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Boston cab driver loses license for five days for failing to pick up person in wheelchair

Boston Police report a sting yesterday netted a cabbie who picked up an able-bodied rider even though he'd been dispatched to pick up a wheelchair user on Berkeley Street.

As part of the sting, officers, acting in an undercover capacity, called the driver's dispatcher and made a specific request for a WAV (wheelchair accessible vehicle) to respond to 154 Berkeley Street. In the process of making the call, officers asked for a specific cab, going as far as to describe the vehicle by its medallion number.

After the call was made, officers, operating an unmarked cruiser, trailed the cab as it made its way to the pre-arranged pick up location: 154 Berkeley Street. While en route to call, the cab driver observed an individual looking for a ride. When the individual motioned the driver to pull over, instead of continuing on to the pre-arranged pick up location, the driver pulled over and picked up the fare. Upon seeing this, officers activated their emergency equipment (lights & sirens) and stopped the cab. When asked to explain why he failed to pick up the pre-arranged fare, the cab driver was unable to provide a rational or reasonable explanation.

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Comments

First do we know specifically what information was conveyed to the driver by the dispatch office? If they had told me that the customer asked for my Medallion number specifically I would not have gone to the call myself either. No one ever knows the medallion number.. not even the people who left their child in the cab this past summer. Someone knowing that information screams suspicious. Next I find it mildly amusing that the city has found the money to go out and run stings on cabbies for this offense knowing full well there is a shortage of drivers licensed to drive wheelchair accessible vehicles. I have personally been on the waiting list for the class for some time now. When they get done policing a problem that is partly of their own making perhaps they could dig deep and find the cash to have a class?

Boston taxi

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The story says the cab driver could give no explanation. If he was fearful, suspicious or had any legitimate reason he could have said so.

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As an ex-cabbie, I find this amazing. Perhaps more clarity is needed?

As with the driver above, I wonder what information was given to the cabbie. Then, how far was the hail from the radioed pickup destination? If reasonably near, the cabbie could have assumed it was the person who had called for the cab. Even if he had been told that someone called for a wheelchair vehicle, you learn to expect some odd things as a driver. I got calls supposedly of an emergency nature, but had them turn out to be some clown who just wanted to make sure his cab came quickly. It wouldn't be unreasonable to think that some bozo said he was in a wheelchair and then turned out to be able-bodied.

Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com

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have detailed operational plans that are often times reviewed by several people.

But I wouldn't be suprised if it wasn't that organized either.

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