The Most Money You Ever Made in One Shift?
by Brian Diedrick
Gas prices have been particularly bad to cabbies, who haven’t been able to raise their prices to compensate for all the extra money they’ve been dropping. So it came as no surprise that they were more prepared to talk about how bad it is, than how good it’s been.
Mohammed
Where I hailed him: Murray Hill
Where he hails from: Pakistan
Years as a cabbie: 16
Previous profession: Gas station attendant
In one night, $150 is the best that I’ve ever made. That is for 12 hours. Friday and Saturday nights are the best, but now that the gas prices are so high it is very hard. Plus the leases are higher now. A bad night is $60, $70. Usually before, you would make $100, $120 for yourself on a night. Now with the gas prices so high, the driver makes only $80, $90 for himself in a night.
Asad
Where I hailed him: East Village
Where he hails from: Pakistan
Years as a cabbie: 7
Previous profession: Waiter
I make on one New Year’s three or four years ago over $300. I got very good tips. One very big one. You cannot usually do that, though. Friday and Saturday nights are the best, though the traffic is very bad. But a good night now is $130, $140.
Irfan
Where I hailed him: Lower East Side
Where he hails from: Pakistan
Years as a cabbie: 1
Previous profession: Hospital work
Because this is my first week — I just started working as a driver — it is hard for me to say. But, so far, Saturday night, yesterday, was my best night. After the lease and gas and everything, I took home about $125. This job is better than my old one because here I can be my own boss. But this is hard, especially now with the gas — no one hears about the cab drivers. The limo drivers, the day after the gas prices went up they raised the prices. But us, we didn’t get to raise our prices. With gas and the lease you have to make like $170 before you start to make money for yourself. You work for eight hours for them and then only four hours for yourself.
Dalbir
Where I hailed him: Midtown West
Where he hails from: India
Years as a cabbie: 4
Previous profession: Flower shop clerk
My best night is $200. You can do it, but on the weekend only, and you must be lucky, have lots of good tips and go nowhere too far out of the way. Like Brooklyn. You are going back and forth to Brooklyn you cannot do it. You go there, you come back with no one. You are just costing gas. If you are always in the city on the weekend nights — those are the best nights — you have to be lucky for it.
Joseph
Where I hailed him: East Village
Where he hails from: Nigeria
Years as a cabbie: 6
Previous profession: Truck driver
One hundred-fifty, $160. It is not the best nights though, it is the worst nights that are the problem. Especially now, with gas what it is. A slow night, you just drive around burning gas, looking for fares. It’s expensive, man. You might as well stay home. Just not even come out.
Alex
Where I hailed him: Lower East Side
Where he hails from: Haiti
Years as a cabbie: 3
Previous profession: Restaurant work
If you make $100 today, that is not so bad, you know? Used to be $120, $130. It’s hard, a hard job man. My best night is about $180, but that is with good tips. You have to get the good tips to have a really good night. Just the fare won’t make it. It’s luck. You have to have a lucky night.
Mohammed
Where I hailed him: Murray Hill
Where he hails from: Pakistan
Years as a cabbie: 16
Previous profession: Gas station attendant
In one night, $150 is the best that I’ve ever made. That is for 12 hours. Friday and Saturday nights are the best, but now that the gas prices are so high it is very hard. Plus the leases are higher now. A bad night is $60, $70. Usually before, you would make $100, $120 for yourself on a night. Now with the gas prices so high, the driver makes only $80, $90 for himself in a night.
Asad
Where I hailed him: East Village
Where he hails from: Pakistan
Years as a cabbie: 7
Previous profession: Waiter
I make on one New Year’s three or four years ago over $300. I got very good tips. One very big one. You cannot usually do that, though. Friday and Saturday nights are the best, though the traffic is very bad. But a good night now is $130, $140.
Irfan
Where I hailed him: Lower East Side
Where he hails from: Pakistan
Years as a cabbie: 1
Previous profession: Hospital work
Because this is my first week — I just started working as a driver — it is hard for me to say. But, so far, Saturday night, yesterday, was my best night. After the lease and gas and everything, I took home about $125. This job is better than my old one because here I can be my own boss. But this is hard, especially now with the gas — no one hears about the cab drivers. The limo drivers, the day after the gas prices went up they raised the prices. But us, we didn’t get to raise our prices. With gas and the lease you have to make like $170 before you start to make money for yourself. You work for eight hours for them and then only four hours for yourself.
Dalbir
Where I hailed him: Midtown West
Where he hails from: India
Years as a cabbie: 4
Previous profession: Flower shop clerk
My best night is $200. You can do it, but on the weekend only, and you must be lucky, have lots of good tips and go nowhere too far out of the way. Like Brooklyn. You are going back and forth to Brooklyn you cannot do it. You go there, you come back with no one. You are just costing gas. If you are always in the city on the weekend nights — those are the best nights — you have to be lucky for it.
Joseph
Where I hailed him: East Village
Where he hails from: Nigeria
Years as a cabbie: 6
Previous profession: Truck driver
One hundred-fifty, $160. It is not the best nights though, it is the worst nights that are the problem. Especially now, with gas what it is. A slow night, you just drive around burning gas, looking for fares. It’s expensive, man. You might as well stay home. Just not even come out.
Alex
Where I hailed him: Lower East Side
Where he hails from: Haiti
Years as a cabbie: 3
Previous profession: Restaurant work
If you make $100 today, that is not so bad, you know? Used to be $120, $130. It’s hard, a hard job man. My best night is about $180, but that is with good tips. You have to get the good tips to have a really good night. Just the fare won’t make it. It’s luck. You have to have a lucky night.
