The Other Side of Midnight by Mike Heffernan Page A

seven drivers. We used to be that busy that we had enough work to keep us going the whole night. Now you’re sitting around waiting until around midnight before you really get going.
    A Vicious Cycle
    Allen, driving for twenty-two years
    Before the bars close, downtown is not phone work. I cruise Water Street and Duckworth Street, and I’ll shoot up Adelaide and look for a job. We used to tell the regular customers to go up by Mile One if they’re heading west or to go up by Club One if they’re heading east. You drive up and lock your doors, and people start swarming your car. Then the customer you’re there to pick up might only be going up to Gear Street. But that person is a regular customer, and that’s what they called us for, a run up the hill for $5.
    Then you get others: “Thanks for picking me up. Take me to Mount Pearl for fifteen?”
    â€œNo way. How’d you get downtown?”
    â€œValley Cabs.”
    â€œYou can pay what’s on the meter, or you can get out in the cold and wait for Valley Cabs.”
    Out-of-town taxis aren’t supposed to be down there. That’s the regulation. But still and all taxis from CBS are down there taking work. Taxis from Paradise are down there taking work. What’s a taxi from CBS doing down in Logy Bay Road? We’re not allowed to pick up and drop off in Mount Pearl or Paradise. We’re not allowed to pick up in Mount Pearl and drop off in St. John’s. But we’re allowed to pick up downtown and drop them off in Mount Pearl.
    If those cabs are going to be at it, I got no problem doing the same. It’s like a vicious cycle. When I do pick up someone in Mount Pearl, I’ll haul into somewhere like Tol’s Time Out Lounge. Buddy might get in the car, and I’ll take him wherever he wants to go. If I see a cop around, I shut off the meter and just say, just like everyone else does, “You’re related to me.”
    Make the Most of What You Got
    Leonard, driving for four years
    People can’t afford to go out and buy new taxis. You got to make the most of what you got. You’re not making enough money, and what you got is worked to death. If you see an old car that used to be a taxi stay away from it because that car is worn out and isn’t fit to be on the road. If someone reports it the city got to do something about it. But other than that, there’s only so many random inspections that they can get around to. That’s another problem you can’t fix with the number of people they got down there. I’ll tell you this. If there are 100 taxis out there I’d say eighty of them shouldn’t be on the road.
    Cribbing
    Sandra, driving for four years
    You can make a decent living at this. It’s just a matter of how you handle your money. This job changes how you prioritize. When I was getting paid once every two weeks, the day after I got paid I’d probably go get a case of beer and a little draw. That’d do me for however long. It’s different now. Pot becomes a priority. I pack a lunch and make sure I got change for a coffee. I’ll smoke a draw before I go, and I’ll roll one for later on when I have to pull over because I’m ready to snap.
    I can’t say I speak for all of them, but about 80 per cent of the drivers I know smoke pot. They all got the same kind of mindset. It’s one o’clock in the morning. All the customers are getting on my nerves. I’ll go have a break and smoke a joint. Then the rest of the night is way easier to deal with.
    You smoke more cigarettes, you drink more coffee and you eat take-out. So if you weren’t doing that and you worked five days a week you could easily take in about $600 cash. But if you’re taking in $600, that’s not what you’re giving the boss.
    With the guy I drive for, he wants half of what’s on my meter, and he wants me to turn on the meter as much as possible. But he