Quote:
Originally Posted by llwhiteoutll
I found the fastest way to fix a “broken” card machine in a cab is to offer to call the office and have them process the payment. Even with no outside manipulation, the reader works right away.
Then you call dispatch and tip them off since they probably don't get their cut when the driver pockets the cash.
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This is the biggest problem with the current system and it's barely touched upon as-to why.
So many of the complaints are "the guy said his card machine was broken and would only take cash" and it pisses people off and then the entire experience from there-on-out is colored negatively.
This is because many of the drivers are not driving their own cab and/or own plate. They pay a 'rental fee' to the cab/plate owner, who is typically taking 20-30% of the fare. So these 'bottom of the rung' (ie: don't own the plate and/or the cab) are taking home a small fraction of the fare and are thus trying to pocket as many cash fares as they can, so as to take those home 100%.
On one hand I feel bad for these drivers, as it's likely the only way they can make a decent living - by recording a significant percentage of their trips in cash and thus not paying the high owner cut. But on the other hand, it's really forced on these drivers by the archaic taxi/plate system.
So in summary; the current broken-ass system is the cause, and maybe the illegal actions of uber as a market disrupter will help accelerate change.