Infamous for their lack of vehicular finesse (and numbers), taxicabs will now be allowed to legally use bike lanes to pick up and drop off passengers. more ›

At their board meeting yesterday, the SFMTA voted to approve 85 new taxi medallions, 50 of which will be for part-time, single operators limited to 60 hours per week on the streets. This increase in the total number of taxis, which is currently capped at 1,500, comes amid some resistance from taxi drivers fearing competition, despite the well documented lack of available taxis when we need them, like anywhere, besides certain nightclubs and hotels. 35 of the medallions will be full-time, meaning they're good for two 10-hours shifts per day. more ›

At their board meeting on Tuesday, the SFMTA is planning to consider issuing 125 new taxi permits, potentially increasing the city's fleet of cabs by about 8%. This is obviously welcome news to all of us who have tried to get anywhere in a hurry at 7 o'clock on a Friday, or whenever it rains. more ›

Early Sunday morning in the city's Mission District, a cyclist reportedly ignored a red light, which then prompted the late-night peddler to collided with a passing taxicab. The crash was reported a little before 1 a.m. at the intersection of 14th and Mission. "The bicyclist, a 46-year-old man, was traveling east on 14th Street when he was struck by a cab traveling north on Mission Street," reports SF Appeal. "The bicyclist was taken to San Francisco General Hospital to be treated for injuries that were considered life-threatening, although the victim's condition was said to be improving today." more ›

While you binge on margaritas, Tecate, and body shots tonight, please remember a few things. For starters, do not drink and drive. Ever. AAA Northern California will offer free tows to drivers who drink too much while celebrating Mexican heritage and pride. The offer, according to SF Appeal, "is valid within 10 miles of the driver's home, is offered between 6 p.m. this evening and 6 a.m. Friday. Call 800-AAA-HELP and tell the operator you need a "tipsy tow." Or, better yet, take a free cab home. more ›

Yesterday afternoon at City Hall, hundreds of cab drivers staged a protest and threatened to strike if the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency didn't give them face time to discuss critical issues. KTVU reports: "Representing many of the city's cab companies, including Luxor, Yellow Cab Cooperative and Green, the drivers were protesting a 5 percent credit card processing fee, implementation of electronic waybills and lack of SFMTA benefits, especially since the Taxi Commission merged with the SFMTA in March 2009." more ›

For your reading pleasure, yet another Weiner story: At today's Board of Supervisor's meeting, D8 Supervisor Scott Weiner will introduce "a resolution in support of a proposal by the Municipal Transportation Agency to increase the number of taxis on San Francisco’s streets during peak hours." Why? Because we need more cabs. And how. more ›

If you've ever been tossed from a taxi for necking with a same-sex paramour, sporting leather and chains en route to the San Francisco Armory, or harassed by your cabbie for donning drag designs, a smart new option will now safely whisk you around San Francisco. It's called Homobiles, a 24/7 queer car service that caters to LGBT folks around the city. (However, you don't have to be gay to use it; all kindhearted souls are welcome.) more ›

According to a report in today's Examiner, taxi providers are asking for more cars on the road. (Hallelujah.) Some 25 percent of people who call Yellow Cab for service, it seems, are never picked up. Jim Gillespie, a manager at Yellow Cab, explained to the Ex that "more medallion holders would help drivers because the increased number would give San Francisco residents more confidence to call cabs for service." Which: yes, yes, and yes. However, "spokesman Mark Gruberg of the United Taxicab Workers, a drivers association, said more cabs would hurt an industry still recovering from the dot-com bust and post-Sept. 11 downturn." Read the entire article for more details. more ›

Most cabbies in San Francisco are hardworking, chatty ilk who, if you're nice, might even let you smoke inside the cab. They have the best stories, most bizarre and/or accurate philosophies, and will always reveal their celebrity clientele for the day. A few, however, are dreadful skidmarks in need of a good finger wagging. Take, for example, a Town Taxi cabbie who, according to the Bay Area Reporter, berated a gay SoMa bar owner after giving him a ride. more ›

The fine folks at Mission Mission bring out attention to this gem. It seems someone had a foul experience while riding Yellow Cab (join the club) "late last night" -- a ride so horrific they felt the need to express their dismay by printing out this large banner in record time for the world to see. more ›

A taxi driver was beaten, stabbed, and robbed last night at about 7:15 p.m. while on the 200 block of States Street, off of Castro above Market Street. The 50-year-old driver is said to be in critical condition after being stabbed multiple times, and is being treated for his injuries at SF General. more ›

Remember that whole idea about shutting part of Market Street to vehicle traffic, kind of like what they've done with sections of Broadway in New York City? Well, it's coming to pass in a pilot program, at least for a six-week test run, starting on September 29th. Vehicles traveling eastbound (downtown) on Market will be encouraged to turn right on 10th Street, and then forced to turn right on 8th. Any cars that get onto Market Street via 7th will be forced to turn right on 6th. (See map here.) While comparisons have been made to Las Ramblas in Barcelona or NYC's new traffic-free plazas along Broadway, the difference here is the compromise which will still allow bus, taxi and delivery vehicle traffic down Market -- forcing only unwitting East-Bayers and tourists who don't already know to avoid Market Street to drive in endless, crazy-making circles. more ›

In an effort to fill the large, gaping hole of necessity for more cabbies in San Francisco, it makes sense that imposter taxicabs try to fill that need. According to today's Examiner, "at least 30 illegitimate cab companies are operating in San Francisco." Which means that there are almost as many illegal cab companies in San Francisco as there are legal ones. (SF has 32 licensed companies.) Last year alone, the article goes on to say, there were "nearly 200 illegal cab pickups in San Francisco last year and officers on taxi detail arrested 33 drivers in December alone." The problem, if there is one, is that illegal cab companies don't perform criminal background checks on their employees, and fake cabbies tend to overcharge their passengers. more ›

Although we are occasional cab riders -- this is San Francisco, after all, not NYC -- we have nothing but mediocre cab experiences. Never horrible, never exceptional (except for one nice cab driver who knew the nearest cross street of every address we gave him -- awesome!!). That's what makes this tale from Mission Mission so incredible. more ›

-- Steroid report reported. [SFGate] more ›

There's some big news out there, folks. But before we begin, we recommend you sit down first. We'll wait. Good. Because the taxi commission announced today that they will add 69 more cabs to the street of San Francisco! [Insert Beavis-like giggles here.] more ›

Hey, do you like to relieve yourself in public? If so, "urine" luck! The golden-shower-loving perverts at the Department of Public Works just denied the dangerous lunatics calling themselves Citizens for Halloween a permit for portable toilets, so you're going to have to make do with the neighbors' bushes, local storefronts, and taxis. Or you could just dress up as Louis Leakey and tell people it's all part of the costume. more ›

Cabbies are upset. Again. What's else is new? But: more ›

Today was the annual blessing day for taxis and taxi drivers across SF. (Wait, magic water on Yellow Cab? No! Yellow Cab should burn in the hell!) more ›

Holy smokes! Giant fish on the MTA, Paris Hilton in jail, then out, then in again, Al Gore, goatses, blumpkins, Matt Damon, and baby art critics! It's been a busy week across the Ist-A-Verse, and here's a smattering of what's been going on. more ›

How can it be true that San Francisco is less green than Pelzer, South Carolina, or Hastings, Nebraska, or Fairfax, Virginia? Those are some of the cities beating out SF in Yahoo's greenest-cities contest. But you can make a difference! We've already jumped from 168th place to 16th, and your signups can push us up even higher. Plus, you get a free light bulb out of the deal. No more stumbling around when the sun goes down! more ›

Toss out your gaslamps, San Francisco, because Gavin wants you to get a FREE LIGHT BULB! WOW! In his latest newsletter, he's tipped us off to Yahoo's Be A Better Planet contest. The idea is that by clattering around on the internet talking about the color green, we can save the whales or something! Whatever, all's we know is that you get a free light bulb for signing up. As an added bonus, the front page features a picture of Haley Joel Osment in a red wig getting high off of some hallucinogenic ferns. more ›

Gothamist posts on the capture of a NYC perv thanks to Little Brother and a camera phone. They also scour the city for vodka martinis and Shamrock shakes and spot the friend from the Wonder Years at a city law firm. New York police think that Littlejohn is their man. more ›

Going out on New Year's Eve is practically expected, but getting where we want to go is such a hassle we're tempted to stay in and toast 2006 with that last can of champagne. more ›

Wow, we're back. Thank you, kind readers of the 'fist, for your questions. Keep the questions coming, folks! We have a few in the pipeline, but we can always use more. Either e-mail us (replace the [AT] with the @ sign, of course), or, even better, leave it in the comments section. more ›

Gothamist, our sister site for people who don't know how to leave Manhattan, had previously secured assurances from Revolution Studios that all of the exteriors would be filmed in NYC's East Village, which is so OK with us we don't even care. No word yet on what made them change their mind, or why the film version of the play (which takes place during Christmas) would require footage of a leafy, summery park. more ›

Andrew Lowder introduces the Rickshaw Stop. more ›

If your weekend was anything like our weekend, you spent three days mewling like a kitten about the heat and canceling all plans to go anywhere at all. Not these four SFSU students -- Gil Hackel (singer-songwriter), Nate Maas (cinema major), Trammell Scruggs (sound engineering major), and Zhenya Warshawsky (literature major) -- who launched and completed their Labor Day Weekend mission -- to ride every single MUNI bus line from end to end. Its name: Operation MuniCon. more ›