Before you get in the next taxi in Richmond; before you ask the staff in a Richmond hotel to call you a taxi cab, PLEASE read this.  Many people are afraid to take a taxi in Richmond,Va because of the cost and being afraid of getting ripped off. And you should be. The business has gotten so bad because there are just too many cabs in Richmond and not enough business. Here's the thing. Many taxi drivers sit at hotels in Richmond and at bus stations and Amtrak for several hours waiting for a fare. We wait too many hours because there are so many crooked taxi drivers and hotel staff that make it impossible for us to get a fare in a timely manner. Taxi drivers actually go inside the hotels in Richmond and pay the staff to give them fares. this is illegal but it is what is going on. What this means for YOU is the money the cab is kicking to the hotel staff is comming out of YOUR pocket because they take the longer route to get you to your destination so they can make some of that money back. Also when a visitor ask the hotel to get them a taxicab, the hotel staff usually don't look for the nearest cab, they call differant taxi companies to see who is going to pay them the most for the fare. Meanwhile the visitor sits waiting a long time for a cab. And believe it or not. lots of time there is a cab already outside the hotel but the visitor doesn't know this because they cannot see the cab from the lobby. The cab sitting outside is not going to pay for a fare so the hotel staff is going to try and keep the visitor from seeing the taxi by telling them to have a seat while they wait for the crooked cab they called to arrive. Just because a hotel is a five star or four star hotel, doesn't mean they are the best. They have crooked staff which involves the bellhops,concierge,housekeeping and even some maintenance and security workers.So remember, the next time you stay at a hotel in Richmond or the surrounding areas, be smart and use your phone to search for a local taxi cab. You won't wait so long to get a cab. Even though 98% of Hotels in Richmond is infested with this issue, there are also local businesses that have the problem also. Even some of the best colleges in Richmond have this problem. I attempted to leave my business cards in a card holder at the desk of one of the colleges and the man at the desk said he could get me good business but whats in it for him. I asked what he meant by that and he said, well you know how we do. I usually get about $15 to 20 from the drivers. When he told me that, i took my cards and just left and let him know that I don't need to pay for trips. I just refuse to go there especially when I have to pay for the gas and a fare to the airport from the college is about $35 and from the other university it's around $45. so It doesn't make sense to me. But I guess that's why I don't get many fares from the students going home when school ends.and that's ok. I will keep advertising and eventually things work out. Just remember one thing, If your staying at a hotel in Richmond or surrounding area,don't ask for a cab until you go outside and see for yourself if one is out there. Also when the staff ask where you are going, that should be a red flag. They don't need to know where you are going. they are asking to see if it's a good trip so they can make money from it by seeing what crooked cab wants to buy it from them. No matter where you stay in Richmond, no hotel can suggest the best taxi service because there are over 200 taxi cabs in the city of Richmond and growing all the time.  And with all that said I hope you will all do the right thing and be smart. Use your phone or the internet and search for your own taxi cab. It will help stop the infestation in hotels and other businesses. Thanks for reading. P.S. save money for the holidays and get a %50 off coupon from my website. Happy Holidays to all. ...read more

This morning I got a call from a lady who needed to be picked up in Midlothian and bought to Chesterfield. She told me she lived in Atlanta and she was hear teaching a class about drug use and prevention. While I was driving she told me this was going to be a round trip and if I could give her a flat rate. I did. Her round trip would have been $72 but I charged her $50. At this time she told me that when she got in a cab from the airport it cost her $110 to get to Midlothian on Huguenot rd. I lost my breath and I couldn't believe it. But she was serious. I told her it should not have come no where near that. When I dropped her off at her hotel I stayed there for a minute to put the address on my gps to get the miles. It was only 22 miles from her place to the airport. This trip should not have costed no more than $55 or $58. The miles are not always exact but never to far off. this lady paid double in this taxicab. I have no idea which taxicab it was but I wish I did. So my dear Merchant Circle members. If you are travelling,please beware of some taxis that may try to rip you off especially during this holiday. FYI: the meter starts at $2.50 and then it is $2.50 per mile. Calculate where you are going on mapquest or a gps and times the miles. Then you cannot get ripped off. Print out the directions and let that driver know you want him or her to take the route you printed. Even if you are not travelling,if you know someone that is then please relate this message. I am also posting this message on myspace,facebook and twitter if i can and other websites. Thank you and have a happy and safe New Year. XOXOXO  Dorinda ...read more

She is beautiful. The man in the pic is the painter. His name is Terrell. ...read more