Caught & Confronted Foul Mouthed Town Car Driver Stealing Taxicab Fares (VIDEO)

Earlier today, I confronted a towncar driver who was trying to sell to tourists a $3 ride to downtown.  If you watched the video above, the confrontation went ugly and I hoped he realized that he's going to be out of a job very soon and face a $5,000 fine.  I intend to report this to the California Public Utilities Commission and SFMTA enforcement.

But before I get to the laws about this, I also found out this mean asshole's vehicle isn't even legal!  Here, take a look:

The TCP number listed as per the PUC means it's not legal, so we have a dirty vehicle with a driver who steals fares.

The Laws:

The law about towncars and limos is they cannot do on-demand or solicit for rides.  Only licensed taxicabs are allowed to do this.  Towncars and limos are limited to prearranged rides (e.g. appointments).  In San Francisco, this means only licensed San Francisco taxicabs can pick-up passengers without reservation and on-demand.

Limo and towncar drivers who solicits for rides are doing a lot of things wrong:

(1) They steal work from legitimate taxicab drivers.

(2) As it's not a taxi, the drivers may not be subject to the scrutiny the City and County of San Francisco enforces on cabs and their drivers, such as background checks, testing them on the city map, frequent vehicle inspections, inspecting taxi meters, and liability insurance.  A few years back, I had a towncar pull over and passengers yell at me: "do you know where Nob Hill is?"  I responded: "You should fire that driver."

(3) Limo and towncar drivers have been known to rip-off passengers by advertising a cheap ride, then jacking the fare or dropping passengers off in some not so nice areas.  I've never heard of a $3 and even a $5 fare from Fisherman's Wharf to downtown before.

(4) They take advantage of tourists who doesn't know the laws, BUT I DO.

Why did I record and confront that driver?  Here's why:

A week ago, I was waiting at that exact location for a F-Market trolley, but they were taking forever to show-up.  During that time, two limos pulled over in front of the stop, opened their door and solicited a "$5" fare to downtown.

The first vehicle driver, I asked him: "Are you aware of the MTA laws about soliciting?"  He knew he just got caught by a local resident who knows the laws.  He apologized, got back in his car, and apologized again at me.  Since he was playing nice, I told him I wouldn't report him.

The second vehicle driver, I said nothing.  Instead, I decided to take a photo of his vehicle and record about 15 seconds of material while he took about five passengers.  At that point, I decided to take a few minutes at home to report it to the SFMTA, and an inspector contacted me a day later for a copy of the photo and video.  I'm expecting the inspector's case to be a slam dunk and a fat $5,000 fine.  See video and photo:

Today's lesson!

Today's lesson, don't get cheated by illegal operators.  I have a new found respect for cab drivers who do follow the laws and have the right to take on-demand rides.   The cab drivers have to make a living, and I hope the PUC and the cops find that illegally operating towncar and that foul mouthed driver, and tow it away.

I KNOW MY RIGHTS.  FEAR ME you illegally operating towncars and limos.

Time to Dismantle the SFMTA?

Here's a good question for everyone to think about... would you dismantle the SF Municipal Transportation Agency? Or as most of us locals call it, the SFMTA or the MTA.

I think it's time to break it apart. Since there's a big shakeup with management with Nat Ford leaving office on June 30th and the number two man (the boss of Muni) resigning, and the arbitrator kicking the union's ass, it's the perfect time.

Back in the good old days, Muni was it's own agency, DPT was under the police department riding three wheel motorcycles around the city, and the taxicab folks was just themselves. It wasn't until Nat Ford came along and combined the three agencies into one big conglomerate umbrella known as the SFMTA with a bloated $300,000+ salary.

We already knew the shit hit the fan with Muni long before the SFMTA was created; the infamous "Muni Meltdown" of 1998 caused the downward spiral did it's job well. But someone had to handle the cleaning of the fans, and who else but Nat Ford?

Yeah... Nat Ford, the man who had to control three agencies under one roof, and things didn't go so great under the SFMTA umbrella:

1. Muni has been the punching bag for the public for a long time, but these last few years has sucked the most with major pass hikes, cuts in service, a half-ass "restoration" of service, uncontrollable union until us citizens passed Proposition G, and lots more.
2. DPT just ain't cool anymore. Ever tried calling them to demand a car to be towed? I have, and they hung up on me.
3. The taxicab commission is just being bombarded by pissed-off cab drivers every single time there's a meeting, from medallions to 5% surcharges for credit cards.

Maybe it's time to split the three agencies and let them be themselves. Split Nat Ford's salary to pay appropriately to have one boss run each agency, and pray to god they won't be a puppet of the Mayor, like how Nat Ford was Newsom's puppet.

What's your thoughts?

Lastly, don't forget to "like" me on Facebook! The Complaint Department is there for your entertainment!

Are you SF Taxi Smart? How to Identify Real Ones vs. Fakes

San Francisco taxicabs are very regulated by the SFMTA's Taxicab Commission. I remember riding one of the many cabs in Las Vegas and the guy said, "you think we have it tough, San Francisco is just nuts!"

But I do respect our cab drivers for their speedy service at a premium price. I've depended on them to get me home from my senior prom nearly ten years ago, and those days when I had to get to SF State in a big hurry to turn in a term paper.


On Wednesday at my job at SF State, I noticed some unfamiliar taxicabs roaming around the SF State area called "City Yellow Cab." I noticed them a few times before while driving to SF State for the past few mornings, and I knew these cabs were not authorized to pick-up passengers within city limits. I gave a call to University Police, and five minutes later, pulled one of them over.

But there's so many cabs out there. You want to make sure that you get to your destination safely and the driver/cab company is insured in case of an accident. Also, by using legitimate cab companies, it covers the costs of the drivers paying to lease the vehicles and their livelihoods.

How can you identify an authorized SF Taxicab? The SFMTA gives three basic ways to ID, but I'll show you more ways to identify:

1. On the rear sides and on the trunk of the vehicle, it must say "San Francisco Taxicab."
2. There is a mini metal license plate near the front windshield, and the number must match the vehicle number located on multiple areas of the car.
3. On the rear doors, there's a circular sticker issued by the city.
   
4. All cab drivers must display their ID inside the cab.
5. Inside the cab, there's a display mentioning the cost of the rides, and information if you need to file a complaint, and the policy about disputing a charge by ordering the cab to report to the nearest SF police station.
6. There should be a security camera installed in all the cabs. Many cab companies put a "warning" sticker on their car doors.
   

How to identify illegal taxis:

1. There's one easy way to identify: It does not say "San Francisco Taxicab." Some say "Taxicab" only, while others don't have that designation on their sides and rear.
2. There's no circular sticker near the rear doors.

But don't forget folks, limos and other livery cars are not permitted to pick-up people on-demand. They are only allowed to take passengers when there is a pre-arranged appointment. You will frequently find these types of cars at major hotels around the city when the bellman will ask if you want a cab or a limo. Always ask for a taxi to be prevented from being ripped-off. The SFO airport also reminds visitors at baggage claim to never accept a ride from anyone soliciting; only go to the taxicab line or the airport shuttle areas.