Taxi driver considers career change due to spiking gas prices
Taxi driver considers career change due to spiking gas prices
After almost 10 years of collecting fares at MSP Airport, Sisayn Bekuto is now thinking about making a career change. The longtime taxi driver says very soon he may leave his taxi cab behind for good, and it’s all because of how much it's costing him to fill up his tank.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - After almost 10 years of collecting fares at MSP Airport, Sisayn Bekuto is now thinking about making a career change. The longtime taxi driver says very soon he may leave his taxi cab behind for good, and it’s all because of how much it's costing him to fill up his tank.
"This is the worst time," Bekuto said on Sunday. "[It’s] never been to this price [of] $5."
For the first time ever the nationwide average for unleaded gas is now more than $5 a gallon. And many experts are only predicting gas prices will continue to rise through the summer.
Comparing his income with his current expenses, Bekuto says he’s basically working just to be able to afford the gas he burns on trips. And even that has become more difficult to break even with.
"It is very expensive," Bekuto said. Gas used to cost him $50 per fill, but after a steady increase in prices over the last two months… now that’s up to $80.
"That is not worth the work of this business anymore," Bekuto said. He’s also seen his business drop by 80% since the start of the pandemic.
On some days he says he’s down to only two or three pickups, "We’re just trying to make whatever you can every day," Bekuto said.