New Cabs Merging Onto Chicago Streets
Company Promises To Be Cut Above The Rest
POSTED: 3:34 p.m. CDT June 18, 2003
UPDATED: 1:38 p.m. CDT June 19, 2003
CHICAGO -- CHICAGO -- A new cab company is hitting Chicago streets Wednesday night and, as NBC5's Dick Kay reported, this cab company is like no other one around.
Some 25 years after former Mayor Jane Byrne tried to put Chicago cab drivers in uniform, one company has decided to do just that and is drawing praise from Mayor Richard Daley. Actually, Kay said, it's a new cab company and it offers more than uniformed drivers (pictured, right).
Chicago Carriage Cab Company Drivers
The Chicago Carriage Cab Co. is offering cabs with more leg room, air conditioned passenger compartments and, eventually, Internet access or short video programs in the cabs. Cabs in Chicago come in all models and states of repair. Drivers offer an equally wide range of service and attitude. The new company promises uniformity of comfort and service, according to Kay.
The start-up Chicago Carriage Cab Co. has taxis on the street now, but only 125 of them at this point, "so you'll have to look hard to find one," Kay said.
At an official launching of the new company on Wednesday company representatives said they expect to eventually have at least 300 cabs on the street.
The cabs are stretch Crown Victorias with an extra 6 inches of leg room. They will offer global positioning satellite maps, e-mail and Internet access. Drivers will wear casual uniforms and undergo training in courtesy and Chicago history. Though the cabs may have extra features, customers won't have to pay additional money. It costs the same amount of money to take a Chicago Carriage Cab Co. taxi as a cab from a competing company.
"Many people have never been to our city," Daley said. "They're the ones who welcome everyone; I'll be very frank: They're the first people to meet [visitors] and so it's very, very important how well they make their presentation and how well the cab is."
Simon Garber
It's the brainchild of Simon Garber (pictured, left) who invested $18 million in the new venture. Garber is a Russian immigrant who has cab companies in his homeland and in New York.
FeedRoom
Interactive Taxi
Chicago Cabs Wired For The Web
FeedRoom
Garber said he isn't afraid of starting a new company in difficult economic times.
"It's tough times for people who don't want to work," Garber said. "People who are in the business to work to operate from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m. sometimes six, seven days a week," he said. "And the people here know that. This is not hard, you accumulate."
City officials are quietly hoping this company's model of service will rub off on other cabbies, Kay said.
What's in all this for the drivers? Garber said they'll get bigger tips for providing superior service.
"Our drivers are extremely happy," Garber said. "Our drivers are extremely happy. I think they're making more money and more tips. And sometimes when you give people good service, people don't mind giving you a nice tip."
Garber has 300 medallions, which are city licenses to operate cabs, but only 125 are being used for the stretch taxis. As new stretch cabs are added his Checker medallions will be transferred to the maroon Chicago Carriage cabs.
Garber's family came to New York in 1977 to escape the Soviet oppression of Jews. Educated in Jewish schools in this country, he drove a cab to help pay for college. He borrowed money to lease two medallions, which are licenses to drive cabs in in 1984. He now has 400 taxis in New York, part of a company with 2,500 cabs in Moscow, and 300 in Chicago.
Copyright 2003 by NBC5.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
"New Cabs Merging Onto Chicago Streets
Company Promises To Be Cut Above The Rest"
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When I began driving a Flash cab, I wore a white shirt and a skinny blue tie every day. If I wore jeans, Hymie would have run me off the lot. My shoes might not have been spit shined, but they weren't sandals, and my hair was neatly combed.
It wasn't a hard standard to meet for a veteran, and the people who called for Flash cabs did so because they knew they were going to be serviced by drivers who were a cut above. We didn't have to drive for Dickholtz and didn't have to meet his standards, but it sure did pay. From 1972 to 1975 I never drove with my "not for hire" sign up unless it was at the airport - radio calls only.
Did Garber have the right idea? Was I wrong to sue Jane Byrne years ago over the uniform issue?
Donald Nathan
Garber is a decent businessman like Foulks (self-employed) and Lutfallah (publisher), never ever lied...
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Replying to:
"New Cabs Merging Onto Chicago Streets
Company Promises To Be Cut Above The Rest"
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When I began driving a Flash cab, I wore a white shirt and a skinny blue tie every day. If I wore jeans, Hymie would have run me off the lot. My shoes might not have been spit shined, but they weren't sandals, and my hair was neatly combed.
It wasn't a hard standard to meet for a veteran, and the people who called for Flash cabs did so because they knew they were going to be serviced by drivers who were a cut above. We didn't have to drive for Dickholtz and didn't have to meet his standards, but it sure did pay. From 1972 to 1975 I never drove with my "not for hire" sign up unless it was at the airport - radio calls only.
Did Garber have the right idea? Was I wrong to sue Jane Byrne years ago over the uniform issue?
Donald Nathan
