Yellow--checker--star-Transportation

Ok, so I worked for Yellow Checker Star a while back and I have to admit it was an exciting job. I was fresh out of the military and ready for something totally different. This company is very old school, I was a W-2 employee and received a weekly paycheck (30% of the meter) + any cash tips I received. 

I did a same-day walk in interview w/ a manager (I actually got to sit down w/ the "legend" Bill Shrinko, I was kinda star-struck a bit). Anyway there were quite a few steps in the process before you just jump in the cab. I had to study for a Las Vegas area general knowledge exam and then there was this class I took with the taxi authority (these guys are cops and they take their job super serious) just act like you're scared of these guys and you'll do just fine. 

I passed them all on the first try, it was kinda fun because you're waiting outside the room for your test score with other guys who are in the exact same place as you in life...there's this sense of equality, everybody has to go through the same thing. No mater what race, nationality or what you did in life before this....it doesn't matter.

Alright so I passed all my tests and I got my taxi permit, I end up getting this thing called "extra board", I had heard some rumors going around that you may or may not get a cab. I never had any issues at all. I worked 5 days a week for 12hr shifts for about 2 months doing extra board. Then I ended up being able to bid on a cab route. I ended up getting a Star cab it was a radio cab that did strip drop off and residential. This was the perfect shift and perfect cab for me. It totally worked with my personalty (I like being out late and like sleeping in). It was great working in the summer because I totally avoided the heat. 

MOST FUN: The independence and interacting w/ different people from all over the country. I always was asked "am I going to be on taxi cab confessions" it was hilarious. I just rolled w/ it. Be friendly and have a good energy about yourself. They want you to be "you". People love someone authentic! If I was having a real good day, I would show that and people would be more likely to chat me up...which really helped out when it came to tips. You'll p/u the occasional call-girls as well, most are super good tippers and they are honestly the most real and down to earth people in Vegas I met on the job. Conventions can be fun too, lots of quick trips, pretty solid tips but lots of receipt writing too. 

LEAST FUN: Not a great work/life balance. I was working 60hrs a week, that's 240hrs a month! You have to be quite disciplined to do this long term. You need to get a good amount of sleep because it's a driving job. Vegas is also a really busy city and that can be mentally draining as well. The weather is a factor too. Especially having the sun blazing if you're on a day route. I remember getting done w/ work some nights just buzzing with adrenaline from all the interactions, making sure I didn't loose any money, wondering what the final $$ amount I'll come in with, wondering how ill match up on the leaderboard in terms of meter money compared to the other drivers.

SCARY: 1% of your job will be scary. You will come across 1 person or 1 very intense situation every thousand or so rides that will make you scared. It just the reality of driving a cab.

PAY: I made about $500 a week ($2000 a mth) take-home after taxes. Not bad. But....if you divide that by 12hrs a day it came out to about $8 an hour....But...you really can't think about it that way or you'll totally have a bad attitude. 

All-in-all Yellow Checker was a solid job, this company will be around longer than you will. The key is to hang in there when the going gets tough. Things in life come in waves, goods and bads. Think about it this way - you drive around, hangout with different people, you feel like you're part of the city, and you go home w/ cash in your pocket every night.

YCS  is an amazing place to be; unlike other transportation companies in Lasvegas, YCS processes your application and paid for all applicable documents that you will need for possible employment such as training and certification and also provides you permit to qualify you as a taxi driver in the state of Nevada, isn't that awesome? 
Every one has his/her own chosen work schedule which management honors and respects. We are treated by management not as workers but as children with a good father. You can also call in or out even one minute to your work schedule  and it will be granted. 
So, this is not just an employer and employees relationship  it's a family.

You really  have to  commit  to 12 hour shifts to make much. And because you are ;literally on the road all the time its not a good job for someone who relies on co workers and job culture for a personal life,
. You will actually never get to know anyone else who works there past training week and those in management. Its okay. They are pretty good about helping newbies learn and pretty good about showing you ways to increase you income if you need it. Some other cab companies aren't so open to new drivers and don't cut them any slack while learning. It was a good experience for me but not something most would want to do for life

We were close knit team at work and off work. Good bunch of guys and management and the company cares about you and your family. The work was almost 24/7 being located in Las Vegas but I didn't mind that so much because you were paid overtime when needed. The most enjoyable part was that it was a busy place and being a part of supplies both in and out of the work place it's a continuous distributions of advertising and work office supplies your day goes by fast and you feel productive everyday.

This was a dead end job with no opportunity for advancement. It was repetitive and mundane. This not to say is was an easy job. You are counting money all day and you must be accurate. That was the hardest part of the job. The most enjoyable part of the job was interfacing with the drivers everyday. They were great and very much underappreciated by management.

Pay is commission. You make a percentage of what you book at the end of your shift. Commission percentages and pay policies ie: daily, weekly, bi-weekly vary from company to company. 

Your work 9+hours a day.  There is no structure on how people work.  Everything is left to individual interpretation of the rules.  Drivers are constantly confused because on person follows the CBA strictly and others interpret it differently depending on mood and driver.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Staff are cooperative

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Other crazy drunk drivers

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Good and confy

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Cab inspection, fill out the form and driving

I was a desperate worker working for the company and didn’t like my experience and was fired without proper representation. I enjoyed the 12 hr days of work and the freedom but the requirements that was needed was highly demanding and the amount of time I would wait in line sometimes would be nauseating

This organization is very bad, starts from training. Our trainer supervisor almost gets in a accident and has random people drive down town Las Vegas… only 2 days of training and 11 hour days in the class why is the training so long and only 2 days? I guess it’s not the career path for me…

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