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No matter you go to NYC, Boston, Chicago, LA, Miami... the taxi drivers are either black, south Asian or Hispanic.
Most of them do not speak English with an American accent.
I understand taxi driver is not a desirable job and many Americans do not want to do it. However, it makes more money than McJobs? Why are white guys completely absent?
Definitely need to address this to white guys. There is absolutely nothing baring or preventing them from taking those jobs. Maybe you can go to the airport, find one of the few, and ask them? I'd be curious to know what they say.
No matter you go to NYC, Boston, Chicago, LA, Miami... the taxi drivers are either black, south Asian or Hispanic.
Most of them do not speak English with an American accent.
In many urban areas, taxi drivers are more likely to be killed on the job than any other type of worker. As it is dangerous work, with sporadic pay, and customers can stiff a driver, it is for those desperate for work. Immigrants are generally more desperate to work in a dangerous, but relatively unskilled job, than people with more choices.
As we currently have no real control over immigration, and over low skill workers, supply and demand cause taxi drivers are in a race to the bottom of our pay scale. There are other examples, L.A. used to have a janitors union, immigrants took it down. Same for unionized meat cutters, unions went after immigrants arrived in quantity. The result is lower wages. We are conflicted about immigration, about it's economic effect, and about it's environmental effect (which also has a financial cost).
Until labor supply is tighter, or taxi cabs become safer, it is unlikely many with options will chose to drive one.
There's White cab drivers. I'll give you that there's not many, but realistically it seems to be a good job for recent immigrants, especially now when maps can be told to them and they don't even need to know the city. The pay is terrible. The hours are long. The tabs can be dangerous. While I hate the non-stop cell phone talking, sometimes I'd take it over people with really crazy views they feel the need to share or others wanting to pinpoint if you're leaving town after they've picked you up at your home....
I believe the reason for the concentration of a few groups has a lot to do with whoever owns the cab company and medallions. Whoever owns that is likely an immigrant him/herself and goes to get cheap drivers from their culture just off the metaphorical boat and work them like crazy until they figure out they need something else.
Either way, cabs are dead soon, and good riddance. Smelly, expensive, late and unreliable...all issues addressed in the new ride sharing services.
maybe now that i retired i will become a cab driver in a country where i am a foreigner and don't speak the language .
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