While driving a taxi cab can definitely provide you with plenty of interesting adventures, it’s far from being a walk in the park. Like any other line of work, driving a cab comes with its own set of benefits and drawbacks. If you’re seriously considering driving for a taxi or cab service, keep in mind the following points to help you make a more informed decision.
You have to be a people person!
If you’re going to drive a cab, you’re going to be interacting with people all the time, so you will definitely need to be able to navigate the nuances of dealing with a wide variety of people and personality types. After all, the quintessential cab driver is a master of small talk, and able to chat with virtually anyone who enters the vehicle. A cab driver with stellar people skills can often rake in some generous tips, so it’s definitely worth your while to sharpen your communication chops if you plan to drive a cab full-time. If you’re more an introvert and would rather keep your yap shut, maybe being a cab driver isn’t the best fit for you.
You have to be a go-getter!
More routes equals more money–it’s really as simple as that. If you want to make a decent living driving a cab, you have to realize that the work is not going to fall into your lap; you’re going to have to go out there and make it happen. There’s no supervisor breathing down your neck to make sure that you’re staying on point; you’re going to have to be highly self-motivated in order to log enough driving time to pull down a consistent cash flow. That being said, local taxi services like Sax Taxi are typically tight-knit communities; cab drivers generally look out for each other, so you will have a good base of colleagues to offer you advice and support.
You will have to be willing to work when most people are off work.
This means logging long hours on nights and weekends, as these are the times when most people are out and about–and needing transportation. While this type of schedule may not work for everyone, many cab drivers find it an ideal trade-off, as they can spend their daytime hours with family, or taking some free time during the day to engage in other pursuits (e.g., golf, gardening, etc.).
You will need to be alert for extended periods of time
Driving is not a job where you can “check out” mentally. You have to be keenly aware of traffic flows and patterns, and you basically have to build an encyclopedia of potential routes in your head in order to get your clients where they need to go (knowing the history of the town you are working in is ideal). You have to be willing to put up with the sometimes idiotic actions of other drivers, too. Since you’ll be sitting for most of your shift, it’s a good idea to factor in some break times so that you can get out of your cab for a few minutes, stretch and get some fresh air. Whether you’re driving a taxi cab, airport shuttle or private black car, your job will require quite a bit of mental stamina in order for you to excel at what you’re doing.
Driving a taxi or cab can definitely be a fun and rewarding career. Keep the above points in mind to help you determine if being a cab driver is the right job for you.
