Miami Taxi Drivers Refuse Short Rides, Prompting Uber UseMiami Taxi Drivers Refuse Short Rides, Prompting Uber Use After disembarking from a cruise ship in Miami, passengers seeking taxis faced an unexpected dilemma. Several taxi drivers refused to take passengers to hotels located less than two miles away, citing short ride reluctance. Passengers, including a writer who was traveling with his son, were met with frustration as drivers declined their requests. The writer highlighted the importance of taxis providing reliable transportation, regardless of the distance. One driver explained that short rides were not financially lucrative, while another refused to even open the car door. The writer expressed his disappointment, noting that such behavior is detrimental to the taxi industry’s reputation. In contrast, an Uber ride to a nearby hotel was promptly secured, and the driver exhibited a more positive and accommodating demeanor. The writer concluded that the experience reinforced his negative perception of taxis and their reluctance to provide essential transportation services.
After docking in Miami and clearing U.S. Immigration and Customs, we left the cruise port hoping to catch a taxi to our nearest hotel. However, after two drivers refused to take us when they realized we were only going to a hotel less than two miles away, we decided to use Uber.
Taxi drivers in Miami don’t like short rides
The immigration process in Miami was difficult. There were only two agents to let a boat full of passengers through (fortunately there were only 700 passengers on board, and not 5,000…).
Once we finally made it through the line, we stepped outside where taxis were lined up to take people to the airport or their hotels. I imagine many of these guests (and they were all men) had been waiting for hours for a ride. So yeah, the prospect of ducking just 1.1 miles around the corner to the Hyatt Regency was understandably not appetizing.
I got into the first car and the driver asked where I was going. I told him.
He shook his head and said no.
I could have yelled at him or refused to get out of the car, but I didn’t want to expose my son to an angry driver in a city I didn’t know.
The second driver was friendlier about it, but he laughed and said, “Your ride isn’t long enough,” and even refused to open the car door for me.
This is not how taxis should operate… taxis get priority when transporting people and one of the licensing requirements should be that they can’t turn down a short ride if they want to access places like the Port of Miami.
And at that moment I realized why I despise taxis more than Uber.
I know it’s a horrible life being a taxi driver… your core business has been eaten by Uber and Lyft and when you have to wait all day for a ride, a $10 ride is heartbreaking. But if you don’t like the profession, there are other jobs available… especially in a city like Miami.
So I took an Uber to the Hyatt Regency. Not only did I save money, but the Venezuelan driver was much nicer.
In short: taxi drivers are going to act like taxi drivers and this situation is not unique to Miami. There is a reason people don’t like taxi drivers, as I was certainly reminded here.
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