(Washington, DC) – The DC Taxicab Commission would like to recognize the extra efforts made recently by two taxicab drivers and a passenger. In each case these individuals made sure to return lost cell phones to passengers who took the time to express their tremendous gratitude.
On November 9, 2012 the Commission received from Frank L. Rosa commendation for Yellow Cab driver Mr. Mussie Mamo Restayaem. Mr. Rosa from Shenandoah County, Virginia, cited his appreciation for the driver’s thoughtfulness to track him down to return the cell phone accidently left in Mr. Restayaem’s vehicle.
A week later on November 16, 2012 the Commission received a message from Mrs. Kassandra Rempel relating the story of a Silver Cab driver only identified as Tarik. Mrs. Rempel left her iPhone in the taxi and tried to track its location until the signal died. A week later as she left her house she noticed a cab driver waving at her. As she approached the vehicle she recognized the driver who asked if the phone with the picture of a little girl pasted on it belonged to her. The driver said he had been returning to the same location every evening in hopes of finding the owner of the phone. Mrs. Rempel said she had “renewed appreciation for strangers and their infinite capacity for good.”
Last week during the International Association of Transportation Regulators Annual Conference at the Four Seasons Hotel, the organization’s President Matthew Daus experienced an amazing twist of fate. He left his iPhone in a cab; however within two hours of losing it the next passenger found it and dispatched Diamond Cab Number 88 to return the phone to Mr. Daus. He was so overwhelmed with joy that he publicly shared with the conference audience, which at the time included Mayor Vincent C. Gray, how impressed he was with the courtesy he experienced in the city.
“The DC Taxicab Commission is proud that these drivers went beyond the call of duty to provide superb customer service,” Chairman Ron M. Linton stated. “We hope these examples serve to inspire drivers and passengers within our public vehicle-for-hire industry to understand their value can be more than just an anonymous ride from Point A to Point B.”