Taxi drivers income

Darloup (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 8, 2009, 08:41:

johnny2009 says on Nov 8, 2009, 08:42:

I was thinking about the taxi vs passanger and turning a trick thing after my "how to get to the airport at 3am" thread. Taxi drivers have themselves told me that the nocheros are crazy, but didn't elaborate as to how they are crazy, daytime drivers have told me it is too dangerous to work the small hours. I reckon the drivers are as fearful of the passengers as the passengers are of the drivers.

So when I came back from Houston last week at 4.30am and found a decent driver from the airport that worked the 6pm-6am shift, I figured I would ask him to pick my up to take me back to the airport at 2am this week. He seemed delighted to have got a fare to get him to the airport for a 3am flight arrival where he can then pick up another fare to go back into bogota. He might even end up taking me back.

He is probably as happy to have picked up 40K fares in the middle of the night and not have to drive around bogota aimlessly as I am to have found a taxi driver that is unlikely to bumrape me and steal my shoes

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ranaquajo (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 8, 2009, 08:45:

gamm2 (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 8, 2009, 08:45:

Londoner says on Nov 8, 2009, 08:53:

I,ve heard a few stories about taxi drivers smoking basuco to keep them awake on night shifts.

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Darloup (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 8, 2009, 08:57:

La_Huella says on Nov 8, 2009, 09:01:

I've been in a few taxis where they were definitely high as kites....

A good taxi driver here working his ass off could make 3 or 4 million a month....

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johnny2009 says on Nov 8, 2009, 09:04:

It is not through sheer luck that you found a nice and reliable driver at El Dorado.

Think this through, the fare from my apartment to Eldorado is about $14.000, the fare from El Dorado to my apartment is $20.500, that means that being affiliated to the airport taxi company (taxis del aeropuerto?) he earns a third more for the same amount of time and diesel.

Moreover, someone that just got off a plane is most unlikely to have a knife and steal his days takings. As such he earns more, has security & has a supply of good quality fare paying customers.

Therefore your guy that barely breaks even in the OP has far less to lose than the airport affiliated driver, people with something to lose are inclined to be nicer and more reliable.

Taxis del aeropuerto is a massive fleet and I tend to look out for their cars even when I am not going to the airport. Not to say that someone has not stolen his taxi but at least the odds are shortened and I feel more comfortable.

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turnmeon (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 8, 2009, 13:56:

turnmeon (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 8, 2009, 14:01:

Philly says on Nov 8, 2009, 14:47:

I personally think taxi drivers make good money. Here in Cucuta, the majority of the taxi drivers do not have meters. The min. is 3,000 mil pesos but you never pay the min. These taxi drivers are the biggest crooks. Lets not even talk about Christmas time. They double and triple the fares.

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Miguel_Clavo says on Nov 8, 2009, 15:20:

Minimum in Ctg is 4,500, with AC its 5000, and after 8pm until 5 am its another 500 pesos.....i think meters are the best way to go..keeps them honest unless the meter is bad. Drivers here make much more per shift than 50K...that is only 10 customers on average at minimum....not accurate for CTG. Depending on the barrio they go to from El Centro, it can be as much as 18K .

RVW orderded me to remove my tagline congratulating the PBH Mods New Golden Boys. Lame.

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CakeDesigner-wannabe says on Nov 8, 2009, 15:47:

When I was in Cali. From Calimreal to Chipchape 5-10 minutes ride at $5,000

Let me make simple arithmetic for you. If the taxi driver averages only 2 rides per hour for 10 hours at $10,000 hour.
10 hours = $100,000

If you say that he has to pay $50,000 a day, then he gets $50,000 profit a day.

If the taxi driver works only 25 days a month at $50,000 a day, he gets: $1,250,000 which is above average in Colombia.

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makopp5 (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 8, 2009, 17:09:

Miguel_Clavo says on Nov 8, 2009, 17:59:

HOLA!

RVW orderded me to remove my tagline congratulating the PBH Mods New Golden Boys. Lame.

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Philly says on Nov 8, 2009, 17:59:

A lot of Colombians make around 18,000 to 25,000 mil pesos a day. So, 50,000 is not that bad but I still think it is a lot more.

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Peter (Moderator) (Trustee board) (Dev team) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 8, 2009, 18:19:

ranaquajo (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 8, 2009, 18:31:

Miguel_Clavo says on Nov 8, 2009, 18:36:

I hate carrying around coins. I bet they do to. Also, it is the taxis responsibility to provide change. Every recieve that tiny 20 peso coin? Try giving a bunch of those to someone here in Colombia...ajajjajaj.....coins are useless. Get rid of them, i say.

RVW orderded me to remove my tagline congratulating the PBH Mods New Golden Boys. Lame.

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La_Huella says on Nov 8, 2009, 20:46:

STOP overpaying the goddamn taxi drivers. Everytime I get in a cab the idiot taxi driver thinks because I'm a gringo he's won the damn lottery and tries to invent all these maricadas to charge me more. PAY THE FARE AND NOT A PESO MORE!!!!! I swear, you guys have just crawled out of a cave or something!!!! These guys just got a 35% fare hike not 2 years ago!!! Some of us live here and make pesos, and don't want to give our life savings every time we get in a freaking cab. Stop feeling sorry for people who live and work here, your lives are even more pathetic than theirs are. Stop playing captain save a ho with taxi drivers!!!!Thank you!!!!

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roccatanski says on Nov 9, 2009, 04:43:

WOW I live here as well and now I see how you can live off a $600 a month budget,getting upset that someone leaves a 200 peso coin for a taxi guy,I am guilty of this as well I always tell them to keep the coins sorry my 200 peso coin is fucking you over and putting a cramp in your lifestyle.

"A man is defined by his actions, not his memory" ( Kuato-- total recall)

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goin_south says on Nov 9, 2009, 04:49:

yeah, well.... your local colombian taxi driver isn't the only one not turning a profit.
Go check the list of people declaring bankruptcy every day... any where.
I hope you're not lobbying for a "Col Taxi driver Bailout".

nothin I say is to be takn for my words, but rather for the words of Sailor Jerry.

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johnny2009 says on Nov 9, 2009, 04:58:

Uh oh, the tipping thread spilled over

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La_Huella says on Nov 9, 2009, 05:10:

Yes, that is EXACTLY how I live off of $600 a month, by going native and not bringing bad habits down with North America...

The taxi drivers by and large make decent money here, especially compared to the rest of the people. They are the LAST people you should be coddling with extra $$... if you wanna show somebody love, show it to the security guard in your building or something.

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oneforyourmillion says on Nov 9, 2009, 05:50:

I know taxi drivers here and let me tell you they are making it OK. If you put in the hours on that shift 50K is nothing, you should have that by noon and the rest of the day and night is yours. If you are using natural Gas which most are your expenses are not that much as the mileage on thsoe cars is really good. Take a nap in the afternoon and hit at night or share the time with another driver. La Huella is right you can easily make 2 or 3 million a month.

But it is hard work, it is just hard all day in this traffic. I have friends that gave it up not because of the money but just because it is duro.

This taxi driver giving this tale of woe was either lazy or he wanted to milk some money out of Peter and be poorbuthappy.... jiji

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oneforyourmillion says on Nov 9, 2009, 05:53:

It is dangerous working the wee hours but the worst part is picking up drunks with no money and who don't remember where they live............ jaja

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CharlieTheOwl says on Nov 9, 2009, 09:20:

Why don't you guys rent a taxi for 50K and see how many pesos you can bring in? It might give you something to do rather than goof off on PBH all day.

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Chriscan (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 9, 2009, 09:41:

oneforyourmillion says on Nov 9, 2009, 09:44:

Taxi drivers... oh and btw like half of them out there on the street in Bogota are running with an illegal meter. Ever notice how one taxi seems a bit more expensive than the other one for the same trip? Don't want to get you all heated with taxi drivers but I am not going to defend them as a whole or feel sorry for them. Whichever country your in it is for people who have few options but don't mind hard work and hustling to maek a good buck.

Sure good ones fine but most are sharks and this attitude they have about spending the 50? Would they rather stand out in front of a building and make 400K a month and work 70 hour work weeks?

Those are the guys you can feel sorry for not Taxi drivers

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MitchAlvarez says on Nov 10, 2009, 00:30:

u can make money driving a cab but you gotta work like an animal...... or like a taco eater.... ooopss sorry that was juan pablo montoya sorry

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Chriscan (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 10, 2009, 04:06:

oneforyourmillion says on Nov 10, 2009, 04:15:

Chris that was a very good assesment of the taxi driver. I like driving around the city now that I know the shortcuts. Learned them from taxi drivers..... But drivign being the key word. On Saturday I walk as driving is not to be had. Too much traffic, takes me an hour to get off my street.

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CharlieTheOwl says on Nov 10, 2009, 06:44:

Yes, I agree, taxi drivers in Colombia are very spoiled. You guys in Bogota have the worse taxi drivers in Colombia. Medellin has the best.

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davidslc46 says on Nov 10, 2009, 08:34:

I backed into a taxi driver last Saturday in El Dorada. He wanted 50,000 COP per day to compensate him for lost wages.
I think he was sincere but he did not get that. Two mechanics gave the same 1.4 million COP estimates ( that should tell you something ) . I said he could go legal through my insurance or I would give him 1 million COP. He seemed happy in accepting 1 million. There was a 50,000 COP to transito for assistance which appeared to be expected in these smaller towns.

David

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Chriscan (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 10, 2009, 09:30:

oneforyourmillion says on Nov 10, 2009, 09:59:

Yep that is what makes it so much fun!

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