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Archive for the 'Consumer Advise' Category
Airline Passengers Bill of Rights
Thursday, January 21st, 2010In the flood of media information that has nothing to do with your life, perhaps you missed the news about the new Airline Passengers Bill of Rights the U.S. Congress has been taking the credit for.
Whatever your situation -whether you are a jaded frequent flyer or merely the occasional victim- you owe yourself to stop by FlyersRights.org to learn about all the new resources and options available to flyers. The big splash being flyers must be allowed off an airliner after 3 hours of non flight … but there’s more.
Should you care to hear interviews with two of the heroines who provided sustained impetus for the enactment of the Airline Passengers Bill of Rights, simply follow the link option below you find most suitable.
Access the on demand archives or download the podcast. Either instance will require choosing Jan., 2010, followed by selecting hours 2 and/or 3, of the 19 Jan.(011910 +2 or 3, designating the program hour).
Both interviews require perhaps 90 minutes, the latter 30 minutes in hour 3 being devoted to Muslim issues as represented by a Muslim woman whose carry-0n containing multi-generational family jewelry disappeared while in airline custody. Both ladies are well worth listening to, especially if you want to be inspired by a story of common people achieving uncommon results (which should benefit us all!!).
Metered Airport Taxi’s
Monday, August 17th, 2009Rule #1 ~ Customer Choice is the Rule!
Though the Airport Taxi Operators have all sorts of rules specific to the Queue System mandated by City of Burlington Ordinances. At its essence, it is a luck of the draw system. Meaning the Operator(s) begin at the back of the queue line and work their way to the first position(which we can discuss further at another time). However, the one rule in red above makes the traveling public, a wild card. As such, in what follows, we are encouraging you to take an active role in improving the quality of Operators who work at Burlington Int’l Airport. How? by refusing to financially support unprofessional or otherwise objectionable Operators. Why, is A to B simple, tourism is a tremendous portion of Vermont’s economy and these Operators often act as our regions greeters, including when they run our visitors around to run up the meter or find reasons to refuse service because they want a trip*. So, wouldn’t you think the Taxi Operators at Burlington Int’l should be the best of the best.
* by definition, a long out of town transportation.
Please Choose…
- a Clean Presentable Operator … please help Burlington Int’l weed out the lackadaisical and chronically disheveled.
- an Attentive Operator who -upon your approach- is ready to field your questions(should you have any), load of your luggage(it’s not your job, but you it might be wise to supervise).
- not to be rushed into a decision.
- a Clean Taxi … should you be bum rushed into a Mobile Home Taxi, get out and choose another! If the interior or trunk is cluttered with trash and/or a collection of personal items; you would be justified in thinking these vehicles were lived in, but you don’t have to live with them for even one mile.
- an Odor Acceptable vehicle … should you find yourself confronted by an objectionable or oppressive odor(the lay it down thick perfumed whore house approach really nauseates me), get out and choose another! Don’t you have to wonder what is being covered up, which at times is not a question when the cover up agent isn’t up to its task and the effect is a more acrid combination of B.O., smoke substances or what have you. Technically, smoking in taxi’s is illegal in Vermont, but our observation while at the airport indicates most of the smokers smoke in their vehicle while awaiting a fare.
- an Alert Operator … pass by a sleeping Operator … if they’re too busy sleeping to pay attention to business, are they safe enough to be driving?
- to Be Comfortable … you needn’t be stuffed into a physically uncomfortable situation.
- …an Operator who can demonstrate with a map(which is required equipment according to the City Ordinances) how to get you where you want to be(should that be a concern). Global Positioning Systems(GPS) often make mistakes and are not a replacement for an Operator who can demonstrate their map reading skills.
Consumer Tip: for our out of town visitors, map reading is a good concern, especially on a meter. Some of these Operators(pun intended) plead ignorance for a 4 mile ride across the river to our sister city Winooski but can’t get you in the vehicle quick enough if you’re headed out of town.
- Please Report unsatisfactory experiences! Please post a complaint here with us at BTVTaxiNews.com, to the local Chamber of Commerce and Burlington International Airport’s Administration. (Shortly all that information will be available here at BTV Taxi News.)
The best part of Customer Choice is, you don’t have to explain your reasons to anyone. Including the Airport Ambassador’s who occasionally act as Taxi Starters.
Other Pertinent Details
- The on-demand Queue Taxi’s are metered. The Rates are listed in the BTV Meter Rates post. Their rates are not negotiable, and if an Operator does cut you a deal, the Operator is subject to sanctions.
- The on-demand Queue Taxi’s are located out the center doors(follow the overhead Ground Transportation signs near the Public Restrooms to the left of the auto rental counters), across traffic to the island, then to the left. Hospitality Shuttles may be met to the right.
Please write Dear Cabbie, should you have any unanswered questions, we’re here to help.
Dear Cabbie
Monday, August 17th, 2009Got Questions? Simply Ask Dear Cabbie, here, now.
Welcome Mat
Tuesday, December 30th, 2008(Editors Note: What we have here is a PG 13 site. Adult Color will be allowed, until it’s not, tread thoughtfully. Keep in Mind, your choice of words reflects upon, you,** your community and your industry.)
Welcome/Bienvenue
Foremost among our goals -in conjunction with providing transportation related news & commentary- is to provide a forum whereby the traveling public may act as watch dog on the ground transportation providers of Vermont. When all is said and done, you, the traveling public, are the most informed, and thus, the finest front line available to birddog any industry. Your participation herein will reach beyond your own circle of acquaintance to provide useful travel information to this regions many Visitors(upon whom, our economy relies significantly!). So you see, you are essential to an extremely important mission: acting as a BTV Taxi News Secret Shopper(sorry, there’s no pay, this is a look-out-for-your-neighbor proposition), thereby elevating industry standards via critique.
Another high priority goal is to provide a forum whereby the women, and men of the industry may express their concerns.
Whether to grouse or relate tales, all transportation topics are on the table.
Also, we are intimately aware of the fact that the public is frequently taken advantage of because the Rules are generally unknown or misunderstood by locals, let alone strangers to our area. So! a portion of BTV Taxi News‘ on-going mission will be to provide answers to questions specific to Vermont‘s taxi and/or, ground transportation industry. Simply write Dear Cabbie, which can be selected from the Categories drop down menu.
BTV Taxi News is not simply a place to register complaints*(which we heartily encourage!, NAME NAMES PEOPLE!**), but just as heartily we desire the expression of appreciation for service well done. However, of utmost importance in our mind, is empowering the Vermont Traveling Public, by way of useful information and a forum, where your traveling concerns are brought to the fore, shared publicly, thereby improving the likelihood they will be acknowledged and responded to, sooner rather than later.
* nonetheless, a preponderance of documented remarks are usually necessary before constructive change comes to fruition. Which is why public participation is of utmost importance. Therefore, nudge someone else to participate.
** though you may post anonymously herein(meaning register an alias user name), Be Warned, as with any site, your posts can, if necessary, be traced back to you.*** The notion that the web is anonymous, is simply silliness. So! if you’re angry, exasperated or feeling threatened, intimidated or taken advantage of, please have your say here! but stick to the facts, as truth is a defense against libel. As to naming names: you are well within your rights to examine your drivers taxi license, request the company business card(larger companies have numbers on the vehicle), and/or note the vehicles Vermont license plate number, along with the date and time. Then, for the benefit of our region, please follow through.
*** by our webmaster, or, law enforcement should you overstep the bounds of good sense.
Finally BTVTaxiNews.com is sponsoring the “Demand Better Vermont“ campaign.
Before we proceed, keep in mind, the suggestions that follow now, and subsequently, do not require you be demonstrative, nor confrontational. In fact, we view such behavior as pointless and counterproductive. These suggestions only require you keep firmly in mind “who is paying who”. Meaning you, the traveling public, can raise and nurture reasonable expectations by your response to unsatisfactory service, or behavior(the reason need not be explained although in some instances, it might help the process, if done succinctly and politely).
Demand Better ‘Service’ Vermont
When being delivered to Burlington Int’l Airport, your driver pops the trunk without exiting the taxi, making no effort to retrieve your luggage from the trunk, let alone placing it safely on the curb; we suggest the following: #1, make a mental note to hire a different company in the future, #2, withhold payment until you have obtained and loaded your luggage cart(which carts are free to the public at Burlington Int’l), #3, remember you are paying to be served and that gratuities are optional. It’s your change, request every coin, #4, warn your fellow and prospective travelers by way of BTV Taxi News.com, and #5, allow your driver to discover whether depressing the release button, will close the trunk remotely as well. That’s right! leave the trunk open. Think of it this way. The exercise may do your driver good, thereby qualifying you as a Samaritan.