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All those cabbies feigning credit-card problems making it tough on drivers who really do have broken card readers

WBUR continues its look at the state of Boston taxis.

Mwokeji says there have been many cases where the machine goes down and a customer just flat out refuses to pay. Often, he says, they think he's lying because drivers have earned that reputation. But there is nothing he can do about it.

'BUR also quotes a fleet owner who claims Boston cabs have gone from "shaggy, shifty, sleazy to where it's pretty much all spit and polish right now, and high tech."

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According to the Hackney Rules and Procedures (posted in its entirety on the City of Boston site), this is a moot point:

Be Equipped for Credit Card Processing:
1. Effective January 1, 2009 all taxicabs shall be equipped with an
electronic credit card processing capability. Such equipment shall
allow the passenger to swipe the card in the rear compartment of the taxicab without handing the card to the Driver. Such equipment
shall list fare, tolls, fees, and tips separately for processing purposes. Such equipment shall have the ability to electronically authorize the transaction in a timely manner. Such equipment will provide a printed receipt that includes:
a. Boston Licensed Taxi Number,
b. Date,
c. Time,
d. Charge Amount,
e. Hackney Carriage Unit Taxi Hot Line: (617) 536-TAXI, and
15
f. Hackney Carriage Unit E-mail: [email protected].

2. All Hackney Carriages shall have a functioning credit card reader at all times. If a Hackney Carriage does not have a functioning credit card reader, it shall be deemed unfit for service as a taxi.

http://www.cityofboston.gov/Images_Documents/Rules...

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I made an easy-to-carry pdf version of that section of the handbook. carry with you: files.me.com/oinonio/l9zfde

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I usually carry at least the pages that refer to credit card machines, etc with me. Usually if you reference the handbook and ask for the cab number and say you will report them to the Hackney division, the credit card machines make an instant recovery.

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Wouldn't it be easier to, you know, carry some *cash*?

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Welcome to the 21st century, though.

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Why enable a cabbie to break a law that directly and negatively affects riders? A cabbie's entire job centers around convenience and service. Boston doesn't seem to get that, and thus an entire generation of cab riders that put up with subpar drivers and substandard services that other cities wouldn't dare stand for have screwed any newcomer, visitor, businessperson or tourist who has the misfortune of taking what they falsely believe is a "taxi" in this town. There are no taxis: Just cars with fare meters driven by the equivalent of uncle morrie from Mechanicsburg who just came into town for a weekend drive and payed for in the same fashion that Joey from Charlestown pays the bookie when the Pats don't cover the spread. It's this bad because nobody ever demanded better.

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Some people - like me - only take cabs when we are being reimbursed by our employer.

We have to use our corporate credit card to get reimbursed.

Any questions? Or are you going to mail or paypal me some cash to use?

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I had a similar experience on New Years Eve a month and a half ago. It was ridiculous. The driver brought us all the way from Boston Common, home to Brighton. My husband took out his debit card to swipe it and the driver said "Wait..." and mumbled something. Then he starts fiddling around with the meter and low and behold, wipes its memory clean. We still wanted to pay by credit card, and the driver was like, "Well, now you can't. It's not working... Cash only." Lucky for him that I had some extra, but man, that was annoying. I really didn't understand how he could just "accidentally" reset the meter -- something I now assume he probably does dozens of times each day.

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Just get out of the cab. Transaction closed.

He would have a tough time explaining that to a cop, now wouldn't he?

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...I probably really honestly don't have any cash. And I'd be very hesitant to write my credit card number on a slip of paper...even if the cabbie's trustworthy (and yes, I believe most of them are), who's to say the paper might not get accidentally dropped and picked up by someone with ill intentions?

And going to an ATM isn't much of a solution if there's not money in the checking account either.

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As there is a BPD hackney division complaint number (617 536 TAXI), the correct answer seems to be that you should call that number from the back seat and explain the situation. I'm not sure what would happen, but that might result in getting the cab off the street until the meter is fixed, as it is apparently illegal to use until then. I can't imagine the driver would like that.

If you truly want to be a hardass, you could argue that since the cab is unfit for service, it is operating illegally, and as such you don't actually owe the driver anything. I'm not sure how far that would get you. A key question is: who would the taxi driver complain to? If he complains to hackney, won't they take him off the street? If he complains to the regular police... won't they just call hackney?

I think an appropriate compromise would be to tell the driver where you live and tell him to send you a bill in the mail, which you will pay when you receive it by check. That or you call BPD hackney and possibly he's done for the night and doesn't get paid at all.

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this summer I was on crutches and I took a cab to and from work. My company was nice enough to allow me to use my corporate credit card for the expense. I came home one day, tried to pay with my card and the guy claimed it was busted. I said "do we need to call the hackney unit?"

his response? drive off with me in still in the cab. I called 911. He finally pulled over. I got out of the cab and waited for help to arrive. Asshole cop that finally came actually threated me with arrest. Nevermind that I had a completely valid form of payment and cabbie was in the wrong. Cop actually got in my face and threatened to take me "downtown" when I asked for his name and badge number. Kept telling me I needed to go to an atm so I could pay the driver. Explained I didn't have cash in the account and only had my corporate american express. Refused to let me leave and continued to threaten me. A woman who witnessed the whole thing came up to me and gave me 20 bucks to pay the stupid driver (which, by this point, he didn't deserve). If she hadn't been there I don't know what would have happened.

I reported all of this to both the hackney unit and my local police station. Exactly nothing was done.

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Driving off with you still inside? Isn't that considered kidnapping?

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/quincy/2010/11...

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Stiff. Them. If they don't want to accept your perfectly good money -- and are breaking the law by not doing so -- then you're not taking a "free ride," they're giving you one.

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In this case, it seems like the cop participated in the event on the side of breaking the law, rather than upholding it. The cab driver was operating illegally and then kidnapped you. The cop then threatened you and attempted to rob you, trying to force you to give the taxi driver cash he had no right to. Who knows what he would have done if he hadn't been appeased by a stranger.

I believe most cops are good people, but not all are, and in practice there's not much you can do when your problem ends up in the hands of a rogue cop. The good cops are usually scared to criticize a colleague who has gone rogue, and they tend to all protect each other no matter what they do (countdown to Pete Nice explaining why the cop was right to do what he did here... 5... 4...). The cop in your case might have been on drugs and truly physically dangerous. You are probably lucky he didn't assault you.

Do you remember the cop's name? You could post it here so that the public knows the man is dangerous and willing to break the law and threaten private citizens.

Maybe our resident apologist could inform us what, from a police perspective, should be done when a police officer participates in crimes against a civilian. Do you call more police?

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but maybe this guy was drunk or pissed and lied as well? Maybe the cabbie was just looking for a safe spot to pull over (a cab the other night stopped in front of me in the travel lane on Brookline Ave during rush hour causing a jam) and the rider thought he was kidnapping him?

75% of cab disputes that police resopnd to have drunk passangers who cannot reason with the police because they are drunk. If someone refuses to pay I always give them a fair opportunity to get some cash within a reasonable time or get their name and address and forward it to the hackney unit so they can summons in the person if they don't pay the cab company. This usually solves 90% of the problem but 10% of the time the customer refuses to get out of the cab, refuses to pay because of bad service, refuses to show and ID etc. When you have a cab driver who has been working for 25 years without a complaint, I tend to side with the cab driver as well.

If you have a problem with a cop, you can fill out a complaint form, and they always follow up, and they always have a record of any cop that goes to a call. Saying nothing gets done is a lie.

You have to remember sock puppet that many people blame the police when they don't get their way. People lie and sure, sometimes the police can lie or do criminal things. In most cases cops are not going to refuse to give out a badge number.

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Pete, did you even read kirs' post? They said they were on crutches and going to and from work by taxi on a regular basis.

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And that it doesn't make sense for a cab driver to drive off with someone in the cab. 9/10 times the cab driver gets suspended/fired when they do that and they know that. That is why I am not going to believe this story at face value. I've seen and been to hundreds of cab disputes and this does not sound like one of them.

Of course you don't have to believe me either.

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My dad's a retired policeman -- and he would never stoop to defend the kind of crap you routinely "explain away".

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Every one has their own version of events and I speak from my experience and that is all I can speak about.

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form?! BAWAHAHA. Give me a break. Cops lie, lie to justify their actions, lie to cover their asses, lie because they can. And the department will back up their lying asses.

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...on the basis of your "general experience" a detailed and highly particularized story. You have NO basis for challenging this story, yet you insinuate it must not be true.

You attack the bona fides of _almost_ every person who challenges the appropriateness of specific police actions here in Boston.

Let's refresh your memory a little:

"This summer I was on crutches and I took a cab to and from work. My company was nice enough to allow me to use my corporate credit card for the expense. I came home one day, tried to pay with my card and the guy claimed it was busted. I said 'do we need to call the hackney unit?' ".

Why suggest that the person telling this story was most likely a drunk -- and doesn't know or understand what really happened?

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(edit: I am not saying this person was drunk I just added that bit on drunk people in general regarding cab fare disputes.)

Cops can be the biggest assholes in the world and some of the lasiest pieces of shit in the world. I've read reports about cops committing crimes and doing illegal things, and I've seen reports about cops doing things against regulations. I've seen cops drunk on duty, and I've seen cops fired for being on drugs or stealing things or dealing drugs etc. You name it, I have seen it.

My basis for challenging this story is the same basis that I would challange anyones story who accuses another of wrong doing. It doesn't matter if that person is a cop, cab driver, parent, boss, employee or whatever. My experience tells me that if I am not there, I need to hear the other side of the story. I need to hear the other side of the story because I often find that second story makes more sense than the first. Some times it doesn't and yea, sometimes the cops can be wrong or rude. I've heard thousands of "detailed and highly particularized" stories. And yea, it is a FACT that many of them are either untrue or stretched truths.

Remember the Woodman kid that died? Remember how his friends had one story but the police and seperate witnesses had different stories? Why would that happen?

Like I said, when people don't get their way in situations that involve the police, they tend to blame the police and often times they make things up about the police as well. Of course I have to add that police can and will make things up as well as things don't go their way as well.

I mean is sock puppet serious when he asks what to do about a Rogue cop? You don't need a badge number, dispatch is doing to know who that cop is if they are called there and you can always get the number off the car if you want to. They do have to give you their badge number and you can file a report if you feel they were rude to you or if they did something illegal. And it is a FACT that internal affairs will follow up on every single complaint. This was another part of this story which made me question the entire truth of it. (another edit to the anon above: One of the biggest myths about police departments is that they do not follow up on complaints and that they lie about what happens. Another FACT is that cops get in trouble/fired/suspended often for breaking rules etc from citizen complaints. Bad cops that lie always have things catch up to them in the long run, like criminals they will get caught.)

Another side to this, often times people either think they are in Boston or taking a Boston cab but actually they might be somewere else and taking another cities cab company. Many complaints get filtered out to other cities and towns because of this.

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I don't believe the story either, at least not as told.

Think about it. Why would the cabbie take off (and where to?) instead of locking the doors and calling the cops himself? When did a cop ever take the side of a cab driver over a crutch-using corporate worker? What city did this take place in, and what police department did the poster call?

The story's oversold. I don't buy it.

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The cop was either crooked or, as is usual DID NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT THE LAW WAS.

Don't say "that never happens", because I've had it happen to me when cops have tried to force me off the road for "biking while female after dark despite legal lighting". Ask them if they know what the law is and you get "do I look like an (expletive) lawyer to you?".

Over to you, Kaz ...

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because you know everything and wouldn't have to listen to anyone. You could just decide what was right or wrong right there and everyone would be happy!

I've heard your bike story a hundred times now. You were right (are't you always though?) and the cop was wrong. It happens and I never said it didn't.

I'm just pointing out that this story doesn't make sense, more so on the cabbie part than the cop part.

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If the credit card device is required but is not working is the passenger still required to pay? If the passenger does not have cash and the card reader is not functioning what should the passenger then do?

Anyone (most people I believe) do not want to get a "free ride." So what is an honest person who has no cash, and is depending on a legally required working device to process payment, supposed to do?

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They are not supposed to be picking up passengers if the machine is not working. Press the issue a bit, reminding them of this fact and they will come up with an alternative. Most still have the old-school swipe devices with carbon copies. It's amazing what they think of when you know what you are talking about. They assume the average passenger is not familiar with their regulations.

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'BUR also quotes a fleet owner who claims Boston cabs have gone from "shaggy, shifty, sleazy to where it's pretty much all spit and polish right now, and high tech."

Hahaha.

I've met some nice cabbies in the area, but overall the taxicab situation in Boston could indeed be characterized as "shaggy, shifty, sleazy." It's not as bad as some third-world country, yet, but we're working on it.

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I stepped into one cab in Cambridge and the guy closed his Tolstoy book, asked me for the address, and then told me to get out because it was "too close", and went back to reading. I shit you not.

I get into the cab behind him which looks like it's been through WW3 outside, has crap tucked into every edge/crack in the interior, we've driven 50 feet and the suspension is rattling like it's going to fall off, the cab smells horrible, and the interior is dirty.

By and large, at least half the cabs I've used in Boston have been hybrid Camrys, and almost always clean, organized, and no smell (or a very light air freshner-ish smell).

Honestly, this seems like more stuff from that "hack" blogger, right? The one who seems to hate his job, hate his customers, yet doesn't find a new line of work.

As others have pointed out, the regs are clear. If your card reader doesn't work, you're NOT IN SERVICE.

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Ah, do not be fooled. The Boston Hackney regulations do NOT apply to Cambridge taxis. In Boston, it is illegal for a cab to refuse service/not pick someone up, especially based on your destination.

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Okay, here is one way in which Boston is better managed than Cambridge and Brookline - Taxis. The taxis in Cambridge in Brookline are deplorable, even by Boston standards. They are also not governed by the same hackney code as Boston and, as such, you get drivers who simply refuse to take you where you want to go. I won't even get into Sommerville, which I think salvages its taxis from 3rd world taxi fleets once they are done with them. On the issue of Boston cabs, if the driver refuses to allow you to pay with a card you are under no moral obligation to pay him. Our common agreement is that they will provide credit card machines in all cabs in exchange for increased fares. If they decide not to live up to their end of the agreement, I don't think its morally wrong to say that you are not going to pay them, because its your choice of how to pay. Call the taxi commission and report these people. Most Boston cab drivers are nice and honest (although they don't know how to get from A-B) but those who aren't should be suspended.

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I recently took a cab from the airport in Boston (the T had stopped), and its a horrible introduction to the city. When we got to our destination, the cabbie was annoyed when we asked to pay by credit card, pushed a button that added 1.50 after we had already stopped, then came in the back, pushed a button on the credit card machine and said, 'sorry, it doesn't work now, you have to pay cash.' He made me walk to an ATM to pay him the cash.
When the city agreed to increase the fees to the highest in the nation, the other side of the equation was they would switch to hybrid vehicles and offer credit card payment. They fought both, and won in court so they dont have to buy new hybrids. They are still required to offer credit card machines, so they just break them and pretend they dont work. If Menino had any energy/honor left in him, he would take back the fare increase until the cabbies hold up their end of the bargain. But, that is a big 'if' for a guy who gets free chauffeur service 24/7 who seems antagonistic towards those of us who dont have cars.

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The last few times I got a cab at Forest Hills, the cabbies were rather rude in demanding cash instead of a credit card. My brother has also experienced the same issue... he gave the guy cash and when asked for a tip, Bro replied "You don't deserve one" and slammed the door.

I'm glad this is finally being addressed!

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Boston cabs are the worst! I feel bad for the honest cabbies because there are some good ones, and I'll always try to get a newer cab. It just shows how caring the driver is when you get into a new hybrid taxi. I'll even tip more for one of these cabs (and tell them so). It just means a lot.

I, like others, have been totally ripped off by cabbies. When I lived within the city limits, I refused to take them, even home late at night. A short 5 minute drive can turn into a 20 minute one if you aren't paying attention. I'm tired of being made a profit off of because they take a longer way so they can charge more. If you aren't making enough maybe, maybe it is time to pick a new profession where you can make income. I've often pissed off several cabbies by catching them in this sly act. Now I tell them as soon as I get in how to go.

And I won't even *BEGIN* to the 'additional' fares they try to tack on when coming to/from Eastie or Chelsea. They automatically charge you a MassPort fee when you aren't even USING the airport!.

The cabbies spend a ton of time complaining about wages and fare costs, yet little is done to IMPROVE service to make people want to take cabs again. NYC several years ago had a major crackdown on cabs, and now most NYC Cabs are clean, modern, and friendly. Guiliani faced stuff competition by cab companies, but in the end, NYC has one of the best cab networks in the world. Why can't we do that here?

Honestly, the big issue is Boston is afraid the cabbies will strike. Big deal, it isn't like we don't have public transit. The only people the cabbies are hurting by going on strike is themselves, and I guarantee that it will only last a few days until they concede. Menino needs to grow some balls and stick to his guns. Its sad that the cabbie union fought to remove the requirement of hybrid cabs, all because some cabbies don't want to fork over the $ to upgrade their cabs. Again, in the end, the only people that are hurt are the cab drivers themselves, as people start to flock away from dirty, smelly cabs and now request new ones. (yep folks you can).

As far as the credit card thing, thats sheer shadiness. They just don't want to pay the fees with credit cards. Sorry folks, that is the price of doing business in today's world. You'll just need to suck it up and deal with it, or just don't get paid. I think the issue has some to do with the fees, but also many cabbies do not claim all they make on fares as income. And there's no one there to stop them since their business is all cash. Now with credit cards, its all tracked. There's no way for cabbies to skim money off the top and not have MassDOR and the IRS find out. Overall its just a scam.

The issue is people do not complain. Its important to complain as the hackney office doesn't know what's going until folks complain. So the more complaints they get, the more likely they will do something.

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It's taking your life in your hands! They. are. speed demons, beyond any doubt.

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you actually get from point A to point B in a minimum amount of time. Those "speed demons" -- unlike our fare-gouging make-way-for-ducklings slowpokes -- cut out much of the time by knowing at least six different routes to anywhere in the city and avoiding traffic, closed roads and other nonsense that Boston cabbies seemingly aim for. "You're taking your life in your hands!" No, you're taking about an hour and a half of your life back by taking a conveyance that provides a quicker, more schedule-friendly alternative to public transportation.

Of course, you're from Boston, so you'd rather get somewhere using all major roads, waiting about 20 minutes in traffic and having about six orange-line trains reach your destination before you instead of taking a route that isn't the one you've always taken since you were five and going even one mile above the speed limit and eliminating your self-righteousness edge over your fellow Bostonians.

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Regarding fees to/from East Boston - this is another regulation you have to know the details of in order to argue. A fare that originates in East Boston (and uses the tunnel) can be charged the appropriate tunnel fees; HOWEVER, a fare going TO East Boston is NOT subject to the toll fees. I have spent many nights arguing with cabbies who play dumb until they realize I know what I am talking about and most cave in.

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And the city could make a lot of money off of it - probably 8 figures a year. Sadly nobody in city hall claims to know how to do this - and it's really not that hard.

My guess is this is more about power politics than money.

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Why not share your wisdom? Or are you "playing it cool and arrogant" by suggesting that everyone should know the solution?

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They wouldn't listen. Now they can pay me

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"Back at the police department, Cohen would dispute a few of these claims.

He says finding out whether a machine was working or not is as simple as checking the records."

Not necessarily. If the machine is broken, it might not be keeping accurate records of whether it's broken.

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If the machine is working, isn't it wirelessly connected in real time to the credit card processor's terminal network? If the cab is logged as being in service on the company's dispatch records, but the terminal is never active, isn't that evidence that it was either broken or deliberately turned off?

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This is the same guy that keeps saying that there's no need to put a little light on top of the cab that indicates it's in or out of service when you are trying to flag it down. Credit cards, YES. Light bulbs, NO (maybe if we used an energy efficient LED the mayor could get behind this!)

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