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The PubClub Profile –
Kenny the Cab Driver
He Doesn't Take Fares, but Friends
In Kenny's rock
'n roll cab, getting there is at least half the fun.
Lights. Camera. Action!
The stage is set for a night out on the town, and since the party scene
in the South Bay area of Los Angeles is so intense (to say nothing of
the parking situation), driving is not an option.
Instead of their cars, locals rely on Kenny the Cab Driver and his
rock 'n roll taxi to take them to the bars and parties. It's a trip
so entertaining that arriving at the destination is a bit anticlimactic;
you almost want him to drive around the block a few times in order to
continue the experience.
Getting into Kenny's cab is like stepping into "Saturday Night
Fever." It has Christmas lights, cranking dance music, is covered
with snapshots of frequent patrons and features free candy. About the
only thing missing is a disco ball.
The person who coined the phrase, "Getting there is half the fun"
must be a customer.
Regulars meet Kenny with a big handshake or hug. Rookies react as if
seeing a cruise ship up close for the first time – with awe and
fascination. "This is incredible," they remark, their expanded
eyes looking at the lights, photos and a dashboard sign that proudly
proclaims, "Kenny, Your Friendly Cab Driver."
"My daughters started the decorations," said Kenny, who has
been driving a cab for four years. "After my first week, one wanted
to know what the customers talked to me about and I told her they all
wanted to know my name. So she made a sign.
"Then both started decorating the cab for different holidays.
When a customer gave me a photo, I put it in the cab and kept the decorations.
Now, I've got a waiting list for photos. The important thing is that
people really enjoy it. When they get in my cab, they tell me 'You made
my night!'"
Loyalty among Kenny's customers runs deeper than the adjacent Pacific
Ocean. People program his number into their cell phones. They use him
to go to the airport, even for business trips. A couple even got engaged
in his cab. After riding with Kenny, the thought of ever using another
taxi is unfathomable.
For his part, Kenny takes it all all in stride.
"I don't look at myself as being a taxi driver," he says.
"I'm just a friend giving another friend a ride so they can get
where they are going safely and have a good time."
That's because Kenny is as modest as a dollar bill rolled up with a
fistful of 50s. He's as polite as someone who accidentally bumped into
Hulk Hogan.
"When people get in a cab, they enjoy knowing there's a friendly
person driving it," Kenny says. "It's good for me, too. When
I go home, I always feel good about my day. I have a lot of satisfaction
in this job."
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