Job names

Like any industry, taxi drivers have terms for jobs that we do.  We talk a language that may seem foreign to others and love to give each other nicknames.  From "Tony Motherfucker" (cause he always says 'motherfucker') to "Jonny the robot" (my nickname because of the way I walk which is a little robotic due to the medication I take for schizophrenia), once you have a nickname you come off the rookie list into the realms of a fully fledged taxi driver.

Here are a few names for jobs:

Shit airport job - a job from the airport to Barton or the City that would total less than $25.

Good airport job - a job from the airport to Woden, Jerrabomberra, close suburbs of Belconnen or Weston Creek, usually totalling about $40.  

Excellent airport job - a job to deep Tuggeranong, Gunghalin or west Belconnen coming to a total greater than $50.

Club job - a job from one of the clubs that house pokies (Ainslie Football Club, Dickson Tradies or Southern Cross Club etc.) that goes to the surrounding suburbs usually coming to less than $15.

Maccas run - a job that usually occurs after 10.30pm when a person needs to get some food but needs to be in a car to get it because Maccas has closed it front doors.   

Missing in action

It has been about 18 months since I last legally drove a taxi, and I'm missing it.  From cruising the streets late at night, hunting for a fare, to smoking cigarettes and talking shit at the casino rank at 2am in the morning; I miss it all.  I would even clean ten soiled taxis just to get my licence back, but my psychiatrist won't let me.

One of the questions I ask customers to get the conversation going in the taxi is when was the best day in your life.  And what I've noticed is that there is a subtle difference between the sexes in the response.  Most females will say it was the day they met their partner or the birth of their child; whereas, males will generally say it was the day they achieved something in the sporting arena or a career achievement.