Rarely do I gush in my monthly column. Especially these days, my editorials are generally filled with complaints, criticisms and sometimes badgering – but this month is different. On April 20, I visited the new “Taxi Clubhouse” in Chelsea (at 161 W. 22nd Street), and I can’t say enough about how impressed I was.
In the short time I was there, at least a dozen TLC-licensed drivers stopped in to grab coffee, relax in a big comfy chair, watch TV, pray and use the restroom… all for FREE. There’s also a full gym, games, and filtered water (also all free). The facility is called the Taxi Clubhouse, but the manager, Mostafa Kamal told me all TLC-licensed drivers are welcome; they just need to bring their license with them.
Although I’ve mentioned it before, I don’t think I’ve fully expressed my disdain for the fact the city is so quick to issue citations and makes huge demands on its TLC-licensed drivers but has been grossly negligent when it comes to providing an adequate number of relief stands. Everyone – especially people who work so hard and tirelessly – deserves the dignity of a clean place to “attend to nature’s call,” without having to beg or buy a soda or an order of fries from a local restaurant.
“For a very long time, it really has felt like we were forgotten by the city,” Hanea Badar, a yellow cab driver for more than three decades, told me. Mr. Badar, who put his children through college driving a cab, visits the Clubhouse almost every day it’s open (11:00am to 7:00pm, Mon-Fri). “When government officials treat you the way we’ve been treated, it trickles down from the top, and sadly our customers often feel like it’s okay to be mean and disrespectful. I am so glad we now have this place.”
“To do well in this industry, your own mental and physical health must come first,” Mr. Kamal said. “Driving on New York City streets can be difficult and very stressful. Sometimes you just need a place to unwind.”
According to Danielle DiTomo, head of marketing at QML Taxi, the company that built the Clubhouse, there are plans to open additional locations in the Bronx and Queens. Already, about 500 drivers visit the Manhattan location each week.
There is a 12-car taxi relief stand with free one-hour parking on 21st Street, but QML Taxi is currently working with the city to provide additional free parking for TLC drivers as more of them are made aware of the new facility.
QML Taxi is also planning to launch new amenities and programs for drivers, including health insurance, legal assistance, physical fitness training, medallion purchasing, lending, an EID celebration, a viewing of the World Cup, and various seasonal events.
“We opened the Taxi Clubhouse as a first-of-its-kind space to give hard-working taxi drivers a dedicated place to rest, relax and recharge during their shifts,” Ms. DiTomo explained. “The Clubhouse was modeled based on driver surveys, in order to cater to their specific needs in a clean and easily accessible space. We encourage taxi drivers from across the five boroughs to come on down and utilize this incredible space!”
Bravo, QML Taxi!
