What is up with taxi service in this town? (Pittsburgh: hotels, home)

[sparly]

I have found it impossible to get a taxi to go somewhere here. I've called them to pick me up at a home in Highland Park and waited up to two hours and then given up. I have NEVER succeeded in getting one to respond to a call to come home at night after I missed the last bus home. Have heard this from many others, too. I don't drive and find that just staying home is my usual entertainment option.

What about the many people who want to go out to clubs and shows at night but not drink and drive? they make a responsible decision to pay some extra dollars to keep the roads safe and then are stranded. I am almost 60, somewhat handicapped, and had to walk home miles in a blizzard late one night because NO ONE responded to my calls. Yellow cab is the worst, but I've tried the others (one is owned by Yellow Cab?), and even jitney drivers (who are most willing but get tied up for hours trying to handle their calls).

It's great to live in a town with so much going on...I love music and occasionally dancing and having a few drinks...but even living on two good bus lines, it doesn't always work out. I spent three hours one night trying to get back from Art All Night in Lawrenceville to Highland Park, and that was well before midnight. Ok, my complaint out...thank you. I'm just glad I don't have a plane to catch or a baby to be delivered, but what is up with the cab service?

[Westcott1872]

I used to live in Highland Park and found the buses to be more than adequate.

[eschaton]

Generally speaking, you can't hail a cab anywhere in Pittsburgh, even downtown. Cabs will show up at cab stations by downtown hotels, and that's it. I think they try to preferentially take people to and from the airport, because it's a so much more lucrative drive than anything else.

Many cabs also have zip codes they just won't go to for pickup. The odd thing is that usually when you call, they won't refuse. I wonder if it's one of those things where the drivers have the right to refuse the call if they don't feel like it's a neighborhood they want to waste their time in, even if it's not the policy of the company itself.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Many cabs also have zip codes they just won't go to for pickup. The odd thing is that usually when you call, they won't refuse. I wonder if it's one of those things where the drivers have the right to refuse the call if they don't feel like it's a neighborhood they want to waste their time in, even if it's not the policy of the company itself.

Its not "zip codes".

Yellow Cab divides the city and suburbs into numbered areas, the drivers indicate with their computers which areas they are willing to take calls from at any point in time. (it changes during the day, of course- if a driver gets a trip that goes from East Liberty to Brookline- once they are out in the South Hills, they presumably might want to pick up someone out there and let the computer know that).

If a driver knows that zone 512 includes Larimer and he doesn't want to go there, he just never announces his availability by computer for Zone 512 trips.

Yellow Cab drivers are independent contractors, the company can't force anyone to take any particular trip.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by sparly

I spent three hours one night trying to get back from Art All Night in Lawrenceville to Highland Park, and that was well before midnight.

You could have walked there faster. Lower Lawrenceville is 4.3 miles away, which would take about an hour and fifteen minutes.

[pman]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Generally speaking, you can't hail a cab anywhere in Pittsburgh, even downtown. Cabs will show up at cab stations by downtown hotels, and that's it. I think they try to preferentially take people to and from the airport, because it's a so much more lucrative drive than anything else.

Many cabs also have zip codes they just won't go to for pickup. The odd thing is that usually when you call, they won't refuse. I wonder if it's one of those things where the drivers have the right to refuse the call if they don't feel like it's a neighborhood they want to waste their time in, even if it's not the policy of the company itself.

it is without a doubt a regulatory problem...with cabs it always is.

[AaronPGH]

I've found the Taxi Magic app to work pretty well. Give that a shot. Usually have a cab within 10 minutes and you don't have to talk to anyone on the phone.

I believe yellow cab also has a regular old SMS-ready phone # that you can text your address to. They will text you back when a driver is lined up for you and on the way.

But yeah. Overall it blows. Uber is supposedly coming to town soon so that's going to help a lot.

[sparly]

Did not know about Uber, so will look into that and hope. I have always assumed it is some kind of business corruption thing.

As to taking buses, that is what I do. But say I go to a club for music (don't judge!) the show isn't over until 2...buses, even to H.Park have been long gone. Even agreeing to leave by 12:30 I have gone out to see the vanishing tail of the last bus leaving EARLY. The buses should run later on weekend nights, at least in the nightlife areas...again, it helps with DUI business, and also parking issues.

And yes, walking is usually quicker. But I have serious health problems with back and feet. Just doing daytime errands puts me down for long spells...I guess I should just give up and never go out again...but even so, I'm thinking of how hard it is for others, too...


I know not to call a cab at 2 in the morning. I've usually tried at 1 ish but that didn't help. BTW, I might be poor, but I am a good tipper, and my address is from a fancy-ass neighborhood.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by sparly

I guess I should just give up and never go out again...but even so, I'm thinking of how hard it is for others, too...

Don't do that. Have you tried tipping the driver well and asking for his cell phone number to call him directly to pick you up again?

[LIRefugee]

There was one time that bad taxi service was a good thing in Pittsburgh. John Schick, the man who killed himself and one other at Western Psyche last year was intending to bring along with him incendiaries like Molotov cocktails or similar to wreak a lot of havoc. But, since the taxi he called never showed up, he walked to Western Psyche and brought only what items he could carry. Therefore, the shooting could have been a lot worse if taxi service had been available and efficient.