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Author	Topic
fschase (3 Posts) 3/6/2012 11:32:20 PM	New driver's need help... Hi, Every week new guys take exams for yellow cab license. After successfully passing the test, they should challenge with the work environment as a cab driver. Driving in Manhattan for first time or as a cab driver is really challenging for these new drivers. Not all know the city like me. Most immigrants from different countries with family who want to feed them driving a cab. To ease their fear they put a navigator on windshield and quite often miss some letters number etc to pull up the exact location quickly and what happens next is the customer slams the door from outside and catch another cab. I know most cab drivers who have been driving with navigation device have most driven destinations on their navigator as Favorites. Also, they know the best time and place where to pick up people, like buildings, streets, best taxi stands to catch up somebody etc. Let's help each other, you also started like we do, I know NYC is big and if you don't know where you are and where to go you are lost not talking about making money.. Please share here, most driven places any (empire bld, rockfell, brooklyn bridge entrance, museums, bars etc) from your navigation favorites with address or in mind... so that new drivers put them to their navigation as favorites.. It would be generous, if you will also share those spots with times and locations where they can catch some people to raise some money to cover their rent though. Thank you
ksktaxi (5 Posts) 3/7/2012 7:53:20 PM	Re: New driver's need help... Hi my friend I'm not a old driver but I will share my tactic for new drivers.I'm driving about 9 months as a day driver,first I was start like what you mentioned by using gps so now I don't need to use it anymore.And I will tell what I'm doing everyday and it brings approximately $130-$180 everyday. I work 5 to 5 pm. I get the car downtown like 5a.m and start to work.My first though is find to someone who already wanna go home from meat pack, village or midtown bars.Usually drunk people or who are employees of bars.It goes like 5.45 am.And then I drive to Port Authority.There are two lanes over there I usually take outer one because people prefer who go shorty like 48-6 ave 52-lex. etc...I drop and come back P.A quickly. It keeps going until 7 or 7.30 it depends.After 7.30 traffic starts I go up to uptown usually east side.Take someone and drop in midtown and go back empty but check it out hen you go up, if you get someone use the advantage of it. I keep it until 10 am.There are heavy traffic and less business at this time so its time to out of city.Im looking for people who have bag heavy bags most.It means airport,if you lucky it is jfk, if you less lucky lga, if you so lucky newark.But if you have a bad like it could be penn station or short distance.It is all about luck nothing to do.I dont like to stay in front of the hotel both it is wasting time and doormans take your money.But if you wanna stay i advise shorten on 53&7 or Hilton 53&6.Because in Sheraton there is short line and airport line.In hilton doormans never talk to you they just whistle and whoever on the first he goes.It looks fair for me.Other hotels has tipping and limo friend system I dont advise for new guys. If I get Jfk , i wait on taxi hold, depends on how many cabs are there.Usually I get off like 12or 12.30 but depends.After that the city is busy.I advise to you downtown like tribeca, soho. But afternoon you should avoid canal st. 36.st and 48th 52nd st.Too much traffic, 30 and 31st also.best way to cross town is 38th to east 39th to west.if you go all the way west or east like 1st ave to 9 ave. i advise 42nd st. and for to the west 34th, but do not use 34th to east bound.I have many things to say but I couldnt remember at this time.I can write soon.Good luck you all
duka4444 (7 Posts) 3/9/2012 8:10:09 AM	Re: New driver's need help... Well kid welcome to America and NYC, I work nights so you have to have a black book on what door man to pay off and what Madam wants you to pick up one of their girls and where to take them and so on. Next is the husler game with the tour bus station, some pay you $150.00 for a two hour tour of NYC. Kid you have alot to learn, but welcome!
fschase (3 Posts) 3/9/2012 10:26:30 AM	Re: New driver's need help... KSKTAXI, big thank you for so much detailed information. Really helpful! By the way, does anybody know, should the updated gps navigator avoid "NO LEFT" "NO RIGHT" "NO U TURN" "NO STRAIGHT")) traffic signs? if no, is it better to set it on navigator memory or memorize each of them after being pulled over by emergency ambulance (police)? I wish these ambulance guys faces turned opposed direction when I drive nearby, but its better to know before starting first day about these streets with traffic signs.. Also, how does the cab refueling work? Full tank taken and full tank returned? or pushed behind to gas station and when no gas left, leave for next driver to push to next gas station? Thank you dear professionals and KSKTAXI,
dzvenyc (7 Posts) 3/9/2012 9:12:10 PM	Re: New driver's need help... Refueling depends on the garage (assuming it's a fleet car). Some do full some do empty. Returning empty does present a problem, agreed. They do it because there is room in most tanks beyond the gauge's full line, and drivers sometimes take advantage of it, returning the car not completely full. If it's a return full garage, just fill until it clicks off and it's above the fill line (in Crown Vic's at least). You'll see some private owners or steady partners at a garage overfill the tank (continuously clicking the pump until it's all the way to the top of the tank), as a courtesy to their partner who they know for sure will also leave the car this way. You don't have to overfill otherwise. Good luck.
fschase (3 Posts) 3/9/2012 9:36:56 PM	Re: New driver's need help... Dear Mr. Duka4444, Many thanks for so much positive information! Very rare but warm welcoming)) thank you for taking me as a kid)), though I am wondering who is my 7years old son, "baby"? I am just trying to learn english and tried to discuss in diplomatic manner. Anyways, thank you St.Father Duke4444 really
duka4444 (7 Posts) 3/21/2012 6:55:31 AM	Re: New driver's need help... No problem. "Kid" is just a old New Yorker term used when someone is new at a place or job. It was used in the30's- 60's You have to know your schedule of everything that is going on in NYC so you will burn less gas running around and you got to know the hot spots where passengers come every 3-5 minutes and the hotel doorman and brathal houses where madams work cause they give you long trips plus great tips.
CyberRabid (1 Posts) 4/3/2012 4:52:49 AM	Re: New driver's need help... Best advice for new drivers is not to mess with gps. The technology can show them how to get somewhere, but following the little arrow hinders their natural ability to develop their instincts. I realize that your cities atlas is thicker than the Encyclopedia Brittanica, but the best way to learn your way around and encrypt it to memory is to learn the pages and use the landmarks you mentioned in your initial post as epicenters. Although I am not a driver in NYC, I have driven in New Orleans, Dallas, and Las Vegas, and I am well aquainted with the task of learning new markets. Instincts develop over time and every newb has to pay their dues. Nobody else can drive their cabs for them.