Think "capital improvement" and "basic improvement" as just a start.
When you're a business trying to move up, don't you use these two terms as a goal to improve operations and get more business?
I'm not out to criticize the company I work for. But cab companies abound in this area. We are only one of about five companies that strive and fight for every fare. Every transaction we earn is just that: we earn it. But shouldn't we show quality behind the transaction?
It's no wonder we let our mechanic go this week. Personally, the guy was a goof from the word go, even working on his own car on company time before working on the cabs that make the business and earn the paychecks.
One of our newest cars had to be disabled twice this week due to bad ball joints. The SAME one both times. It was fixed, and then the fix had to be fixed. A trained mechanic would have fixed it right the first time. So that's one cab off the road.
My cab was disabled last week for four hours to get new brake pads. Only half an hour was spent doing actual work. Apparently, it took him 2 1/2 hours to isolate the problem. Then another hour at the store trying to figure out what part he needed. Was I steamed? Kinda... it was my potential money I was losing just sitting at the office.
Today, four cabs out of a fleet of ten weren't running. I had to make a 2-hour, 70-mile run to Troy to pick up a fare and a driver who were stranded due to a bad - surprise - ball joint problem. It's fixed now by a different mechanic, but who knows when the problem will crop up again? After all, I'm hearing a thumping noise when my cab travels now, and the cab wants to veer right if I do anything beyond just tapping the brakes.
At the risk of having five cabs out of service, I decided to press on. I made good money. I also had to do the work of three drivers. Sound familiar?
The need is there for good, reliable service. I hope in the future that we can deliver like I'm sure the owner wants us to.
* What good is there left to say about Inkster? I was threatened with a $500 summons for trying to pick up fares there today. We service every community in the county. We do not need a license to pick up anywhere except at the airport. That's why we are classified as a limo service, not a cab service. Trying to explain this to the guy only got me another threat of $500, so I let it go at that.
If they don't want us, why don't they just tell us? Oh wait, they already did. They do have their own company, located two miles from my house. But they couldn't service me because I was "too far" from their target area.
And Inkster says they're recovering? Sounds like another "R" word is in effect there... as in "relapse".
