Cabby Recalls When Taxis Were Cadillac Operation

When I became a cabdriver almost 50 years ago, like many others I wore a hat resembling a chauffeur’s cap. Numbered, oval badges were worn on these caps, signifying that the person was a valid, licensed driver--a requirement of the city’s taxicab ordinance.

I remember also that most drivers wore dark clothing resembling a uniform. I do not recall anyone wearing blue jeans and tennis shoes. Nor do I recall anyone driving a taxi barefooted.

In the late 1940s, the cabdrivers union, of which I was a member, negotiated contracts containing provisions for company-paid uniforms for its drivers. The company even provided dry cleaning at a minimum cost to its employees. Safe driving performances were the requisite for company payment for the uniforms.

Since the industry also provided all of the normal workmen’s benefits, the job attracted older, family-oriented people. I recall that the average age was over 40.

These conditions held stable in San Diego until the collapse of Westgate Corp., a holding company that owned most of the Yellow Cabs in California’s major cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. The year was 1976. In August of that year, the drivers’ collective bargaining agreement terminated after fruitless weeks of negotiating by the union. A bitter strike ensued, and on Dec. 1 the company went into bankruptcy, locking its doors and ceasing operations at all Yellow Cab subsidiaries.

Before the strike, Yellow Cab of San Diego had been one of the most efficient and well-run taxicab organizations in the country. It had always made money. With the financial collapse of Westgate also came the death of the union. I also lost a job I cherished, and the city lost most of its cab service.

As a result of the strike and the bankruptcy, I petitioned the San Diego City Council for the release of taxi permits to individuals, which had been given only to companies in the past. The council voted to release 61 permits to qualified applicants.

With the new ownership of Yellow Cab came the practice of leasing cabs to “independent” drivers. Independent drivers were under no obligation to adhere to a dress code. Uniforms and a professional look also went out the window.

Our incomparable climate and casual living may have been contributing factors, but the uniform of the day became blue jeans and tennis shoes. If this were not bad enough, some even wore short shorts and sandals. A few drove barefooted.

This shoddy appearance by a small minority has proved to be a stigma on the whole industry. Major hotels keep cab stands away from front entrances. Some have no stands at all, barring cabs from “loitering” on their properties.

San Diego is probably the only city in the entire world without cab stands at the train depot. Horton Plaza shopping center recently refused to permit cab stands in convenient areas there. The San Diego Zoo and Sea World are prime examples of popular attractions that keep cab stands away, as is the airport, where travelers must walk in the rain to get a cab on wet days.

In my opinion, most of the blame can be placed on deregulation. To be more precise, the issuance of more taxicab permits than the city could absorb wrecked the entire industry. At the time of the strike, there were 357 permits in the city; new permits were issued on the basis of one permit for every 3,000 additional residents. But between 1977 and 1984, more than 500 permits were issued.

In addition, the City Council proved its complete ignorance of the taxi industry when it allowed more than 50 jitneys to compete with taxis and with the city-owned, tax-subsidized bus system. The jitneys now ply routes where city buses had always provided their best service. Taxis had taken up the slack during the idle hours of bus operation. The result? Taxi fares to military bases from downtown are non-existent, whereas in years past they had been a thriving part of the business. As this part of the business dropped off, the number of cabs was increasing.

With deregulation also came higher rates, which further reduced ridership. Rates more than doubled, but drivers were making less money because there were fewer riders and too many cabs.

What all this has to do with uniforms and attitudes is explainable. It’s all economics. The cabdriver of today must put in twice the number of hours he or she worked in 1975.

On a reasonably good day, a driver can put in 12 to 18 hours to take in $100 to $125. Out of that, the driver pays $35 to $50 to lease the cab. In addition, he must buy gasoline. On a bad day, he could take in just enough to pay the lease and gasoline. Most have no benefits or health coverage. Many of the drivers I know simply cannot afford to buy uniforms, nor can anyone convince the owners that appearances should be upgraded at their expense.

Public liability insurance, which is paid by cab owners, has skyrocketed to a shameful figure. After expenses, there is little left to provide uniforms for drivers.

Old-timers such as myself, who have seen better, watch with frustration as we listen to plaudits for the London cabdriver by San Diegans returning from Europe. But until there is a great change, jeans and tennis shoes shall be in style.

Who knows? Maybe designer jeans on Sunday?