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Friday, September 12, 2014

San Diego Cab Drivers Cry Foul Over Body Odor Test

SAN DIEGO – Body odor is among 52 criteria that officials at San Diego International Airport use to judge taxi drivers. Cabbies say that smacks of prejudice and discrimination.

For years, inspectors with the San Diego Regional Airport Authority run down their checklist for each cabbie -- proof of insurance, functioning windshield wipers, adequate tire treads, good brakes. Drivers are graded pass, fail or needs fixing.

Anyone who flunks the smell test is told to change before picking up another customer.

Leaders of the United Taxi Workers of San Diego union say the litmus perpetuates a stereotype that predominantly foreign-born taxi drivers smell bad. A 2013 survey of 331 drivers by San Diego State University and Center on Policy Initiatives found 94 percent were immigrants and 65 percent were from East Africa.

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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's not racist if you have bad body odor' either you smell bad or you don't!

Anonymous said...

It's your employers rules. If you don't like it you are free to leave and open your own business and stink all you want

Anonymous said...

Hygiene is not discriminatory and racist. Genius. How about take a shower, and join us in evolution, you animals.

Anonymous said...

People on airplanes should be screened for body odor before boarding.

Anonymous said...

Yea I hate gettin' in a cab and all I can smell is popcorn, ass and shrimp. Then I know I need to chage my diet.

Anonymous said...

Lets just make "special concessions" for all our new stinky immigrants because they really need a break. Poor babies hated their country and came here thinking that "anything goes" in this country. Must be hard realizing that we are less free than they thought when they risked their life to get here. A chicken in the pot for EVERYONE...right NOW.