The Blog Novice » Archive
Chicago Taxi Driver Chronicles 5-25-2011
Today I woke up at 4:15 a.m. in order to get at the airport at 5:00 a.m. My plan was to increase my income. My first fair was at 6:45 a.m. to Ashland & Wrightwood. After the fair, I stopped to eat breakfast and by a Venti “Black-eye” at Starbucks. As soon as I finished, it started raining. The drive back to O’hare was a one hour drive. Upon arriving, I decided to get some rest. It continued to rain for the next two hours. When I woke up, there were cab drivers who had left from their waiting lanes and left gaps in the lanes. That is when cab drivers in further lanes started filling in the gaps. The drivers were in essence leaping ahead of other cab drivers … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
How Much Do Chicago Taxi Drivers Make? – Airports
For the last week I’ve been documenting my income from driving a taxi. Here is an account of what a taxi driver can make working just O’Hare airport. # 1 trip Pick-up time: 8:17 a.m. Drop-off time: 9:25 a.m. Fare: $46.05 Tip: $9.21 Total: $55.26 Destination: 525 W. Monroe #2 trip Pick-up time: 9:25 a.m. Drop-off time: 9:57 a.m. Fare: $10.75 Tip: $1.25 Total: $12.00 Destination: Ritz Carlton – 160 E. Pearson # 3 trip Pick-up location: O’hare Pick-up time: 12:05 p.m. Drop-off time: 12:37 p.m. Fare: $29.65 Tip: $5.83 Total: $35.58 Destination: Lawrence / Damen # 4 trip Pick-up location: Lawrence / Lincoln Pick-up time: 12:42 p.m. Drop-off time: 12:56 p.m. Fare: $9.25 Tip: $2.75 Total: $12.00 Destination: Peterson / Pulaski # 5 trip Pick-up location: O’hare Pick-up time: 2:37 p.m. Drop-off time: 3:05 p.m. Fare: $ (unknown) Tip: $ (unknown) Total: $44.70 Destination: Holiday Inn Oakbrook * (This trip was supposed to be meter and a half. I hit the total button before adding the 1/2. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
Chicago Taxi Driver Chronicles 5-20-11
How Much Do Chicago Taxi Drivers Make? Yesterday, I recorded every ride I picked up. Fare # 1 Passenger: Black Male Pick Up Location: 51st & Drexel Pick Up Time: 9:30 a.m. Drop Off Location: Adams & Wabash Drop of Time: 9:47 a.m. Fare (including extras) : $16.45 Tip: $1.55 Total: $18.00 Fare # 2 Passenger: White Female Pick Up Location: Addison & Sheffield Pick Up Time: 10:28 Drop Off Location: Belmont & Clifton Drop Off Time: 10:31 Fare (including extras): $4.85 Tip: $1.15 Total: $6.00 Fare # 3 Passenger: White Female Pick Up Location: Clark & Oak Pick Up Time: 12:24 p.m. Drop Off Location: Belmont & Rockwell Drop Off Time: 12:47 p.m. Fare (including extras): 14:45 Tip: $0.55 Total: $15.00 Fare # 4 Passenger: White Male Pick Up Location: Belmont & Damen Pick Up Time: 12:57 p.m. Drop Off Location: Midway Airport Drop Off Time: 1:32 p.m. Fare (including extras): $30.85 Tip: $6.77 Total: $40.62 Fare # 5 Passenger: White Male Pick Up Location: Midway Airport Pick Up … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
Chicago Taxi Driver Chronicles 5-18-2011
Today I thought of creating some statistics for new taxi drivers looking to enter this industry. When I started driving in December 2010, I wished there was data available to me before I entered this industry. I don’t think that the data I’m about to gather has ever been tracked. So, in addition to my blog about the daily life of a Chicago can driver, I’m going to provide actual data that I hope will be helpful to those already in the industry and those who are contemplating entering into the industry as a Chicago Taxi Driver. 5-18-2011 – 1:24 p.m. My day started of rather late. My last customer that I picked up at the Chicago Hilton Tuesday night, wanted to go to a casino. So I drove them to the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
The Diary 5-17-2011
Yesterday I was in a car accident on LaSalle and Kinzie. Four cars were involved. The lady who hit me was talking on her cellphone. I lost half a day of work. It happened around 5:00p.m. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
The Dairy – 5-13-2011
Today I woke up just without a clue as what I was going to do today. I have a vague idea; laundry, go to the cab garage, possibly grocery shopping. But the problem lies in not knowing how I’m going to make money if I don’t get a cab on Sunday. I want to be an artist, but I need product. Yesterday, I went to my storage unit to pick up my art supplies, my camera and video camera. So what I need to do is create a goal list. A list of things to do before i go to bed each night. Diet. Still haven’t went to the grocery store. I had two doughnuts from downstairs. Yesterday, I had bought a bag of potato chips before I went to work … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
The Diary – 5-12-11
Today marks the day that I become an artist. I begin my journey to explore an artist’s life. Yesterday, I graduated from Harold Washington College. I had four classes my last semester. I promised myself that I would never go full-time again. In order to pass all my classes, I had to forgo driving a taxi on the weekends. That just wasn’t going to work out. There was just too much homework given to complete. I had to go through my entire life savings in order to focus. Now, I’m down to a few hundred dollars. But, I’m determined to make something of myself as an artist now. I will have to work. Hopefully, I’ll be able to drive a cab on Sunday. But when I checked with a few … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized