Alibaba Group and Tencent Holdings, China's internet giants, are in a neck-and-neck fight in the taxi app market. On Jan. 20, Tencent's Didi, its taxi hailing service, announced a plan to invest a further 200 million yuan (US$33 million) to benefit passengers. The very next day, Alibaba's Kuaide swiftly announced it was investing 500 million yuan (US$82.5 million) for the good of passengers, Shanghai's China Business News reports.

Some commentators are asking why the two giants are willing to throw so much money into the taxi app market which has yet to build up a clear profitability model.

>>>Read More

Travis Bickle reincarnation or nutcase taxi driver running for office........

Talking about crazy taxi drivers? How about cab driver who wants to be politician?

"Florida House candidate Joshua Black calls for hanging of President Obama

ST  PETERSBURG — As Americans honored the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, a Republican candidate for Florida House District 68 said President Barack Obama should be hanged for war crimes.

"I'm past impeachment," Joshua Black wrote on Twitter. "It's time to arrest and hang him high."

The tweet caught the attention of Chris Latvala, a Republican candidate for House District 67.

"You aren't seriously calling for the killing of Obama are you?" Latvala replied. "I know you are crazy but good heavens. U R an embarrassment."

>>>Read more

Why Complain About Uber When They Are Doing Their Best!

Written by JC

If you’ve never hear about the Uber on-demand car service before, I’ll let you into a little secret. This company makes being able to get from A to B as easy as possible. No more waiting for buses that don’t turn up on time, heading down into less than savory subway stations or standing in the rain trying to hail a taxi that speeds by leaving a trail of wet spray in its path.

In recent years the Uber on-demand car service has gone high tech like a lot of other companies, and it’s now even easier to get a ride wherever you are, and whatever time of day it is.

How Uber Works

The first thing you need to do is pay a visit to their website and sign-up for an account. This couldn’t be easier and once done, you can download the app to your mobile device. Incidentally, if you think you need to reach for your wallet at this stage, thing again! This app is available for free from Google Play Store, the Apple App Store and BlackBerry App World.

When you’re ready to use the service, there are several different types of taxi you can opt for and these include, black car, UberX, SUV, LUX and of course your everyday taxi. However, do bear in mind it depends on what city you’re in so you may not get all the options.

Once you’ve selected the type of car you want, simply enter your location and the app will do the rest. Using GPS detection, Uber will find the nearest driver to your location and you don’t have to worry about staring at your phone because they will send you a text when your ride is on its way.

Pricing

Uber couldn’t be more transparent about the way they fix the pricing. If you know your destination, you can easily get a quote for the cab ride before you even book anything. You also don’t need

24/7 DIScount Taxi Cab Service in St Petersburg, Florida

  Please CLICK BELOW TO CALL 4 DISCOUNT TAXI 24/7 FROM YOUR MOBILE  PHONE, OR Please DIAL THE Phone NUMBER 727-490-5100

OR Pre-Book your Taxi cab Online with Diacount Taxi Reservation form.

"Discount Taxi is a division of AL's Taxi Inc. of St Petersburg, FL- We pride ourselves in being the best Taxi service in Saint Petersburg, if not in all of Pinellas County...Our very low rates are a reflection of  the tough competition in the St Petersburg transportation market these days. This competitive environment is also part of what motivates us to provide our customer with high quality service and courteous, professional drivers. Our commitment to these practices is even more important to us now than ever before.

ALL OUR TAXIS ARE FULLY INSURED AND LICENSED FOR YOUR SAFETY.
All of our Drivers have undergone extensive background checks with State authorities as well as with the FBI. These background investigations   include finger printing , screenings for felonies, DUI's, violent crimes, drug testing. Each of our drivers has also been determined by the local PD to be safe taxi drivers before issuing  them a Taxi Driver Hack License with a picture.
All our taximeters are approved by the State of Florida and our taxi rates have been acknowledged and approved by City of St Petersburg......."

For more information,  please visit our website at:

>> Discount Taxi Cab service in St Petersburg, FL

 We service these areas within Pinellas County:
St Petersburg, Downtown Saint Pete, Shore Acres, Gandy, Pinellas Park, Kenneth City, Gulfport, South Pasadena FL, Treasure Island, Tierra Verde, Madeira Beach, Bay Pines, Disston Heights, Seminole, Redington Shores, Indian Shores, Indian Rocks Beach, South Largo, Feather Sound and zip codes in St Petersburg, FL

 33703, 33707, 33708. 33710, 33712, 33705, 33711, 33713, 33716, 33701, 33702, 33714, 33704, 33705, 33706, 33709, 33781, 33782, 33777, 33772, 33776   Discount Taxi Metered Rates and Airport Taxi flat rates. $2.00 FIRST 1/7 MILE OR FRACTION THEREOF $0.30 FOR EACH ADDITIONAL 1/7 Mile OR FRACTION THEREOF = $2.10 a Mile $0.30 For Each 36 Seconds Waiting Time or Slow Traffic = 0.50 Cents a Minute  

2015 Discount Taxi Intercity Taxi flat rates, example fares, costs and rates :

Saint Petersburg to Tampa Airport $30-$45
St Petersburg to South Tampa $30-$45
St Petersburg to Downtown Tampa $45-$60
St Petersburg to North Tampa  $55-$75
St Petersburg   to Sarasota  $85-$120
                     to Orlando  $175-$210
                    to Naples, FL $275
                    to Miami Airport $495
                    to Ocala $225
                    to Jacksonville $435
                    to Tallahassee, FL $475
                    to Orlando Airport $195
                    to Ft Myers       $210
St Pete Beach to Tampa Airport   $45
St Pete Beach to Orlando Airport $185
St Pete Beach to Amtrak Tampa  $55
St Pete Beach to Busch Gardens, Tampa  $70
St Pete Beach to Port of Tampa  $60
Treasure Island to HardRock Casino in Tampa $65
St Petersburg to Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa $50-$70
Sarasota to Hard Rock Casino in Tampa $105-$125 (trip must be pre-paid with CC)

* Please feel free to negotiate above prices and you might be able to save another 5 to 10%
off your final estimate, if we are not too busy.
* We also gladly take our customers from any place in south Pinellas County to cities listed below:
Brandon, Palmetto, Ellenton.Bradenton, Bradenton Beach, Venice, North Port, Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Englewood, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, Lehigh Acres, Arcadia, Myakka City, Sebring, Parrish, Ruskin, Apollo Beach, Riverview, Winter Haven, Lake Wales, Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs, Holiday, New Port Richey, Hudson, Spring Hill, Crystal River, Seffner, Inverness, Dade City, Zephyrhills, Lakeland, Plant City, Wesley Chapel, Brandon, Kissimmee, Titusville, Cocoa, Melbourne, Palm Bay, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, Port St Lucie, Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Hialeah and many more within State of Florida.
* For intercity / long distance rates, please call our dispatch center for an estimate at : 727-490-5100
or if you are not in the hurry, you can request estimate via our online booking and reservation system at:


Discount Taxi To Tampa Airport, Booking and Reservations Online

Three Large suitcases Packed in a trunk of "tiny" Toyota Prius Taxi are ready to be taken with 3 passengers to Tampa Airport

For your convenience at Discount Taxi. we gladly accept all major credit / debit cards.

When ordering a taxi cab, please let dispatcher know about your intention of paying with credit card, 

We don't charge any fees on credit card transactions.

We service listed below hotels in Downtown area of St Petersburg, FL 
Hollander Hotel - 421 4th Ave. N,  St Petersburg, FL 33701                                                  Hollander Hotel
Hampton Inn & Suites / Downtown - 80 Beach Dr. NE, St Petersburg, FL 33701                                                               Hampton INN
Ponce De Leon Hotel - 95 Central Ave., St Petersburg, FL 33701                                                 Ponce De Leon Hotel

We also proudly serve :

Derby Lane Poker Room and Greyhound Race Track since 1925

• at 10490 Gandy Blvd N, St Petersburg, FL 33702

picture by http://commons.wikimedia.org/

picture by derbylane.com 1950

A "Winning Tradition" at Derby Lane - Click Here

Taxi Business for Sale in Florida, only $690 Ks

Picture by ridevelo.com

Taxi Business for sale in Ocala, FL

"

Business Summary: E2 VISA APPLICANTS WELCOME! Largest Taxi Service in county with contracts to provide transportation for (and paid by) the probation office, state attorneys office and hospital for clients and patients. Drivers are paid commission and are independent contractors. They maintain most of their own daily cabs expenses. Taxi licenses are restricted or limited to number of companies. See Listing #4390349 for possible dual purchase. Please refer to internal listing number 4390348 and ask for Clay Bontrager when inquiring."

Taxi Driving in Miami and Medallions for Sale

Taxi Reform Starts with Better Working Conditions for Drivers

from TransitMiami.com

"If you follow local headlines at all, you may have noticed that Miami’s taxi system has been under intense scrutiny for the last few months. The media has cited a litany of complaints from residents and tourists alike about the conditions of cars, poor customer service, and the lack of credit card machines in taxis. At present, the Miami-Dade County Commission has several reform proposals on the table that would significantly change the for-hire transportation market. These changes include among them mandated credit card machines in all cabs servicing Miami International Airport and the Port of Miami, a sweeping reform program called “Ambassador Cabs” for those same two areas supported by Mayor Carlos Gimenez, and an overhaul of the limousine ordinance to make way for digital dispatch services like Uber to operate in Miami. Proponents of these ordinances argue that these are necessary reforms to bring Miami’s taxis into the 21^st century."

>>> Please Read More

Free Taxi Hailing Apps

PCWorld: Taxi! Five free apps for hailing a legit cab

The ride-sharing movement is bustling in some cities, yet still emerging in others, which is why good old yellow cabs are still the most trusted way to find a ride home at the end of a night out. Sure, Lyft’s pink mustaches are a welcome sight, and taking a fancy Uber black car has its perks, but having a regular taxi app on hand is a smart move—especially since hailing a cab on New Year’s Eve can be nearly impossible without planning ahead. Here are five reputable taxi apps for worry-free transportation.

Taxi Magic
Although you can find tons of apps specific to different cities, Taxi Magic (free for iOS and Android) is the most widespread—it's compatible with more than 60 major U.S. cities and their surrounding areas. Taxi Magic maintains partnerships with several major taxi fleets, and the app will locate available taxis nearby via your phone’s location services.
Tab on a cab in the app’s map to see which fleet it belongs to and what the driver’s name is, and tap “Come get me!” to order cab service. From there, the taxi-dispatch center is notified, and a driver is sent to pick you up. You can track the arrival of your taxi, send a message to your driver with further instructions, and even save a credit card to your account to pay for your ride all through Taxi Magic. Taxi Magic charges standard cab rates, plus a convenience fee of between $1.50 and $2..........

>>>Read More

How to Start Taxi Company in Florida?

Mom Owned, Mom Approved Taxi Service For Kids

Sometimes parents can feel like a taxi service, but Sharron Gay really is one. She is the founder of Mom’s Taxi Service.

Whether you don’t want your kids riding public transportation, the school bus, or you need someone to drive your kids from school to their sports practice, Mom’s Taxi Service does it all. Inspired by her own personal needs, Sharron has created a service that every mom can appreciate.

I recently spoke with Sharron about her business and the inspiration that launched it.

Tell us a little about Mom’s Taxi Service.

Mom’s Taxi Service is a child transportation shuttle service that provides safe, reliable transportation for children and other family members in Broward County, Florida. Our services are primarily for school children between the ages of 4 and 17. Mom’s Taxi is managed by three Broward County women. We understand working mothers, because we’re mothers ourselves. As we like to say, we’re Moms Helping Moms.

What inspired it?

I was inspired by my own personal difficulties in transporting my children. They were enrolled in after-school programs that were quite a distance from my place of employment. So it was a challenge to pick them up on time. I began to speak with other parents and realized that we all face the same struggles with child transportation. I saw an opportunity to start a business to solve the problem. I knew there was a real need to make life easier for parents and children in Broward County. I also knew that moms, who are generally responsible for child transportation, could be negatively impacted on the job. Since they might have to leave work early from time to time to pick up their children, their employers could misread the situation and decide they’re not dedicated or don’t deserve promotions. Mom’s Taxi Service solves the problem. So moms can perform better at their jobs.....

>>>Read More

Advertising on Taxi Cabs in Florida

Own a Taxi Firm in Florida? Think About Third Party Advertising

picture by flaoutdoor.com

By JC

Florida is a pretty big State so you would think there is plenty of business to go around if you own a taxi company. However, for those of you that don’t know, this is a highly competitive market! Cities like Orlando, Tampa, Miami and a host of others are all massive tourist attractions and many thousands of people pass through each year.
You might be forgiven for thinking that tourists alone will be able to sustain a cab firms business but this isn’t the case. You need to make sure you have regular custom from the locals as well. Perhaps you’ve managed to land a contract with a hotel (or two) which means you get “first go” on anyone who is staying there and doesn’t have transport of their own. They might need a friendly face to ferry them about the city so they can go to business meetings, or take in the sights. It could also be that your cab drivers are the first in line for airport runs as well.
This is just one example of how you can ensure you get regular business all year round however; if you intend to expand your taxi business there is always going to be the question of advertising. After all, you won’t get extra business if prospective clients don’t know you’re there! This is where third party advertising can really help.

What Is Third Party Advertising?

This is actually a very clever idea. We’ve all seen cabs rushing about the city with stickers on their bumpers, plastic type billboards on top of the taxi and even signs that are illuminated from inside. All of these are what’s known as third party advertising and it can really help not just your business but others as well.
For instance, you can contact various businesses in your local area like restaurants, hotels, tour operating companies and a whole host of others that will benefit from having their name on your cab. If you think this is going to need the hard sell, think again! You have a very strong argument when talking to various other business owners in the area.
Think about it? The average taxi driver across the State of Florida who operates in the major cities is passing by an ever growing population each and every day. In an average month a cab driver

Taxi Driver correspondence from Singapore

Only Government Decision can Change the Taxi Model here.

By: Lim James

I told my wife: ” Honey, I am very sorry to tell you that you are married to a prostitute”.

She stared at me with her mouth wide open and said: ” Honey, what do you mean? Are you bisexual? Are you having sex with men too”?.

I replied "No. I am neither bisexual nor I've ever had sex with males. By saying I am a prostitute, I meant that I am a taxi driver. A taxi driver in Singapore is nothing but a prostitute. Think of it. We have this blood-sucking government agency called LTA in our back, day in and day out, busy summonsing cab drivers to their offices, pulling their pants down and verbally screwing them. Then we have the blood thirsty taxi operators that don’t bother fixing the cabs properly like changing worn-out tyres and removing ABS air-bags and as a result cab drivers end up having accidents and dying. Then you have the traffic cops giving you questionable tickets for picking or dropping in a bus lanes. To top it all is having to deal with all those mentally sick, drunken ang-moh and fare beaters. Like prostitutes, we have to service our customers without questions once they land their buttocks on our seats. Who is around to protect us and hear our complaints".

"Having to go through all these if it is not a prostitution what would you name a cab driving profession here in Singapore? A professional road pilot?. But, thankfully no other job would give an old man like me $25,000 a year. And thankfully again, 99% of my passengers are GOOD people. Thank you, Sir & Madam, from the bottom of my heart!. But, I have lost my self respect and dignity for that f...king $25,0000 per year."............

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Taxi Driver talks about......

Taxi Driver Opens Up About Cab Sex, Cyclists, And Tipping

There are a lot of things that Reddit is good for, but our favorite feature continues to be the regular Ask Me Anything's the site hosts. How else would we learn about the inner lives of subway conductors, McDonald's employees, EMTs, and astrophysicists? Exactly. And today Reddit's got another good 'un: an AMA with a 26-year-old taxi driver. And yes, your driver knows you are having sex back there—that's why he keeps hitting potholes.
The driver (who says he was "raised in the USA" but also spells favorite with a u and mentions going to "four year university") doesn't own a medallion, mostly works the night shift and is chock full of interesting anecdotes. Here are some that stood out to us:
Has he seen sexy times in his cab? "Yes many times. Sometimes they even ask. To which I usually just really?........

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When Is a Taxi Not a Taxi? Uber fights to change Taxi industry perception forever

When Is a Taxi Not a Taxi?

The new car service company Uber exposes the idiocy of American cities’ cab regulations.

Uber is a company that’s exciting, innovative, useful, and arguably shouldn’t exist at all. It is a solution to a ridiculous problem created by cartels and overregulation.

“I wanted to be able to press a button and get a classy ride,” explained CEO Travis Kalanick when I asked him to describe Uber’s origin story to me at a launch event for its D.C. branch on Wednesday. So last year Kalanick, Oscar Salazar, and Garrett Camp founded a company originally known as UberCab in San Francisco.

The original name made perfect sense, since at root what Uber provides is a taxi service. Just about every major city in America has, in addition to its heavily regulated cab drivers, a largish fleet of private sedan drivers who do things like take businessmen on pre-arranged drives to and from airports. These limo services generally feature nicer cars, higher prices, and—crucially—different moments of peak demand. Car services get a lot of business weekday mornings, and to a lesser extent in the afternoon rush hour. But very few business travelers need a ride from the airport late on a Friday or Saturday night, which is the time lots of drunk young people want a ride home or maybe to a different bar.

These are two fairly distinct market segments. Airplanes take off and land at defined.........

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P.s.

Warning to Uber and Lyft drivers

"Uber Destroyed My Life

I was looking for a way to generate some extra income to supplement my veteran pension, give me something to do with my spare time, and most importantly help make the $409/month payments on my 2013 Chrysler 300. I saw an ad from Uber guaranteeing a very lucrative job as well as great working conditions and a secure future. I hired on as an Uber driver and at first everything they claimed seemed to be mostly true. I was earning decent money (though not as much as their ads promised) and was getting plenty of work. All was good until one day I became involved in an accident. It was only then that I discovered that my personal liability insurance did not cover me because my car was being used for commercial purposes. Uber’s mythical “1 million dollar liability coverage” only covered Uber, not me or my car. I am now being sued by the other driver’s insurance company for thousands of dollars and my smashed Chrysler 300 sits in a junk yard racking up storage fees. On top of all of this, no traditional taxi companies will touch me now because of the accident on my driving record.
I was only trying to earn an honest extra income and now I have no car, just the $409/month payments and a huge pending lawsuit. None of this would have happened if I had been working for a legitimate taxi company that is required by law to provide both a car and commercial insurance for their drivers. If only I had known then what I know now. Uber is a lying, dishonest company that does not give a damn about their drivers and is only out to make a dishonest buck.DO NOT WORK FOR UBER OR THIS MAY HAPPEN TO YOU LIKE IT DID TO ME! "