Improve the taxi experience

Recently, I took a cab from 30th Street Station to 37th and Spruce streets. Out of habit -- and because I know the usual rate for that cab ride -- I pulled out six dollars upon arrival. But to my shock, the meter had ticked above eight dollars. I gave the driver six and some change. As if he understood my complaint, he gladly took the money and drove off. Give them the right amount of money for the ride. That's how I've learned to deal with dishonest drivers and a miserable Philadelphia taxi system. But the problems with livery here run far beyond overcharging. I've been in taxis that broke down. I've been in taxis where the meter moves so fast I just assumed it was broken. I've been in cabs missing mirrors. And I've been in cabs where drivers don't bother to carry change for five and ten dollar bills. Maybe I've just had bad luck with taxis -- but from speaking with other people, I don't think that's the case. Philadelphia cabs, in fact, provide the perfect symbol of this city. A little too dirty. Slightly dysfunctional. Poorly maintained. Fragmented. Generally unpleasant. Taking this to the next step, cabs and their drivers serve as the gateways for cities all around the world. It's no wonder people are apathetic about Philadelphia -- the experiences you have in a cab can really shape your perception of a city. In London, cab drivers happen to be some of the friendlier locals you will meet. They can direct you to a good restaurant, to a friend's hotel. They will even lend you their mobile phones. In Japan, cab drivers wear white gloves and will open and close the door for you. In any city in Germany, you usually get to drive in a Mercedes taxi -- which is admittedly cooler than the standard American Chevrolet. And cities have begun to realize the importance of the taxi experience. New York, for example, had terrible cabs until several years ago. I'll bet that most visitors to New York can recount a taxi driver loudly cussing, driving like a maniac -- and generally being unpleasant -- usually for no good reason at all. Cab drivers surely added to the widely held belief that New York was not a nice place. The Rudolph Giuliani administration, however, didn't accept livery mediocrity. They cleaned up the cabs through a widely publicized riders' bill of rights, more stringent enforcement of taxi traffic violations and an toll free complaint number, for example. And not surprisingly, people started to see New York as a friendlier, gentler city. Here in Philadelphia, apparently, local politicians have bigger things to worry about than bad taxis. But the truth might be that a taxi cleanup may not be difficult. For one thing, they could probably enforce existing rules -- like the riders' bill of rights that usually is ripped or covered in stickers. They could also strengthen the requirements for receiving a livery license and vehicle inspection. That would cut down on the number of bad drivers, as well as those who don't speak English. It would also cut down on the number of engines that sound like dying lawnmowers. Finally, they should run a highly-publicized campaign against meter tampering. Nothing is more annoying than a hot meter. The number of times I have been in a cab that overcharged staggers me. I'm surprised people haven't done more about this -- an example of Philadelphians' cool indifference, perhaps. Meters need to be remodeled. I've also noticed that no taxi driver shuts it off when you reach your destination, which makes me wonder how drivers are paid, and how revenue is tracked. In New York, for example, meter totals are tallied electronically to the last cent. In truth, Philadelphia gets a bum rap -- probably more so than it deserves. And politicians, with the help of urban experts, work tirelessly to turn around negative public perception. They spend millions of dollars improving aesthetics -- cleaning up urban blight, hauling away abandoned cars and sprucing up streets -- to make Philadelphia a more pleasing experience. Nonetheless, it is often the little things that can make a big difference. The Philadelphia taxi may have been overlooked. But cleaning up this city's livery might be a great place to make great improvements.

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