Chicago cabdrivers were painted in two very different lights during a Tuesday night public hearing that drew about 50 people to City Hall.
Critics called them dangerous motorists who often are rude and unkempt and said they served as poor ambassadors to tourists.
Taxi drivers chuckled at those claims and said it was they who face the tougher challenges–putting up with unruly passengers who dirty their cabs, flee without paying and point guns at them.
The divergent opinions came during a hearing held by the city’s Department of Consumer Services. The agency, which oversees taxi service in the city, called the meeting to get suggestions on improving service.
“The hearing will give us added insight . . . and that insight will allow the city to best achieve the goals of better, safer and more reliable cab service throughout Chicago,” said Consumer Services Commissioner Caroline Orzac Shoenberger.
Along with suggestions, the commissioner heard a lot of complaints–mainly from hotel and motel representatives.
“Sometimes you feel you don’t want to put your guests into a cab because it’s filthy and that’s embarrassing,” said Tim O’Brien of the Drake Hotel, echoing other speakers. “Then we have the problem where we go to put the luggage into the trunk and it’s dirty and cluttered and you can’t fit the luggage in.”
Rev. Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Catholic Church, on the city’s South Side, had a different kind of complaint. He said his parishioners cannot get a taxi to come into the area.
“I’m very concerned about the fairness across the city,” he said.
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But Yi Tang, who has been driving a cab since 1993, had his own horror stories to tell. He said customers leave garbage and cigarette butts in his spotless taxi, shout profanities at him and flee without paying the fare–to say nothing of the those who tip poorly.
“I think the cabdrivers should be given the power to refuse service to people we don’t want in our cabs,” Tang said. “I think we should be able to ask for some of the money upfront or to ask to see their ID.”
Perhaps James Russell, a 40-year veteran of the taxi business, summed it up best. Russell, who said he “fell in love with driving a cab,” suggested the cab business is a two-way street.
“The public needs service, the cabdrivers need customers and we both need respect,” Russell said. “When you respect me and I respect you, we have no problems at all.”