Taxis Ask You To Pay A $5 "traffic" Surcharge

[Mr Lee]

Most taxi drivers rent the taxi from an owner who seems to be the one making most of the money. From what I have been told by the drivers, the rental will vary by age of the taxi, size of the taxi, what type of fuel they run on and the most expensive would be those Toyota vans that run of natural gas. Rental quoted to me in Cebu and Cagayan de Oro have been from p700 a day to p1000 a day, so once they pay the rental and the fuel, then many days they are happy to go home with p200 for a 12 hour shift. Most drivers rent the taxi for 24 hours, so many will drive the whole time which makes them quite dangerous because of being overtired. I have known drivers who had bad days and had to bring the taxi back and sleep in the taxi garage because they did not make more than the rental and gas, so worked 24 hours for nothing at times. There are way too many taxis IMO in most places in the Philippines and especially Cebu which makes it hard for them to make a living. So a taxi drivers life is no easy life, and the ones that seem to do the best, are the ones that own their own taxis. IMO we should have pity on those drivers and tip them if they deserve a tip, such as if they take the shortest route and do not purposely get themselves in the heaviest traffic lanes to run the meter up, which goes by time and mileage. I know the cost to most places we go, so when the meter comes up low, then I will usually still give the guy the same amount plus a small tip, and if the normal amount and he was nice, then a small tip as well. If the guy gives me the run around, then I will give them zero. I tend to almost always tip the drivers who sit outside our condo development. No one should pay any surcharges and a few drivers have tried that on me and my wife and I just get out of the taxi. Anyway the point is for them to know you are not a newbie and know your way around, so if you say Metro Lang or Meter lang, which means meter only, then they know you know your way around and will usually just charge you the meter.

[Papa Carl]

Most taxi drivers rent the taxi from an owner who seems to be the one making most of the money. From what I have been told by the drivers, the rental will vary by age of the taxi, size of the taxi, what type of fuel they run on and the most expensive would be those Toyota vans that run of natural gas. Rental quoted to me in Cebu and Cagayan de Oro have been from p700 a day to p1000 a day, so once they pay the rental and the fuel, then many days they are happy to go home with p200 for a 12 hour shift. Most drivers rent the taxi for 24 hours, so many will drive the whole time which makes them quite dangerous because of being overtired. I have known drivers who had bad days and had to bring the taxi back and sleep in the taxi garage because they did not make more than the rental and gas, so worked 24 hours for nothing at times. There are way too many taxis IMO in most places in the Philippines and especially Cebu which makes it hard for them to make a living. So a taxi drivers life is no easy life, and the ones that seem to do the best, are the ones that own their own taxis. IMO we should have pity on those drivers and tip them if they deserve a tip, such as if they take the shortest route and do not purposely get themselves in the heaviest traffic lanes to run the meter up, which goes by time and mileage. I know the cost to most places we go, so when the meter comes up low, then I will usually still give the guy the same amount plus a small tip, and if the normal amount and he was nice, then a small tip as well. If the guy gives me the run around, then I will give them zero. I tend to almost always tip the drivers who sit outside our condo development. No one should pay any surcharges and a few drivers have tried that on me and my wife and I just get out of the taxi. Anyway the point is for them to know you are not a newbie and know your way around, so if you say Metro Lang or Meter lang, which means meter only, then they know you know your way around and will usually just charge you the meter.

Well said! I have heard stories of taxi drivers who after a 24 hour shift and no money to leave the car at a petrol station, have someone call the owner, who then goes and picks up the taxi, as he has a spare key. They don't make enough money and are ashamed to take the taxi back as they can't pay all the bills, or put any petrol in the taxi!Generally, most try with a round eye, but once they know you have not just landed are primarily nice guys. I too have just gotten out of taxi's once they try on the "extras" line. Most simply shrug their shoulders and turn on the meter.On another point...., ever seen a female taxi driver in the Philippines? I know I haven't.Papa Carl

[Mr Lee]

On another point...., ever seen a female taxi driver in the Philippines? I know I haven't.Papa Carl

No I have never seen a female driver but the day is coming since they are now using women bus drivers. Hey if they have sexy good looking taxi drivers, I would bet they would get good tips and make a lot more than the men do, and maybe some might be willing to give them the surcharge if they dress provocative, yet it is not safe for male taxi drivers nowadays, so women would be in even more danger. One way they could do it would be to install transmitting cameras in the taxis which will take a photo of each passenger as they get in and send it back to a central location, but few could probably afford the cost to set that up, except maybe those sexy female taxi drivers. :unsure: I can see it now, for an extra p1000, you can taxi fine me. :unsure: Sorry I just could not resist and that was not meant to demean all Filipinas.