(no subject)

[artic-monkeys.livejournal.com]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone had any opinion on Somerville Cabs.  My last and only experience with them was not so good. The cab showed up late , when we got into the cab I sort of thought it was funny that the engine light on the dashboard was lit up. Then, half way to the airport the steering went out and the cab veered into oncoming traffic. My concern is that the City is not regulating the Cabs but I haven't had any experience with them since that incident.

Thanks in Advanced

Comments

[eclecticavatar.livejournal.com]

I've had great experiences with Green Cabs! Every cab in the greater Boston area usually smells deathly of exhaust fumes and has some problem or other. I think it's a much larger problem than just Somerville, but I've taken to reporting it if there is anything extraordinary.

[tikva.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, Green and Yellow Cabs (same company) are the only game in town in Somerville. I've had mixed experiences. On the one hand, I often get friendly drivers who know what they're doing. On the other hand, when I don't, they REALLY have no clue, and they expect me to be able to direct them (I'm legally blind, and I often ask them to take me places I haven't been before, so that doesn't work). Every time I've taken them from Somerville to Malden, for example, the driver has yelled at me for not being able to navigate for him. I kind of thought that was why he was the driver, but hey, what do I know? :)

They've never given me crap about my guide dog that I can remember, though, so that's a plus. Of course, they're not allowed to, but that's never stopped anyone.

[artic-monkeys.livejournal.com]

Thanks! My experience with Cambridge cabs has never been that bad, I have used them exclusively since this incident. I also had plenty of experience with Boston and Brookline cabs before moving into Somerville. In this case I thought the car was obviously pretty old, I remember wondering whether or not they were required to have newer cabs in order to get a medallion. I believe hey are in other cities. But since this was the last and probably only time I used them I wanted to see what others thought.

Cabs

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

My experiences have been good, but that's me. If you want, you can always call a Cambridge cab. Though they can't pick you up randomly off the street in another town, they can respond to calls. Maybe you knew this, but an FYI if you didn't! :)

[joylewis.livejournal.com]

If you know in advance that you're going to need a ride, you could try Planet Tran (http://www.planettran.com/) out of Cambridge. They're not exactly a cab service, but a livery service, so they have slightly different rules. I like them because I can book online, pay with a credit card, and best of all, their entire fleet is Prius..Priuses? Priusa? It's $42 from my house to the airport whereas it's $38 with a cab (not including tip).

[watchamacallit.livejournal.com]

I've had mixed luck with Somerville cabs, as someone else said above. When the cabbie was a local guy (usually a friendly old townie type) everything was fine. When it was a non-English speaking guy, I got taken for a ride. One guy smiled and agreed with me when I told him which way to go but then went off somewhere else. Turns out he didn't understand a lick of English.

[artic-monkeys.livejournal.com]

That is so great, thanks! I know the city is trying to enforce only having Somerville cabs pick people up in Davis Square. Which means only one company gets all the buisness. I wonder how that might effect the level of service the community gets. I mean without competition there is no incentive for them to follow standards are even show up on time. And now I am excited about having a local company that uses hybrids! I should be able to choose them if I like!

[mrcairo.livejournal.com]

I've had great luck with Somerville cabs. Typically, they've been friendly, easier to deal with, come when they
say the will, and they don't seem to screw you as much as Cambridge cabs tend to. When I lived in Cambridge,
I got tired of cabbies who blatently drove the long way to get to the airport, if the knew how to get their at all.
I've also had Cambridge cabbies try to tack on "extra" fees to the already high tunnel/airport surchages that
happen. When I'd call a somerville cab to pick me up in cambridge and take me to the airport, my pain went
away, and my overall bill was often $10 less.

Living in Somerville now, I still take the Somerville cabs, and have been happy with them. I've had conversations
with both Somerville and Boston cabdrivers about Cambridge cabbies, and apparently they have a well-deserved
rep for not being honest.

I agree. The townie-types are the best cab drivers. I'm not sure what specific regulations Somerville imposes,
but I do know that the holders of the taxi-medallions are required to have their vehicles washed weekly or bi-weekly, and meet other standards for appearance.

[-afton-.livejournal.com]

ahh! hothead!

:D

[artic-monkeys.livejournal.com]

Wow that is interesting, about Cambridge cab companies having a known reputation with other cab drivers. I guess the drivers do get an earful sometimes. I think I am going to chance using the hybrid service from now on. I don't expect glowing service, I just don't want a car that breaks and turns into oncoming traffic. I might even take the long way and skip the tunnel :)

[abilouise.livejournal.com]

I've sometimes had an uncomfortable or overly car-fragranced ride with green cab, but never one that I felt was unsafe or extortionist. And when I got a ride to Beth Israel hospital and didn't know which building I was going to, the cabbie ferried me from the wrong one to the right one for free, which was a really nice touch.

[siderea]

I vote "Prii". :D

[theviper.livejournal.com]

the somerville cabs are regulated by the police department...it's buried on http://www.somervilletaxi.com/ somewhere.

[artic-monkeys.livejournal.com]

Thanks, It seems that some of the better cab drivers are as eager to have these bandits reported as well. Here is a reply by one of the Green cabbies (http://somervillenews.typepad.com/the_somerville_news/2006/07/news_talk_for_j.html#comment-19734211) from another site.

[tooffdk.livejournal.com]

Usually the check-engine light only indicates a malfunction of emissions equipment, and won't usually cause a break down.

But, I agree, it shows a lack of care/upkeep for the cars.