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Paying for priority: People soon may be allowed to pay a premium fee — as much as $5 per ride — to guarantee cab service in the San Francisco neighborhoods that are least popular with The City’s taxi drivers.
SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - He ignores your phone calls, makes you wait and sometimes stands you up on a Saturday night. He’s your San Francisco taxi driver, and you just can’t call it quits.
While it’s improved throughout the years, the age-old relationship problem remains. You need him more than he needs you — especially if you live in a far-flung neighborhood or call during peak times.
From a new and controversial idea to pay extra for guaranteed service to a renewed interest in a citywide dispatch system, taxi industry players and passengers alike are debating possible solutions.
The elusiveness of cabs along The City’s edges is a problem acknowledged by San Francisco Taxicab Commission Executive Director Jordanna Thigpen.
“There’s no question the complaints and statistics have shown it’s the Sunset and other residential areas that aren’t being served,” she said, noting that the problem has caused outcry from neighborhood associations and a proliferation of gypsy cabs in the areas.
Supply and demand is only part of the equation. What many riders don’t know, longtime cabdriver Brad Newsham said, is that their call to dispatch isn’t an order, merely a request.
Dispatchers alert all available company taxis of your location, but if you’re in the Outer Richmond at 6 p.m., you may be waiting a long time. That’s because during peak times, drivers congregate where the business lies.
While many cab companies reward customer loyalty by repeatedly dispatching your request, whether or not you get picked up doesn’t make a difference to their bottom line. Their profits come entirely from renting cabs to drivers, who are independent contractors, Newsham said.
“If a cabdriver was trying to make a living strictly by serving the Richmond and Sunset, they’d go broke. I’ve tried it,” said Newsham, who has been driving for 23 years and now works for Green Cab.
Putting more cabs on the street, favored by many cab company owners and riders, is opposed by drivers, who spend off-peak hours scrounging for scarce fares. Still, the number of cabs in The City has nearly doubled in the past decade. There are 1,432 taxis on the streets — in six months, that number will be 1,500.
An idea to increase permits during high-demand times only is being considered by a working group within the Taxicab Commission, which will issue a full report in early September, Thigpen said.
Meanwhile, a new idea to guarantee service to those who pay a “premium fee” of up to $5 per ride is inciting fierce debate among Taxicab Commission members.
Another idea floated throughout the years, a consolidated dispatch system that would alert all of the cabs in The City to every call, has generated interest but failed to gain political traction due to opposition from cab-company owners, who have built clientele and invested money in their own dispatch services.
A plan to merge oversight of The City’s taxicab industry within the Municipal Transportation Agency, the agency responsible for Muni, may breathe new life into the old idea of consolidated dispatch, Thigpen said.
Proponents of consolidated dispatch say it could be designed so that calls would roll over to the system only if they couldn’t be fulfilled by private companies.
“A good-spirited politician and some good-spirited cab-company people should be able to create something,” Newsham said. “It’s not rocket science. It’s the cab industry.”
Pay-for-dispatch idea drives concerns
A controversial idea in which passengers would pay extra for a cab to show up on time is being discussed in San Francisco Taxicab Commission working groups.
Called a “surcharge dispatch program,” customers would call cab companies, give their credit card numbers and pay a premium fee of several dollars or more for guaranteed service during peak times.
“The argument against it is there will be this stratified system where wealthy people will be able to afford better service,” commission Executive Director Jordanna Thigpen said.
While some proponents of the idea are in favor of the market determining the price, Thigpen said there would have to be a cap of $5 enforced by local government.
“From my perspective, we’d have to monitor it so the public is protected,” she said.
Jim Gillespie, assistant manager at Yellow Cab, said the premium-fee service works well in Singapore. It also is used in Australian cities.
“It’s been discussed that people would be willing to say, ‘I live in Forest Hill. I need to get to the opera and I’ll pay extra,’” Gillespie said. “Maybe that would motivate the drivers to go to one of the outer areas at a peak time.”
Still, finding the right balance of what to charge would be difficult.
“It couldn’t be excessive, but I don’t think drivers would do it for $1,” Gillespie said.
— Tamara Barak Aparton
By the numbers
1,432: Taxis in San Francisco
40,000 to 50,000: Taxi trips per day
$16.15: Average cross-city fare
$35.50: Average fare to SFO
Source: S.F. Taxicab Commission
A 50-50 on taxi calls
A 2007 taxicab report by The City looked at dispatch rates and wait times.
50%: Dispatch attempts that result in a cab arriving
50%: Taxis dispatched that are no-shows
65%: No-shows from 6 to 10 p.m.
3 minutes: Average phone time on hold with dispatcher
16 minutes: Average wait for a cab from time contact is initiated
8 minutes: Average time for a successful flag down, citywide
3 minutes: Average wait time for a cab at a hotel
Source: S.F. Taxi Commission’s 2007 Public Convenience and Necessity Report, Dispatch Survey, Flag Down Survey
More money: San Francisco officials are considering following in the footsteps of other major cities by adding a fuel surcharge to The City’s already-high taxicab fares to offset the high cost of fuel. While Chicago, Houston and Miami’s fees add $1 to the fare, San Francisco officials say they may seek a surcharge of $1 per person per ride.
Comments from Examiner Readers
1:18 PM MST on Wed., Aug. 13, 2008 re: "Cab company asking drivers to prepay fees"
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12:06 AM MST on Fri., Jul. 25, 2008
re: "Fenty replacing taxi commission members who opposed meters"
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8:48 PM MST on Thu., Jul. 24, 2008
re: "Where are the cabs?"
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5:48 PM MST on Thu., Jul. 24, 2008
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5:03 PM MST on Thu., Jul. 24, 2008
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4:54 PM MST on Sun., Jul. 20, 2008
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1:41 PM MST on Sat., Jul. 19, 2008
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4:20 PM MST on Fri., Jul. 18, 2008
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1:14 PM MST on Fri., Jul. 18, 2008
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9:56 PM MST on Tue., Jul. 15, 2008
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5:35 PM MST on Tue., Jul. 15, 2008
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1:48 PM MST on Tue., Jul. 15, 2008
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7:10 PM MST on Mon., Jun. 2, 2008
re: "Taxi meter enforcement under way in the District"
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8:55 AM MST on Tue., May. 6, 2008
re: "Few D.C. cabs ready as meter deadline looms"
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9:57 AM MST on Mon., May. 5, 2008
re: "Few D.C. cabs ready as meter deadline looms"
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8:02 AM MST on Tue., Apr. 22, 2008
re: "Judge backs taxis’ switch to meters"
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7:53 PM MST on Fri., Feb. 8, 2008
re: "Group: More cabbie strikes ahead"
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10:59 AM MST on Tue., Feb. 5, 2008
re: "Group: More cabbie strikes ahead"
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12:41 PM MST on Thu., Jan. 17, 2008
re: "Fenty announces cuts to cab fares"
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12:44 PM MST on Fri., Oct. 12, 2007
re: "D.C. cabdrivers want residency exemption extended further"
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8:34 AM MST on Thu., Jun. 28, 2007
re: "New maps for cabs but eye is on meters"
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Examiner Reader said:
cabbies shouldn't have to go independent for a company. they should be paid by the cab companies as drivers, as employees. once they're forced to be the ownership of their own cabs, they will hustle and try to outgun each other on the road.
1 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
What comes with meters in DC Taxicabs without the historical shared ride system? Winter is on it's way and major transportation problems for people that don't own a car and thats 80% of people living in DC. God for bid an Emergency need of a Taxicab on the NE or SE side of the US Capitol.>>Billy Ray a over 40 year DC Hacker/Taxicab/Owner/Operator.
3 agree | 4 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Try being an african american at 12 a m see how fast you get a taxi, might as well walk
4 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
how many licensed drivers are there ? what is the earnings differential june 2006 2007 2008 ? plastic dividers to prevent distractions/cell phones how many people really take a cab more than 10 times a year ? Random drug testing for public protection
3 agree | 2 disagree
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Lenny Kovlak National cab driver #56 said:
3.5 years driving taxi in SF, & one of the reasons the general public complains about cab service in SF is that Our Great City welcomes All. Some of the new immigrants that find themselves behind the wheel of a Taxi, aren't that comfortable enough with the English language to be listening & responding to their Cab companies dispatch radios. There are spaces for 175 cabs to queue at SFO. & the hotel cab stands are full . National/Veterans/United Cabs will come out to Park Merced to get customers. Peace, drive safely, Lenny
3 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader re. drunkard cabbie said:
"To the previous comment. It does not seem like people are defending the medallion holder, but criticizing Ms. Thigpen for being so too harsh." Just what does a medallion holder have to do to be revoked? "When the Bd of Appeals has tried to find a more suitable punishment." Allowing to have his medallion but without the driving hardly seems like punishment does it? "I do agree that public safety cannot be risked. We must ask ourselves. Has he ever had a problem on the job? Now this is really intellectually dishonest. "How do we know that 40 years as a driver is non-sense?" Because he did not drive for 10 years. "Did he commit perjury or was he stuck in a situation in order to keep his medallion?" Perjury is Ok if you need to keep your medallion? "It is too easy to say take away the medallion and find another job when you are obviouly better off and not in the mans shoes" he was a dispatcher and a good one I hear. Most dispatchers don't have a med. and they live.
4 agree | 2 disagree
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citizen SF said:
To the previous comment. It does not seem like people are defending the medallion holder, but criticizing Ms. Thigpen for being so too harsh. When the Bd of Appeals has tried to find a more suitable punishment. She has a real bad reputation in the Taxi Industry and amongst her coworkers. I do agree that public safety cannot be risked. We must ask ourselves. Has he ever had a problem on the job? How do we know that 40 years as a driver is non-sense? Did he commit perjury or was he stuck in a situation in order to keep his medallion? Do you really think the Board would put him back out there, if he was a risk to public safety? It is too easy to say take away the medallion and find another job when you are obviouly better off and not in the mans shoes. Or will ever be in such a position.
2 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader re. drunkard cabbie said:
I can't believe people are standing up for this SF medallion holder. He committed perjury 7 times on the clearly written forms. Has not driven a cab for years (40 years as a driver is non-sense!) If anybody ever deserved to lose a medallion it is him. The Bd of Appeals is disgusting in the way they ignore the rules and laws just wing it. There are hundreds of thousands of people in SF that make a livelihood. Let him find another type. I don't want my family in any cab driven by him. He has had too many relapses and public safety can't be risked. No driving no medallion. give it to the next driver in line.
4 agree | 2 disagree
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CAB DRIVER SF said:
If the cabbie alcohol problem never conflicted with his job then what business is it of the taxi commssion? I understand there was obviously a period of time that he did not fullfill the drivers requirement because of his license being suspended. The Commission really has no rule for such a situation and only seeks to enforce the requirement. Without looking at the situation as a whole. The unfortunate part of all these rules is that they only look at the drivers current driving status and NOT the 10 to 40 years a driver may have put in previous. A medallion holder could drive for 20 years and have his medallion taken away for not driving in the last year. As far as , Ms. Thigpen goes, she is just a politian who is just stepping on the SF Taxi Industry on her way up the ladder. Without any consideration for how DANGEROUS the job is . She doesn't care if the medallion holder risked their life driving a taxi. She just wants to take medallions away to make herself look good. Yuppie snob!
3 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Examiner takes up whole front page DUI Cabbie. Then I turn to page 27 Baseball All-Stars; and read about Josh Hamilton. Top pick in 1999 baseball draft before an addiction to drugs and alchol knocked him out of baseball. Hamilton's story of rehabilitation and redemption makes good reading. "It's a wonderful story," said Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella. "he's a good kid who lost his way and re-found it." Why the double standard. Rehabilited Cabbie Negative story. Rehabilited rookie baseball player Positive story. Working stiff decorated Viet Nam veteran cabbie; with 40 years on the job is vilified because he happened to obtain a valued medallion. Now the Executive Director of the Taxi Commission want's to revoke his medallion. Why? The Board of Appeals reviewed his case and said he should retain his medallion. Thigpen is of the opinion that cab drivers cannot be rehabilitated, and should be condemned for life. She shows a lack of compassion for her underlings. Shame!
11 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Only in this city.
3 agree | 2 disagree
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SF Taxi Driver said:
This is an excellent report and great insight into the lack of enforcement at the medallion holder level. Medallion holders too often feel privileged and they are abusing their privileges. The facts are correct, excellent work.
4 agree | 9 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
"Metered cab fares start at $3, plus a $1 gas surcharge, and increase 25 cents for each one-sixth of a mile traveled, or for every minute stopped in traffic or moving under 10 mph." That is a $4 drop charge. Seems like it is way too much. Lower it.
8 agree | 7 disagree
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Karl Rudder said:
On November 6, 1931 the DC Public Utilities Commission issued order no. 956 and listed 20 reasons to, "deny any version of the zone system to replace meters in DC taxicabs." (Free copy of PUC order no. 956 available by calling the Public Service Commission) Congress passed insulting legislation that forced the use of the zone system ("The Taxicab Rider" Wash. Post editorial 11/13/71) regardless of the fact that Judge Adkins completely upheld PUC order no. 956 (PUR 1932C pg 1) and the Appeals Court upheld Judge Adkins decision. The DC City Council has wasted hundreds of millions of dollars in maintaining the DC Taxicab Commission since 1987 just as Congress had created the DCTC and now the installation of meters in DC cabs is being persistently presented as merely an element of liking of Mayor Fenty. I have testified before the DC City Council since 1975 to make issue of the still standing court decisions to expose the fact that the DC taxicab zone system had not ever been approved!
7 agree | 7 disagree
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Karl Rudder said:
My address to the unique DC Taxicab Zone System has always been based on the basic, undeniable yet little known facts. Fact 1 - Meters were the original means that were used to compute taxicab fares in the District of Columbia. Fact 2 - The "zone system" was denied by the DC Public Utilities Commission for 20 reasons when they issued PUC order no. 956 on 11/6/31. (Free copy of PUC order no. 956 is available by calling the DC Public Service Commission) Fact 3 - The decision by the DC Public Utilities Commission was completely upheld by Judge Adkins (1932 PUR volC page 1) and Judge Adkins decision was upheld by the DC Appeals Court. (1932 75 F2d 1005) Fact 4 - The District of Columbia is the only major city in this country that does not use a meter to equitably compute taxicab fares as well as serve as a reliable means to record the income and compute the taxes due from local taxicab companies and drivers. Fact 5 - Reason no. 9 on PUC order no. 956 stated: "That proper account
8 agree | 7 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
As a D.C. resident who is excited to be able to economically ride taxis again, I say "hallelujah." The taxi industry's attempts to convince people that time-and-distance meters will result in higher prices are laughable.
11 agree | 8 disagree
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Billy Ray Edwards said:
I know why you censored my comment on the DC taxicab issue,all one has to do is check Mayor Fenty,Campain finance you will find out the Mayor took money from VA and MD taxicab CO.
83 agree | 71 disagree
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hurricanewarningdc said:
I feel no sympathy for the cab drivers. None at all. The problem isn't that they'll make less money on the meter system than the zone system. Rather, the problem is that since most cabbies are crooks (in my experience and the experience of every person I know who lives in or visits DC), the meter system will reduce the extra money that they were pocketing illegally. They'll likely make more money with more rides via meter... but if you tack on what they were getting for the false charges for extra zones, baggage fees, etc, some will definitely lose out. As a consumer, all I can say is "bravo."
69 agree | 84 disagree
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Steve said:
Thank you, Mayor, not only for the meters but making sure that they are reasonable. How DC cabs think they deserve higher than New York ones is beyond me. And do they really think the strike will cripple the city? Guess what. We consumers can strike, too. No tips until this is resolved.
115 agree | 101 disagree
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Billy Ray Edwards said:
It should not be a decission of the mayor on meters in this unique histrocal taxicabs system in DC and the residents should have right to make this decission though referedum with the vote.
139 agree | 156 disagree
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recyclist said:
Let's switch to meters already!!! It's simply ridiculous that we are still clinging to this unfair and arbitrary zone system. And while we're at it, let's get rid of the fuel surcharge and replace it with a per-mile or per-minute fuel rate increase. Why should a person taking a 1-mile trip pay the same fuel surcharge as someone traveling from NW to SE? Let the users pay the actual costs of their cab rides.
224 agree | 214 disagree
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