Ahmad,
How is taking a payoff to steer taxi customers into limos being "nice to us"?
Are you aware that if we accept the same kind of payoff to steer passengers to one place over another the City wouldn't consider that being "nice"?
It would get us a trip to 400 W. Superior with a fine, suspension, or revocation.
Limos are supposed to be pre-arranged, not sitting out front like a taxi waiting for a doorman to become their employee/agent to push our customers in another unplanned direction.
The doorman works for the hotel, not the limo drivers. The only tip they should be getting should be coming from the guests of the hotel.
This collusion between doormen and limo drivers not only takes money meant for cabdrivers, it is a theft of honest service from the doorman to the hotel.
A guest truly wanting a limo can have one pre-arranged. Limos aren't supposed to be lined up like taxis. When you see the same limo drivers in the same places at the same times...the only "pre-arrangement" is between the doorman and the limo drivers.
Cabdrivers like us are left waiting to take whatever short trips they don't want...I don't see that as being "nice to us", Ahmad.
Keep up the good work, Melissa.
-Mike Foulks
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Replying to:
ive been driving for over 10 years and the marriott guys are good to us. Mellisa your always doing this at hotels and getting the staff mad at us.
start concentraiting on the airport express. they take all our fares and the hotels let them hustle where ever they want inside their hotel.
Right on the money Patel. Between Airport Express and the limos taking the hot airport fares, how are we supposed to make any money? My medallion is supposed to be a license from the city but these fellas are getting more benefits than we are.
I'm starting to think it would be cheaper to bribe a doorman than to buy a medallion.
Thanks, Mike.
Melissa 
Ahmad -
It's true that the Marriott doormen are nice, if that's what you meant by "good to us". But let me ask you, does nice pay our bills? Does nice feed our families? Are telling me that stealing our passengers and reselling them to limos is okay as long as their being nice? Or, are you one of these disloyal taxi drivers that pays off the doormen for O'hare trips and you're just upset because that's not going to fly anymore?
You stated that I'm always doing this at hotels and the staff are getting mad at us, this is untrue. Ahmad, you should not lie and you should not place blame on someone that is not deserving. Since I've been driving a cab, the Marriott has been the main hotel that I sit at and the only hotel that I have made hustling complaints about. I do not care if these doormen are mad at us, let them be. I'm mad at the fact that they have stolen thousands of dollars from us, from our families.
Melissa
the thing I dont get is that if you are so upset why do u keep going there ?? They will never stop from what they are doing so get over it ! There is so MANY hotels to choose from everytime I went there they have been good to us !
yea its not fair but the matter is that every hotel does this and as much as we try every hotel is not going to change ! We as cab drivers are not united and never will be ! Look at the strike every cab was still working while you guys were loseing money
good to us meaning when there are short fares as a courtesy they will pull a cab off the street instead of the line and they will also talk to people waiting for the airport shuttle (our real problem) with no tickets they will get us the fare. this fighting never works. both sides lose
Ahmad-
What good does it do us if the doormen are pulling cabs off the street to take the short fares and we only occasionally get an ohare while they're selling the majority of the ohare fares? If the issue of hustling had been left not addressed, taxi drivers as a whole are losing. You stated "this fighting never works." What does work, in your opinion?
FYI - I've been working on what you referred to as our real problem and will continue to.
Melissa
my opinion? u should start a code of conduct for cab drivers. Drivers must speak english, know where the basic buildings in chicago are, be neat, drive non aggressive and be freindly to people.our conduct has fueled the limo industry. there were never this many limos 10 15 years ago. you have to ask yourself why are people taking the more expensive option. they come for 40 dollars in a cab and leave in a more expensive limo. Why? and all this stuff your starting do u realize if you are on the head and a airport comes out 99 out of a 100 cab drivers will steal your load if they can. i was like you a long time ago. your a smart women take care of YOURSELF. quit worring about other drivers. beleave me its not worth it
