Beresford Simmons

Beresford Simmons

Beresford Simmons grew up in Kingston, Jamaica, where he was first influenced and inspired by reggae music. He moved to the US in 1968 and began working as a cab driver part time in 1974 or 1975 while also working for Keystone electronics. He began his radio show, Taxi Vibes, in 1979. Simmons got involved with the New York Taxi Workers Alliance in its early years after a short period working with the United Yellow Cab Drivers Association.

In this interview, Simmons relates his experiences as a cab driver and union organizer over the past 35 years. He discusses the major changes that have taken place in the industry and in New York City since the 1970s, when drivers were paid on a percentage-based system, rather than leasing on a weekly or daily basis. Simmons also talks about his relationship with other drivers, through interactions in the waiting lot at the JFK airport, through is radio program and through his work with the NYTWA. He also recounts stories of his interactions with passengers and discusses how political changes in the city have affected the industry.

March 16, 2011

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1. These interviews were conducted keeping in mind the General Principles & Best Practices for Oral History provided by the Oral History Association (2009). The Oral History Association states that those using oral histories “should strive for intellectual honesty and the best application of the skills of their discipline. They should avoid stereotypes, misrepresentations, and manipulations of the narrator’s words. This includes foremost striving to retain the integrity of the narrator’s perspective, recognizing the subjectivity of the interview, and interpreting and contextualizing the narrative according to the professional standards of the applicable scholarly disciplines.”

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4. The New York City Taxi Driver Oral History Project is a documentation project and is designed to document the voices and perspectives of selected taxi drivers at a given moment in the history of the NYC taxi industry. The project directors have not and do not intend to cast judgment, interpret, or draw conclusions based on these interviews.

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"Narrator’s Name," in The New York City Taxi Driver Oral History Project, Item #, http://nyctaxisoralhistory.com/project (accessed Month Day, Year).

Audio

English

Margaret Fraser

Beresford Simmons

New York Taxi Workers Alliance, New York, NY

WAV, mp3

02:13:15

1,411.2 kbit/s

Start - 10:00: background, first experiences in the industry, percentage wage system

10:00 - 20:00: purchasing medallions with his older brother, moving from part time driving to full time driving, family, percentage system to leasing system, two-way radio in the cab

20:00 - 30:00: Changes in New York since the 1970s, mayoral administrations and their affects on the city, Times Square, immigration in the industry, politicians, radio show

30:00 - 40:00: radio show history 1979 reggae music and taxi industry news, music influences growing up in Jamaica, Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh, meeting Bhairavi Desai, previous unions and organizing efforts, United Yellow Cab Drivers Association (formed by brokers)

40:00 - 50:00: JFK airport, beginning of the Alliance and how he got involved, New York Taxi Workers Alliance, challenges in organizing, ethnic groups within the industry, lots at JFK

50:00 - 1:00:00: current major changes in the industry, major Bloomberg, crime and fear, partitions in the cabs, racism, driver as psychiatrist, taking passengers to outer boroughs

1:00:00 - 1:10:00: outer boroughs, compares to police officer, drunk passengers, relationships with passengers, economy and cab industry

1:10:00-1:20:00: racism, cab drivers and English, medallions, changing ethnic groups in the industry, September 11, reporting drivers to the TLC, independence, altercation (father’s watch)

1:20:00-1:30:00: altercations, misconceptions, economic recession, hard work, TLC and disrespect

1:30:00-1:40:00: courts, police relationship, health fair and industry health problems

1:40:00 - 1:50:00: strikes, NYTWA, airtrain at JFK, brokers and fleet owners, new technologies in the industry

1:50:00-2:00:00: NYTWA, livery out borough hails, medallions, credit card machines, double shifts

2:00:00 - end: brokers, lease cost, success in the industry, Bhairavi Desai