Taxi Driver Online

Cabbie overcharged passengers 574 times in one month

A rogue taxi driver overcharged 574 passengers in a single month in what appears to be the worst such long-term ripoff in the city's history.

Wasim Khalid Cheema was finally nailed month in an administrative hearing last month that was made public today.

Officials said that Cheema, a licensed medallion driver since May 2007, pulled a simple scam to cheat unwary passengers -- he set the meter at rate code 4, covering trips to Nassau and Westchester, instead of code 1, which covers the five boroughs.

The suburban rate is double the in-city rate.

Officials reviewing records obtained from GPS technology recently required in all cabs determined that Cheema had swindled 574 passengers between July 1 and 31, 2009.

Cheema earned $11,499 for 642 trips that month. The other driver who shared his cab made only $4,803 for 439 trips.

Over a six-month period, officials estimated that Cheema 40,000 more than an average cabbie.

Administrative law judge Alessandra Zorgniotti recommended on Jan. 21 that his hack license be lifted and he be fined $500.

Cheema did not appear at the hearing.

http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/knickerbocker/

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

No wonder the Asian gentleman I picked up calls them "empi's".......

What is it about Asian drivers that makes them do this ? We have so many complaints from punters here who fail time and time again to report them to licensing, that it's got to the point where I tell punters to boycott them if that is the case.... One never knows whether it's all true, but I suspect it is.....
If all LA'S were to insist on calender controlled meters that cannot be overridden maybe it would go some way to curb it....
Then again I have been told that meter suppliers and agents say that most of their Asian customers insist on being able to overide their meters or they'll go else where.....

In all my years I have never overcharged and never undercharged, maybe that is why I have survived?

Down here and I suspect it is all around the country they just turn the meters off and tell the punter what the price is especially on a Frid/Sat.

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

It seems to me that is the only time they are to be seen!!..... As most come from elsewhere to Winchester where they are not known, more than likely claiming all the social benefits going and doing Fri/Sat nights for easy cash.....
The only time I see rough justice done is when you see them being dragged out of their cabs and giving a right going over by the rough punters they've just upset, trouble is it reflects on the honest ones (Sadly the minority) who do get tarred with the same brush and end up being assaulted or having their lives taken, if you read the press..... All through there "brothers" greed...... Ironic, but I think they reap what they sow....

We have the same problem here but we don't have any asian drivers. It is just greedy drivers.

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Grandad,

Won't be long till the Invasion gets there Grandad.... mark my words

If there is going to be an invasion, it will be from the poles. We have had a stong polish community since the war and since they joined the EU there are a lot more of them.

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Grandad,

Could be right have had them too, but most of them couldn't hack the long and unsociable hours and crap return, (well here anyway) so you might be alright.....

3 more having a skippy moment CC

we have the same problem up here to with them overcharging punters ,they dont put the meter on and just give a figure ,the problem is in the last two years there numbers have increased tenfold and if you say owt to them you get the race card thrown at you ,theres another driver here a coloured guy but not Asian who charges extras even for 1 passenger ,our rates are £2.20 flag and 30 p extra for all passengers over 1 ,hes making a few grand a year on overcharging on extras ,they wonder why the job is on its knees

hehe

I think people should email them

CC

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

towag wrote:
No wonder the Asian gentleman I picked up calls them "empi's".......

What is it about Asian drivers that makes them do this ? We have so many complaints from punters here who fail time and time again to report them to licensing, that it's got to the point where I tell punters to boycott them if that is the case.... One never knows whether it's all true, but I suspect it is.....
If all LA'S were to insist on calender controlled meters that cannot be overridden maybe it would go some way to curb it....
Then again I have been told that meter suppliers and agents say that most of their Asian customers insist on being able to overide their meters or they'll go else where.....

In all my years I have never overcharged and never undercharged, maybe that is why I have survived?




We are experiencing similar problems in Oxford, new drivers from private hire (race no issue) coming into hackneys and overcharging the customers. One guy charged 90 euros for a £35 fare! less than a month ago, same driver charged a guy £160 to Windsor, normal charge would be about £85

He has been reported. People like this are wrecking the trade and must be reported at every opportunity.

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If you can't be good, be good at it

If both of those fares were to destinations outside your prescribed distance / your licensed area (the second one certainly apears to be - don't know about the first) & the driver agreed the fare BEFORE commencing the journey, then he has done nothing wrong in law.

Morally, that's a different matter.

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

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