Where Do You Go For Cheap Gas?
by Adam Bonislawski
Prices at the gas pump are going up steadily, American teenagers are dying in foreign wars, oil companies are turning record profits, and some say we’re already past peak oil… This ain’t gonna last, people, it’s time to move away from an oil-driven existence. Sorry, cabbies.
MUHAMMED
Where I hailed him: West Village
Where he hails from: Pakistan
Years as a cabbie: 6
Previous profession: “I played a lot of soccer.”
There’s nothing you can do. Nowhere to go. It’s expensive everywhere. My only trick is to turn the car off when I’m in traffic, but that doesn’t do much. I’m saving my money to get one of those better cars. [A hybrid?] Yeah, one of those.
TAHER
Where I hailed him: Chelsea
Where he hails from: Pakistan
Years as a cabbie: 11
Previous profession: House painter
It’s been very hard with the prices. I never buy gas in Manhattan — it’s too expensive. Mostly cabs go to 44th Street and Tenth Avenue. That’s the best deal in Manhattan. I get my gas at 41st Street and Broadway in Astoria. Astoria has the best prices — you can get regular for like $3.25. I put in about $35-40 a shift.
WISHASHAN
Where I hailed him: Flatiron
Where he hails from: Thailand
Years as a cabbie: 23
Previous profession: Chef
The outer boroughs are cheaper than Manhattan, so I usually buy when I come in — in Long Island City near the bridge, and then usually you can make it through one shift. But it’s so expensive these days, it really cuts into your money. You pay to rent the cab and then $40 for gas on top of that. The hybrid cars help a little. They use less gas, so it’s not as expensive.
JOSEF
Where I hailed him: Upper West Side
Where he hails from: Germany
Years as a cabbie: 3
Previous profession: Teacher
Yes, customers always ask about this. I want to have a jar, like a tip jar, where customers can contribute to pay for gas. [Laughs.] Think that would work? I wish I had bought gallons of it back when it was cheaper and stored it in my apartment.
DAVID
Where I hailed him: Union Square
Where he hails from: New Jersey
Years as a cabbie: 9
Previous profession: High school student
I’m lucky because I go to Jersey a lot to visit family and I can fill up there. It’s a little cheaper, but not much. It’s still incredibly expensive. Maybe there’s something the government can do. Deduct it from my taxes or something. It’s a work expense, right?
MUHAMMED
Where I hailed him: West Village
Where he hails from: Pakistan
Years as a cabbie: 6
Previous profession: “I played a lot of soccer.”
There’s nothing you can do. Nowhere to go. It’s expensive everywhere. My only trick is to turn the car off when I’m in traffic, but that doesn’t do much. I’m saving my money to get one of those better cars. [A hybrid?] Yeah, one of those.
TAHER
Where I hailed him: Chelsea
Where he hails from: Pakistan
Years as a cabbie: 11
Previous profession: House painter
It’s been very hard with the prices. I never buy gas in Manhattan — it’s too expensive. Mostly cabs go to 44th Street and Tenth Avenue. That’s the best deal in Manhattan. I get my gas at 41st Street and Broadway in Astoria. Astoria has the best prices — you can get regular for like $3.25. I put in about $35-40 a shift.
WISHASHAN
Where I hailed him: Flatiron
Where he hails from: Thailand
Years as a cabbie: 23
Previous profession: Chef
The outer boroughs are cheaper than Manhattan, so I usually buy when I come in — in Long Island City near the bridge, and then usually you can make it through one shift. But it’s so expensive these days, it really cuts into your money. You pay to rent the cab and then $40 for gas on top of that. The hybrid cars help a little. They use less gas, so it’s not as expensive.
JOSEF
Where I hailed him: Upper West Side
Where he hails from: Germany
Years as a cabbie: 3
Previous profession: Teacher
Yes, customers always ask about this. I want to have a jar, like a tip jar, where customers can contribute to pay for gas. [Laughs.] Think that would work? I wish I had bought gallons of it back when it was cheaper and stored it in my apartment.
DAVID
Where I hailed him: Union Square
Where he hails from: New Jersey
Years as a cabbie: 9
Previous profession: High school student
I’m lucky because I go to Jersey a lot to visit family and I can fill up there. It’s a little cheaper, but not much. It’s still incredibly expensive. Maybe there’s something the government can do. Deduct it from my taxes or something. It’s a work expense, right?
