This Week In Willie Brown: Solving The Taxi Problem

Willie Brown at WNYC in 2008. Credit: WNYC

Another cab driver recognized Willie Brown this week. Not only did the cabbie recognize the former mayor climbing in to the backseat, hoping to be driven down to the Hotel Vitale — but the cabbie also remembered a very specific part of one of Willie's columns. It was a bit where Brown pointed out that cabbies in San Francisco never seem to where they're going anymore. And that part is true, actually.

For example, what's up with all the minivan cabs lately? More and more often we find ourselves in a minivan cab with a driver punching in our destination on the GPS and then taking us on a swerving, speed-up-slow-down ride from hell. The minivan cabbies are seriously the worst. According to this one cab driver we had one time, the cab companies love to play favorites with the different vehicles — the good drivers get the Police Interceptors and the half-assed ones get stuck with Priuses. So, we're pretty sure the minivans are exclusively driven by rookies, is the point here. Feel free to confirm/deny this, cab drivers in the audience.

Anyway, Willie's cabbie more or less confirms it. "...you want to know the deal?" He says. "There are so many cabs out there and cab companies are so desperate for drivers, if you have so much as a pulse and you have a driver's license, you can get a job. In some cases," he says, ending on a very cabbie-like joke, "having a pulse is optional." Nailed it! Willie Brown's cabbie is San Francisco's best cabbie now.

In food news, Willie cranked out another commercial for the North Beach Chamber of Commerce, with another lengthy mention of the North Beach Holy Trinity. (It's: Original Joe's, Park Tavern, North Beach Restaurant, never forget.)

After those three successfully robbed him of his ability to dine at any other restaurant in town, Willie began to renounce his old haunts. One of his favorite meals: the $15.75 burger from Boulevard. It's not as good as local slow-fast food joint Super Duper Burger. "That’s the best place," Willie's ghostwriter explains, "you feel like you’re in Kansas with a burger and a chocolate milk shake."

Finally, Willie must be preparing for a busy Valentine's day. Aside from the doing his duty to honor Tony Bennett, he will also walking the runway at Macy's for a charity fashion event benefitting the American Heart Association. We'll be sure to catch that on film.

[Willie's World]
[InsideScoop]

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By Andrew Dalton in News on February 10, 2012 5:30 PM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

Guest

I never seem to have a problem getting a cab in San Francisco. Oh, did I mention I have an account with more than one cab company.

the_citrus

SF cabs need to be run and regulated by the City of SF. They need to be accountable to some entity that does not exist solely to make money. Then we won't have to worry (as much) about cabs refusing to take us to the Sunset, not coming when we call from Mission Bay, etc.

Dean Clark

Willie, I think one of the reasons that the cab companies hire someone who has a pulse is because there really is no incentive to drive a cab in San Francisco. I worked for several years as a taxi driver, I even picked you up once with a couple of Newsome's administration guys. I was the school teacher who was unemployed, just to help you remember me! Anyway back to my several years of driving a taxi. I really enjoyed meeting people and showing them around town. I even went as far as to watch several episodes of KQED which I love by the way, about San Francisco and the highlights and history of the town.
I guess the real incentive is that we make money when we are out there on the streets. But there should be more! I had a terrible accident when driving for National Cab Company with an uninsured motorist that has injured my spine. (The accident was not my fault) National did not have uninsured motorist coverage and even refused to tell me they had workers compensation coverage (to save the company's cost on workers compensation premiums). At the scene of the accident I was taking to the hospital because I lost my vision temporarily and could not walk. None of the injuries mattered to the company, I was still told there was no workers compensation coverage and if I filed a claim I would be fired. Getting fired for having to open a workers compensation claim is pretty common in the taxi industry. Willie I have a lot of respect from you and think you did some wonders for the city, but in all respect drivers need assurances that if something happens to them they are covered. After all we are ambassadors of the city of San Francisco. I do know my way around the city even dealt with the discriminating remarks at work and the assault from customers and other drivers at the cab company. The industry needs to be cleaned up company by company to get better drivers who know what they are doing and to give incentive for people to want to drive a cab that does not need a GPS. See you around at some of the functions and thanks for asking for drivers feedback!