Monthly Archives: August 2015

Insight

Riding a Cab around Chicago versus Taking the L

In any huge city like Chicago, there are always a number of options to get around. This can actually make commuting around the city quite confusing, but there are always pros and cons that you can consider beforehand so that you can make the most out of the time you have.

Among all the different transport choices in Chicago, it often boils down to two final options – taking the elevated train, more fondly known as the L, or taking a cab through any reputable company like Universal Taxi.

What are the risks? What are the advantages? Let’s take a look at each choice.

The Elevated Train

The El or the L takes you to different places in and around the city rather quickly. Remember that because this is a train, you do not have to worry about traffic jams or road accidents that could delay you from getting to your destination. Commuter trains are also different in every city, so getting on the L is definitely advisable if it’s your first time in Chicago.

You would have to think about what time you’ll be taking the train though, as it can get really crowded during rush hour. This is one thing that you have to consider, especially if you have no plans of getting to your destination all wrinkled up. Always check which train you are boarding as well, as different lines take you to different parts of the city as well, and you wouldn’t want to get lost and waste even more time.

Taking a Cab

The greatest thing about taking a cab around Chicago is that it picks you up right where you are, and drops you off right where you need to be. If you’re lucky enough to get an awesome cabbie, you can even find out more about the sights that you should be seeing. You would also be a lot more comfortable as compared to taking the L.

Of course, taking a cab would also mean that you would have to deal with traffic. Because of this, it is advisable to book a cab early and leave enough travel allowance for you to ensure that you get to your destination on time. Universal Taxi has a mobile app that allows you to book a cab anywhere, anytime, so it’s best that you take advantage of features like these to make the commute easier.

At the end of the day, it would all depend on what you are looking for and what you want to experience as you visit Chicago. For first-timers, it is probably best to take the L and experience how it feels like to be a regular Chicago commuter. Once that experience has been crossed off the list, you can enjoy the rest of the sights by getting a cabbie to take you around. Cabbies are always the best people to ask for recommendations on places to see, and you may even find a few surprises around every corner with their expert help.

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Travel Tips When Commuting with Kids

Road trips with kids using your own vehicle can be a pain in the neck. But road trips with kids using public transportation can be a recipe for a disaster. Inside a family car, your kids can be as chatty, noisy or even whiny as they want. Inside a cab or a train, it’s a different deal altogether. To help you and your kids survive a taxi commute without spilling blood, I curated tips and tricks from Universal Taxi’s experienced cabbies.

  • Book ahead of time.

Children’s attention span is typically short and rather scary. The way they can turn from laughing angels to grumpy mini-monsters in an instant can test even the most patient parent or guardian. A long wait can trigger this transformation. To avoid this from happening, booking a cab ahead of time is a wise decision. This way, the excitement is still there when you all ride the cab.

  • Play a game.

It doesn’t matter if the commute is just a 15-minute ride or an hour-long, you should always have a list of activities in mind to entertain the children. If possible, avoid bringing too many toys. Instead, play a game to make them more curious and enthusiastic about the commute. This is especially an efficient trick if you and your children take the cab daily. Play a game about geography and landmarks. The streets of Chicago are always abuzz with activities. Point one to the kids and formulate a game of “what if” from it. For instance, if the cab passed by a Chicago pizza joint, ask the children – what if they’re in charge of the pizzeria, what toppings will the best-seller have?

Another great game to try is word association. Point a famous Chicago landmark to the children and ask them to describe it for you. You can also ask them to list words they can associate with the notable sight. This game is hitting two birds with one stone. You get to entertain the children and, in turn, they’ll broaden their vocabulary and imagination.

  • Bring a mini first-aid kit.

Kids react to commuting differently. Some take it in stride while others get dizzy after the first five minutes of the ride. To avoid dizziness or vomiting, make sure to bring easy-to-swallow medicine for children. To counteract nausea, don’t forget to bring a bottle of water, extra anti-vomit candies, and a plastic bag.

  • Pack a snack.

Apart from games, a neat trick to occupy your children’s time is a quick snack. Pack a savory snack such as bread sticks, cheese cubes, and dried fruits and nuts. Try not to give them sweets during the commute because confections and candies can unsettle the stomach. You may also want to just stick with water instead of juice packs.

  • Bring baby wipes.

It doesn’t matter if your kids are no longer wearing nappies, baby wipes are a must-bring item when commuting. Wipes are multifunctional. They can wash hands, clean toilet seats, and wipe public handles and doors. Universal Taxi Dispatch taxis are always spotless and odor-free, but as a parent or guardian, you can never be too sure or too clean.

With these tips, we hope you and your kids will have an enjoyable commute throughout Chicago.

Insight

Top 5 Tools for Taxi Commuters

American commuters spend an average of 50 minutes in a vehicle each day. That’s almost equivalent to an hour-long lunch break or an entire episode of Chicago P.D. These precious minutes shouldn’t be wasted staring at the same diet pill ad or an acne prevention billboard every day. Taxi commuters can make the most out of this travel time with the right commuter tools. Here are five I highly recommend.

  • Traffic Navigation App

At Universal Taxi, we make sure that our cab drivers are updated with the ins and outs of the city, particularly about news relating to transportation. As a commuter, it’s important that you have your own traffic navigation app to check the traffic situation before you hit the road. This way, you’ll be able to calculate if you need to adjust your time to avoid being late for your appointment. A traffic navigation app also helps in determining if your usual route is suddenly ridden with road hazards due to a vehicular accident.

Waze is a great navigation app.

  • Audio Books

If your commute takes over 15 minutes, an audio book can help you easily pass the time. Reading in a moving vehicle is bad for the eyes. Listening to a book is the next best thing. If you’d rather read than listen to a new story, you can always find an audio version of your favorite book and listen to it. It would be like hearing the story from a new perspective while making the most out of your commute time.

Try Audible.com for

  • Safety Kit

Each time you commute, you expose yourself to possible road accidents and disasters. That is a reality experienced by both public and private commuters. And while that fact can’t be denied, being proactive can be a big help in the event of a vehicle hijack, mugging, or accident. Pharmacies and drug stores sell ready-made safety kits. You can also build your own emergency kit. The basics include a couple of medical paraphernalia (antiseptic solution, tape and gauze, medicine), a whistle, an ID with your medical information, and an extra phone battery.

  • Music Player

For many commuters, an MP3 player is a must. Music is an influencer. A good one can easily boost your mood. A music player helps in setting your frame of mind for the day ahead or soothing your nerves after a long day at work. Or to share your love of music, you can just ask your Universal Taxi driver to turn on the cab radio and tune into your favorite radio station.

  • Travel Mug

Whether you’re running late or you just need another cup of coffee in your system, a travel mug lets you have your dose of caffeine without ruining your outfit or the cab interior. It need not be coffee all the time, you can fill the mug with your favorite tea or juice, or even a protein shake.

 

Travelling by taxi doesn’t need to bore or frustrate you all the time. With these tools, you’ll be able to make sure that your daily commute throughout Chicago is enjoyable and productive.

Insight

How to Become a Licensed Chicago Taxi Driver

If you think the daily grind that a Chicago cabbie goes through is hard, then you may be surprised to find out how much they also have to go through before they can legally become one. Just imagine driving through all kinds of traffic every single day. Some trips may be longer than the others, and it’s up to the cabbie to take each passenger from point A to B the safest way possible. Different kinds of passengers get in and out of their cabs the whole day, from rude ones that act like they know better than the driver to the really quiet ones that do not really seem to care what’s happening around them.

For you to get through all these, you need to prove that you’re more than capable of handling everything that comes a cabbie’s way. This means that you need a license.

The minimum age requirement is 21 years old. At this point, you can start getting ready for all the steps needed to have a Public Chauffeur License. Here’s a checklist of the things that need to be done:

  • Public Chauffeur Training Course – The training course includes an English proficiency exam. Since you plan on becoming a cabbie, you would have to register specifically for the Public Chauffeur Taxicab Driver Training Course (another option is also available for limo drivers) at the Olive-Harvey College. Once you complete the course, you will be presented with a Certificate of Completion.
  • Public Chauffeur Licensing Exam – Take the exam for public chauffeurs and pass it. This will entitle you to receive a Certificate of Passing. The exam will also be taken at the Olive-Harvey College.
  • Public Chauffeur License – Proceed to the Public Vehicle Operations Facility any weekday between 8:30am to 11:30am. This is where you complete and submit the form for new applicants.
    • You will be asked for your state-issued driver’s license, your certificate of completion for the training course, and your certificate of passing.
    • Fingerprinting is not exactly required, but it is recommended as this could speed up the process.
    • The license fee would also have to be paid.
    • A drug test should be done within 24 hours of the issuance of a Drug Testing Authorization Form.
    • Submit a completed Physical Certification Form that has been signed by a physician licensed within Illinois. It should be dated within the past four months.
    • Submit your ‘Court Purpose’ driving record abstract. This should be dated within the past 30 days, and is issued by the state.

As long as there are no problems with your requirements, then everything should flow smoothly from here.

Once you are a licensed cabbie, you could finally drive a Universal Taxi. You can now help people get to places they need to be in the safest way possible. There is no better time to become a Chicago cabbie, especially if you consider how advanced the taxi system has now become. With a Universal taxi app at your disposal, you get connected to customers in a convenient manner.

Insight

Taxi Etiquette: Is It Okay To Strike a Conversation with the Cab Driver?

Is it your first time to visit Chicago? If so, riding the famous Chicago cab is not something you’d want to miss. In fact, taking the cab is the best way to tour the city as it’s less frantic than the ‘L’ and definitely less confusing than taking the bus. Moreover, taking the cab presents you with the opportunity to experience the sights and sounds en route to your destination.

One thing you can do to make the ride a lot more interesting is to strike up a conversation with the driver. Cab drivers are known conversationalists with more than a story or two to share. But how do you start a conversation with your cabbie? What safe topic can you bring up? What subjects do you need to avoid?

Conversation Etiquette When Talking to a Cabbie

Taxi drivers are wonderful people to chat with and are full of fascinating stories. You simply need to ask good questions or bring up interesting topics. Like in most social gatherings, avoid discussing subjects that revolve around politics and religion. These two are notoriously considered as “touchy” subjects since most people have strong convictions about them. Avoid any chance of argument or disagreement by steering clear of these topics.

Another subject to avoid is the weather. Unless you are actually traveling through a hurricane, the weather as the main topic will get tedious very quickly. This normally leads to a deafening silence and awkwardness as you deliberately look out of the window.

Traveling around Chicago can be time-consuming, especially during rush hour. Avoid wasting time looking at unmoving vehicles with these three conversation-starting queries to ask your taxi driver.

  1. Where’s the best place to go in the city?

Cabbies are endlessly asked about the most popular places to see in Chicago regularly, but it’s a topic they enjoy discussing. Chicago cabbies, particularly Universal Taxi drivers, are proud of their city and will take pleasure in telling you about the awesome places you can visit. They may even share with you the best-kept secrets of Chicago, the ones that you may not just find on a regular tourist map.

  1. Where are the best restaurants around here?

Everyone is a foodie and cabbies are no exception. Chicago cabbies always have some sort of inside information to offer you on the best spots to have a sumptuous meal. From this point, you can cultivate the conversation and focus on food to keep the chat flowing.

  1. What are your most memorable experiences while doing this job?

Cabbies transport dozens of passengers every single day, so it’s not unlikely that they’ve come across unforgettable characters along the way. Perhaps a movie star or a famous athlete has taken the cab to get across the city. Taxi drivers have some funny, scary, or priceless tales about their passengers that will last a lot longer than your cab journey.

Striking up a conversation with a taxi driver is not hard when you’re conscious of what things to converse about. In fact, our drivers at Universal Taxi Dispatch are encouraged to be friendly with their passengers through communication. By arming yourself with these conversation starters, you’ll have topics to chat about long after arriving at your destination.