Taxi Drivers

Eric and I recently (hahaha, in March) took a trip back to the states during Spring Vacation.  We boarded the bus, assuming that it would take us all the way to the airport.  Unfortunately, the bus schedule had recently changed and the direct bus was no longer available.  Instead we had to change to a different bus at the Traffic Center in Kumamoto.  Wouldn’t you know it, our bus was late and we missed the airport bus by 4 minutes. 

Being without any other option, we decided to catch a cab.  We walked over to the large group of waiting cabs and asked the first one if he could take us to the airport.  The driver had been chatting with the next driver in line, and the two of them loaded our 4 large, heavy bags into his cab.  It wasn’t long before we passed the airport bus, which made Eric and I feel much better about the entire situation.  The driver probably noticed we were a bit stressed and he took every yellow light in order to get us there as fast as he could.  He let us know how much it was going to be ahead of time and stopped the meter once it reached that price.  Once we got to the airport, he even helped carry our bags all the way into the building and over to the baggage check area.  He was kind and polite and so helpful.  Tips are included in the price of everything in Japan, so even if you try to give someone a tip they won’t accept it.  But I have never genuinely wanted to give someone a tip so much in my entire life.

Now this might seem like an isolated incident, where we just happened upon the best cab driver in the world, but I imagine the situation would have been similar no matter which taxi we had taken.  My experiences with cab drivers in Japan have always been incredibly positive. 

Don’t think of Japanese cab drivers as taxi cab drivers.  To get a clearer view of the level of service and care they offer think of them more along the lines of limo drivers.  Cabbies in America are often seen as angry, rude, and low class.  But cab drivers here are serious, polite professionals.  They wear suits and ties with white gloves and hats.

I eat on buses and on trains, but I would never eat in a taxi cab.  Every cab I have ever been in has been pristine.  The seats are usually covered in lace dollies.  I know the drivers pride themselves on offering a clean environment to their clients, and I would never do anything to mess it up for them. 

If you ever take a Japanese taxi cab keep in mind that you never have to touch the door.  The driver can control the opening and closing from his seat, and they prefer if you don’t try to close it yourself.  Cabs are still usually an option of last resort, as they can be very expensive, especially in larger cities, but at least I know that I’m getting quality service for the money.