Grab A Taxi To See The Pope? Don't Count On It, Warn Philadelphia's Cab Drivers
By Hadas Kuznits
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- If you plan on catching a cab to see Pope Francis in Philadelphia this September, you might want to prepare a backup plan.
Taxicab drivers are expecting to face the same restrictions as other motorists when the pontiff is in town.
Ronald Blount, president of the Taxi Workers Alliance of Pennsylvania, says with the huge number of people expected in the city, even if you manage to hail a cab, blockades will most likely prevent you from getting door-to-door service.
"And I think that's where the confusion and the frustration is going to come in for both drivers and the riding public," he told KYW Newsradio this morning.
Blount says taxis won't have any special privileges during the pope's visit.
"All we can do is get you to the zone, to the police barricades," he said, "and I guess from there I don't know whether there are going to be shuttles from the city or people are just going to have to do it by foot."
And, he adds, drivers are hoping for the best when customers have difficulty getting where they want to go.
"Because it's a religious event, we think people are going to be on their best behavior. People are going to be forgiving and understanding, hopefully, but there will be a few people that will get frustrated. I mean, some people are coming from different countries, and they didn't travel for nothing!"
