A Stripper, Greyhound Bus, And A Cabbie Cop

Heading down the interstate towards downtown, she starts talking on her cell phone. She seems to be arguing more then anything. I have often noticed that people who live marginal lives seem to exhibit a lot of frustration, and of course, poor communication skills. Even after many years of driving a hack, I find it amazing how much people will talk about their personal lives in front of a total stranger. I guess that is the point. We are invisible. We don’t really exist. We are nobody to them.
We pull up to the Greyhound Bus station and there is nowhere to park. There never is anywhere to park. The front spots are reserved for taxis and they are always taken. The bus station is located on Cass Street. That used to be a cable car street back in the day. It also has train tracks running down the middle headed for the dock area. I am left with now choice. I park next to the first out taxi and pop the trunk.
This is the point when the fare will usually pay you, or get out and help unload the luggage. She did none of this. She took off and went inside the bus terminal. That left me with the task of unloading her stuff onto the sidewalk. Much of the stuff was in boxes and many items were loose. She had hair dryers, makeup cases, and all kinds of junk. It took several trips back and forth to do this.
She still had not come out. I now had to go find her. That meant I had to leave my taxi in the street and all her shit on the curb. I was not comfortable with this and was wondering why I need to do all this just to make a living. You would think driving a cab would just be taking people were they want to go, and that would be it. This job is not for everyone.
I find her not at the ticket counter but at the pay lockers that most bus stations have. She was yanking more shit out of there. Come on, this is getting ridiculous. She turns around and gives me twelve dollars. She was not aware that the meter continues to run as I continue to do more work. I will let it run all day as long as I am engaged in the ride. The meter had twelve bucks on it when she got out - but not now. That did not even cover the load time on the front end. This ride had now become a pain in the ass.
I started walking back to the front door too get here stuff and I saw him. It was one of the ‘cabbie cops’ from the Hillsborough County Transportation Commission. He was looking for the driver of the taxi that was double-parked out front. That would be me.
He demanded to see my hack permit and my drivers’ license and started yelling at me about leaving my cab on the street and blocking traffic. I tried to explain to him the circumstances but he would have nothing to do with it. The fact that there was no room to park meant noting to him. I asked him if he wants customers unconvinced by parking on the side of the building (which would now block bus access) and having the fare schlep their stuff. He said he had a better idea.
He said to park on the railroad tracks in the middle of the street. There was no way I was going to ask him the obvious question about what would happen if a train came by.
He went back to his ‘squad car.’ That is what gets me, the only people they police are the taxi guys, but they wear Rambo gear and carry side arms Is that really necessary? I swear to God, the only reason they exist is to shake down cab drivers who just trying to make a living.
He came back over to me and had me sign my $75 ticket, which gave me two weeks to pay. The TPC prides it self as not taking any tax payer money to survive, they do it all on the fees they charge drivers. This was just a fucked up way for them to raise money off my back.
While all of this was going on, the chick had finally gotten her stuff off the sidewalk. I got back into the taxi and there was now way over twenty bucks on the meter. Big deal now. I now had a long way to go to make up for this stupid ticket.

Mohamed Atta Had A Hack License From United Cab OF Tampa And A Commercial Pilots License

Mohamed Atta once had a hack license issued by the Hillsborough County Transportation Commission. Atta never came back to pick it up. He had applied to work at United Cab of Tampa, but never showed up for work either.

My research shows he was living in the Tampa area for some time while taking flying lessons in Venice Florida and Jones aviation in Sarasota.

Most people were told that he only had a few hours on a simulator and was not interested in knowing how to land. This is not true.

The owner of Huffman Aviation in Venice said Mohamed Atta and a friend walked in the front door one day in late 2000 and wanted to know about getting pilots license and how much that would cast. They were told the cost was $18,000 with $1,000 down and $1.000 a week for the entire 18 week course. They paid with a check drawn on First Union Bank.

All did not go smooth as their first instructor found them arrogant and hard to teach. They switched instructors and were able to finish the course and Atta earned his "Temporary Airman's  license" with a score of 90 of a 122 possible points during a five hour exam.. This allowed him to rent out planes on his own which he did on many occasions.

Proof Mohamed Atta Know how to land and take off in an airplane

Atta did not stop at this, he went on December 21, 2000 he earned a full instrument ratting and a COMMERCIAL PILOTS LICENSE. ("airplane multiengine land/ instrument airplane/ private pilot privileges/ airplane single engine land"). (Source) He earned these credentials in a rather short period of time. 

I believe he was running out of money and It was during this period that he applied for a hack license in Tampa. The TPC still has his license on file. It is unknown what his intentions were about driving a cab, considering he had goals of altering world history for ever. He flew planes to Miami from Venice and from Jones aviation to Tampa. He knew how to take off and land. Skills that he really would not put to much use.

It was from Tampa where he flew American Airlines to Spain to meet with representatives from Iraq.

Not Much Going On In The Tampa Taxi Business - Except Corruption

74 miles in 12 hours

Taxi drivers need to drive over 100 miles a day to have a chance of making money. Lately, I am lucky to get 50-70 miles. I have never heard of that before. When you are only getting about 5-7 calls in a twelve hour period, you don't have much chance of making a living. The HCPTC had a meeting the other day about the state of the economy...Big deal. Stop letting the companies put on so many Goddamn drivers, and let some very poor people make a living. That would be the best thing you could do.

We don't have the money to give mortgages to people with no collateral loans like Michael J. Mosses (Owner of start up cab company who made his money off of ALF's like what Govenor Scott did) when he gave a $83,000 mortgage to Keven White as a mortgage (White was arrested by the FBI on corruption charges for receiving bribes from tow companies..I predict White will roll over big time to avoid prison).

What I hope is that the hobo drivers that think they have a job, need to go get a $7 an hour gig and they will be better off. They can then move out of their motel rooms and homeless shelters or stop sleeping in the back seat of the cabs.

Why does everyone want to be in the transportation business in Tampa? Why not open some other business and stop sucking the blood out of immigrants from third world countries. It sucks now, I now have nothing to lose.

There May Be A Meter Raise For Taxis In Tampa

United Cab Taxi Meter

Paul Hinton told me today that there was a meeting with the Transportation Commission Of Hillsborough County and they are considering a raise on the drop from $2.00 to $3.00. I think this is necessary so that the taxi drivers who have to buy their own gas can make a living. This small amount could be the difference of being able to run the cabs or park them. There is a breaking or tipping point and we are almost there. I am glad that the companies are recognizing this.

There will not be a raise on the per mile charge or the waiting time. I believe on the drop is the right way to go.

Free Green Taxi Cabs In Tampa Are Scab Bums

If you go downtown on the weekends to party, you may have run into the guy above. His name is Tim Ireland. He runs a "free Cab" in Tampa Florida. The only question is - Why?

I don't know what you do for a living but if someone came along and told your boss they would do it for free, you might have a problem with that. If this person was just willing to work for tips when you have a mortgage and a family and responsibilities, you would actually be pissed. Many cab drivers in Tampa are.

The Hillsborough County Transportation Commission believes these free taxi cabs need to be taken off the streets. They really have never heard of such a thing. Who has? Working for free. Who is this Tim Ireland?

"The Green Go vehicles don't fit the legal definition of taxicabs, because they don't have meters. The closest definition they fit is limousines, but the commission has denied limo permits for vehicles that weren't considered sufficiently luxurious."

Tim Ireland of the Green free taxi is a scab. In this time of economic downturn, there is not enough business to support the taxi drivers that have been doing this for years, if not, decades. When somebody comes along and finds bums like Ireland to undercut taxi cabs (by law we must charge $2.25 a mile) He can give them a free ride. Why? Is he that desperate? How much can he make doing this? Most grown men would not do what this little, little, boy does. I guess he lives with his mommy and daddy. How else could he do this. He needs to go back to HCC with the rest of his nerdy friends and leave men alone who take the transportation business seriously.

Google Searches And Josh Freeman

I have been getting some interesting Google searches...One was "Is Josh Johnson gay" I don't know if he is gay, but I do know that he has four starts and has lost all of them. He is trying but I believe his days as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer starting Quarterback are over. Josh Freeman will be the starter now for the next ten-twelve years. He came in late in the London game against the New England Patriots and I don't think he will be headed.

Another Google search was for the minimum age for a cab driver in Tampa. That would be 26 for insurance reasons. you also have to get a Hack permit that will cost you $100! I am not Joshing about that.

This is a photo I took of Josh Freeman at a gas station in Tampa a couple months ago. He seemed to be a nice guy not really full of hmself.

Autumn Is In The Air, My New Hack Permit

October is my favorite month

A touch of Autumn is in the air and I am loving it. After six months of extreme heat, this is a welcome relief. Many people have commented to me about how nice this change of weather feels to them.

I am able to go to work in the morning without my shirt sticking to me and read the morning newspaper with the windows down and enjoy the fresh air. It is about time.

I believe that this type of weather calms people down. They don't seem so snappy to the cab driver like they usually are.

My New Hack Permit

I had to renue my hack permit this week before the end of the month. The new price is $75. Wow! What a rip off. The old fee was only ten bucks. Why such an increase? I believe that is only to support the corruption of the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commision which is a division of the Hillsborough County Commission itself.

HCPTC Charges Illegal Fees To Taxi Drivers

This is a ticket for $30 written by Joe Halberstran (sic) of the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission. It was for having a shirt on without a collar. Can you Believe that! With all the services I provide this community and the aid and help I give to tourist, the only thing this prick is interested in is a shirt collar. What a cocksucker.
I have received E-mails from people who say that HCPTC has no legal authority to write dress code tickets. Hence, they are acting illegal

Kevin White Needs To Go...Sooner Rather Than Later

The next episode in County Commissioner Kevin White's sexual harassment case could play out on a public stage.

A majority of county commissioners said Monday they want an open discussion on how to limit taxpayers' liability in the wake of a jury verdict that White sexually harassed his former aide, Alyssa Ogden. County Attorney Renee Lee had planned to hold the discussion in private during Wednesday's regularly scheduled commission meeting.

What about the cab drivers liablity from the laws he has enacted that punish Tampa Cab drivers who do not wear a collared shirt and have to pay a $30 fine. That money, we now know, goes into the HCPTC slush fund in which Kevin White took out over $400,000 dollars and then said there should be an investigation to find out where that money went. We know where it went. It went into his sexual get some young ass fund. I for one, as a Tampa Cab driver HACK #303362 am tired of this harrasment.

The decision to open the meeting came on the same day commissioners learned attorney fees related to White's trial could soar higher. Lee informed commissioners Monday afternoon of an opinion from the Florida Bar Association that the county attorney cannot appeal any issues related to the case in order to reduce its financial responsibility and cannot negotiate with Ogden's attorneys over their fees.

That means the county's outside legal bill for the case, already at $170,000, will probably balloon. The county is also potentially liable for $216,000 that Ogden's attorney has asked for in legal fees and court costs, and $75,000 in damages the jury awarded Ogden.

"It just keeps bleeding," Commissioner Jim Norman said, referring to the county's liability. Norman said he will only vote to hold the White discussion openly if Lee can assure him statements made publicly will not hurt the county's chances in future appeals or lawsuits.

Rose Ferlita was the first commissioner to demand that Wednesday's discussion be held in public. Lee had proposed a closed meeting in a Friday memo to commissioners. She cited the state statute that allows legal discussions to be exempt from the Sunshine law

Is Cesar Padilla Corrupt?

I came across this info recently. It seems one of the Hillsborough county Commissioners Kevin White was attempting to bribe Hillsborough County Transportation Interim Commissioner Cesar Padilla for a political payoff.

White has been pushing the TPC to double Padilla's salary to $100,000. Why? White had a campaign advisor named Victor DiMaio who Padilla subsequently hired as a lobbyist for $5,000 a month. Some things never change.

Does Padilla know how little money the taxi drivers are making at this time because of the climate created by his agency. What makes him worth this much money paid for by fines to cab drivers for not wearing collared shirts and having dirty cabs. This agency needs reform...not more graft. After John Cox, I really thought that would happen.

Read thim by By JANET ZINK, Times Staff Writer

At the last Public Transportation Commission meeting, board chairman Kevin White suggested hiring a lobbyist to handle legislative matters.
Now, a little more than two weeks later, the agency has a lobbyist: Victor DiMaio, who was a consultant on White's winning campaign for the Hillsborough County Commission last year.
White said he had nothing to do with hiring DiMaio.
He simply told Cesar Padilla, interim executive director of the PTC, to find someone familiar with the commission, which licenses taxis, limousines and tow trucks.
Padilla said he settled on DiMaio.
"He's been affiliated with the industry for a number of years," Padilla said. "He knows our laws and our rules. It was a short period of time. He fit the profile."
He said White, who last month pushed for the PTC to more than double Padilla's salary to $100,000 when he made the leap from chief inspector to interim executive director, never mentioned DiMaio to him.

More Cabs And Vans Killing This Business

On the back lot at United Cab you can see the overflow of the Bay Shuttle vans that take people to Tampa International Airport and also pick up at the Airport to points unknown. That is a direct threat to our business. Don't get me wrong, I believe in free market capitalism but Bay Shuttle is owned by United Cab. What do they care?

As long as the cab drivers pay the lease every week, day or shift($25,000 a year) they are doing just fine. The only thing that happens is I have to work harder and longer to make the same amount of money that I have been used to. Even these efforts no a days don't really help. I know what you are thinking, get another job. But I sort of feel like the bank robber character played by Robert Dinero in the movie HEAT. He said "I have been doing this for so long, I don't know if I could do anything else." After 12 years it becomes a part of you. It is your daily routine. I give order and stability to your life. Like any addict, it would be hard to just walk away.

In Tampa just today I saw AFFORDABLE TAXI, ADDIS TAXI, AMERICAB, ABC TAXI, A-1 CAB, OLDSMAR TAXI, NORTHWEST ZONE TAXI. Does Tampa really need all of these taxi companies. They must all be a bunch of paupers. There is not enough business out there to support what is going on. I guess these idiots are willing to work 16 hours a day 7 days a week. Just today in the business office I saw to immigrants filling out the forms to become new drivers. One of the guys said he used to drive in Boston where you have to own the medallion...it cost $750,000! That sounds insane. You cannot earn that driving a cab. Do I sound burned out?