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This incident demonstrates why I said I am not a typical cab
driver. When I leave the house, my day is already planned in
advance. Bookings are maintained in my computer (at home)
and right now I have appointments more than two months from
now. When customers ask what my working hours are, I reply
that it’s like the tail wagging the dog. When my regular
customers want me, that’s when I work - early or late! They
like that and appreciate the confidence of knowing that I
will be outside their door at 04:45 hours if that’s the time
they ask for, or at 23:45 hours if that is the time they
specify. “There are newer cabs than mine,” I sometimes say, “and better looking drivers then me, but there ain’t no one more on time than me.” They like that and tell their friends about me. Most of my regulars have been referrals. My concept of service is not typical. People like the choice, even sometimes asking if I am available on a particular day before they call to make the appointment with their doctor or dentist! More than once, customers have chosen to wait until I was available rather than phone for a regular cab. Jokingly I’ve said that if I ever started my own company, I would name it ‘Service Cab’ so that I could use the motto: Service is our Name and Service is our Game… Wendell White Denver, Colorado I was flattered some time ago when Alan Fisher |
Call Sign has many Internet readers overseas, so to turn the
tables we thought we’d ask one of them to write an article
for us. Wendell White works in Denver, Colorado… |
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 asked if I’d submit a column for Call Sign. I check your website regularly and he sent me an issue to scan through earlier this year. Studying the publication and its contents, I came to the conclusion that this assignment was like the expression “Carrying Coals to Newcastle.” Starting with The Knowledge, the taxicab industry in the USA seems primitive in comparison with London taxis. Your basic requirements are both higher and more stringent than ours. We lack your professionalism. I infer your potential earnings are far greater than that we can expect over here and my observations make me envious. Alan proposed I describe a typical day in the life of a cab driver here. Wrong man for this assignment for I do not consider myself “typical.” Let me explain if I can. One incident comes to mind… Recently I accepted a Trip Offer from our DDS computer. This was followed immediately |
with a request
for my ETA because the location was beyond the boundaries of the zone in which I was posted, but not too far away. I responded with 8 minutes and arrived in less than that to see luggage on the porch and a lady locking her doors. I opened the lift-gate of my cab and rushed to grab the largest suitcase saying: “That’s too large for a little girl like you!” “How long does it take to get to Denver International Airport (DIA)? My flight leaves at 11:20,” she asked me? She was obviously upset. The ‘door to door’ shuttle service had left her stranded (for the second time). She relaxed when I assured her we would be there in ample time. She had been a business traveller for fifteen years, but her next remark was a sad commentary of today’s US cab service. “I’ve never had a driver open and shut the door for me before!” This did not surprise me, although for me it is a regular practice. During the forty-minute ride, she asked for my business card. When I explained I did not do “Call and Demand” service but worked by advance appointment only, she asked if the dispatcher had called me directly or how I happened to get her call? My explanation was that I take calls from my Company only when I have a spare hour that has not been committed. Since then she has called me three or four times. |
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