AJGojia
The taxi tutor
AJGojiabegandrivingcabs in the
early ’90s toworkhisway through
college. “Taxi drivingwas good
money,”he says. “My collegebuddies
wereworking in retail,making
minimumwage. I put inhalf the time
andmade twice themoney. Plus, it
wasflexiblewhen I hadfinals.”
Oneday, hecameacross a job
ad for a taxi instructor inaPakistani
newspaper. “I fit thebill, but I wasonly
21.Most of the studentswere in their
forties, so they said I was too young.
Twoweeks later –boom– they called
meback. I had twodays’ training
before I taughtmy first class.”
He taught night andweekend
classes, inaddition tohis already
hectic scheduleof driving 12-hour
shifts, four nights aweek, andcollege.
“Sleeping isnot on the topofmy list in
life,”he says. “I get four hours and I’m
ahappy camper.”
Ten years later, hedecided to
openhisown taxi-tutoring school in
Queens. He runs four daily sessions,
teachingup to30 studentshow
to readmaps, find landmarks, and
interactwithcustomers.
“Driving is a greatway tomakea
living. Teaching is the same– youmeet
newpeopleeveryday. I get asked if
it’smonotonous to teach the same
material everyday, but it’s achallenge
tohave someonewhohasnever gone
toa formal school and someonewith
amaster’sdegree in the sameclass
andmake sure theybothpass.”
Last year, a televisionproduction
company approachedGojia about
a reality programme set at the taxi
school. “I told them Iwasn’t interested
inmaking adimeoff ofmy students’
personal lives.My business doeswell,
and I can sleep at night knowing I help
people. I sleep fantastically… for four
hours. I don’t needmore sleep. You
sleepwhen youdie, it’s fine.”
Lincoln
Stevens
Themechanic foreman
Lincoln Stevens hasbeenworking as
55 Stan’smechanic foreman for the
past decade, headingup a teamof
15mechanicswho keep the garage’s
140cars in top shape. “Wehave a
schedule. Every car has tocome into
the shop twice amonth–wehave to
keep them sharp.”
The garage runs a full hybridfleet
of late-model Fords. Usinghybrids
means adriverwill get through a
maximumof four gallons of gas,
rather than 15, whichmakes them
cheaper tomaintain. Cars are kept in
use for two yearsbeforebeing sold.
“Wecheckeverything, but always
the lights, tyres andpassenger area–
passengers cause a lot of damage.”
Stevens’ teampaysparticular
attention tocarsheading into their
threeannual TLC inspections. “We
havea98.8per centpass rate,
becausewedon’twait for cars to
breakdownor for theTLC to tell us
what’swrong. It’snot standardpractice
formost fleets, butwe’redifferent.We
know the rulesandhow tokeep them.”
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