Feature: Hell Called. It Wants Its Cabs Back.
Yet while all those changes have been good for passengers, they have only made things harder on drivers. And as I learned, if the drivers ain’t happy, well, ain’t nobody happy.
WHEN HE PICKS ME UP at the corner of 44th and Spruce one evening in November, Speedy is measured and articulate. It’s just after six o’clock, and the scene of Philly’s darkened streets unfolds beneath his deep, cinematic narration. He tells me stories of “the old days”: about the time he was held up at gunpoint for a mere $20 fare; about lecturing drug dealers on the foolishness of their negotiations; and about making more money before the advent of the PPA’s higher fines and fees, the skyrocketing cost of medallions (more on that in a moment) and their leases, and a steady decline in city ridership. A half-hour into the ride, I ask Speedy about the changes to the industry over the past five years — meaning the PPA takeover — and his tone changes drastically.
“These cats were coming at us like butchers! Yes, you had some wild, crazy drivers out here doing some underhanded nonsense at times. But not everyone. And the PPA didn’t know how to differentiate between the two. They just came in willy-nilly. They didn’t have a clue about anything pertaining to the industry.”
To fully appreciate the anger — of many drivers, not just Speedy — it’s critical to understand one thing: Being a cab driver in Philly is, in a word, brutal. It’s an expensive, dangerous and complex hustle that comprises long hours, high tensions, and more than its share of indignities. So buckle up, because it gets a little complicated.
First, there’s the medallion, a small, metal disk affixed to the hood of the cab that indicates a vehicle is certified to operate in the city. In Philadelphia, there are a set number of these — 1,600 to be exact — and buying one outright, well, fuggetaboutit. The average cost of a single Philadelphia taxi medallion these days is about $300,000, so drivers are typically forced to lease one from one of the city’s private medallion owners.
Leasing a medallion costs drivers $400 a week. And the city currently has more than 4,000 licensed cab drivers (and counting) but only those 1,600 medallions, which often means that if a driver has a gripe with his medallion owner or the condition of his cab … oh well. There’s a line of guys thousands long who’d be more than happy to take your place, buddy.
Since most new drivers can’t afford to buy their own vehicles, they often wind up leasing these as well, which is another $200-per-week expense. Finally, drivers who affiliate with one of 11 radio dispatch companies in the city, such as Olde City, Victory or All City, pay another $20 to $80 a week. And then there’s gas, which costs upward of $350 every seven days.
