Taxi Driver Online

Brownsville Taxi Drivers Want Higher Fares
March 8, 2005

Behind the wheel.

"That's the day of a taxi driver."

A way of life for Leonel Lopez. And, after three years of watching, three years of waiting has taught Lopez an important lesson.

The rising cost of fuel is a poison killing his profits.

"Every 100 dollars I make, we're averaging $18 in gas, but a year ago it used to be ten dollars."

Up an average seven cents over the past two weeks alone, with two dollars a gallon predicted by the summer.

"It's bad, I can barely make ends meet."

Lopez calculates his days will be numbered at the Yellow Cab Company unless an anecdote pumps into the equation.

"The starting rate has been the same for the last 15 years and if you go to Harlingen and McAllen, their starting rate is four dollars."

But getting into a cab in Brownsville only pays out $1.75 on the meter.

"That hits us right in our pockets."

It's a city ordinance on the book for years fueling what Lopez calls a business barely running on fumes.

"All we want is to be able to stay competitive."

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin