Sacramento Taxi Drivers Cautious On Their Biggest Night

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- With thousands of partiers expected to crowd places like Old Sacramento, one cabbie says he can make up to $500 tonight, but some say they're willing to pass on the money in order to stay safe.

After the fireworks fade, the night picks up for Sacramento cab drivers. It's the busiest night of the year.

"We have about 300-400 cabs going to give you service," said Kazman Zaidi of the Sacramento Taxicab Association.

And while cabs will be on every downtown corner, not everyone will get a ride.

"If we see some suspicious activity or a suspicious person, we are going to refuse. We are not going to give service," said Zaidi.

Shaken up by a year of violence against cabbies, including a murder, a hate crime beating and a knife pulled on a cabbie just two weeks ago, the Sacramento Taxicab Association is urging cabbies with a bad feeling about a passenger tonight, to refuse service.

"We ask you please do not start trouble," said Zaidi. "We really need that our drivers are fully protected."

But some cabbies, say that despite previous brushes with violence, including nearly being run off the road by a passenger, they have no plans of turning down a fare.

"I lock my door," said one cabbie.

Sacramento police, already staff-strapped tonight, say although they can't give any group priority, they'll respond to calls from cabbies as fast as they can.

"We're hoping some of the training we will provide to them will let them know when they shouldn't pick up someone, or call us before problems begin," said Sacramento Police Dept. Sgt. Norm Leong.

Cabbies hope that a year of problems won't follow them into the New Year.

Anyone looking to start trouble downtown tonight may have to deal with some of the 100 patrol officers who will be posted in the area.