A cab driver is hauled away for disorderly conduct, after a confrontation with Parking Authority Officials over accepting credit card payments. (NBC10)

I am now a card-carrying member of the Blogsbe Nation.

It took a lot for me to admit that. But fellow blogger Ruben Brosbe has me enthralled, ever since I learned yesterday that NBC10 conducted a major investigation on a story he broke months ago.

It seems, in the shadow of Stephen Morse’s departure, we have another investigative journalist person in our midst. At least Brosbe hasn’t resorted to traffic lights and street lamps…yet.

More than a month ago, on Feb. 6, Brosbe reported that the much-advertised credit card machines in Philadelphia taxis were of little use — many drivers refused to accept plastic. This, despite vehement insistence from cab company representatives that credit cards are accepted by all cabbies.

It’s certainly understandable.

Cabbies must fork over 5 percent of their fare when customers pay by credit card, and unlike cash payments, the drivers don’t actually receive the money right away (not to mention many other feesupwards of $80,000 alone.

But the card machines have been installed, and companies advertise their use. So when cabbies started refusing to accept the cards, as Brosbe reported more than a month ago, we at the DP knew trouble was brewing.

Well, yesterday, the lid blew off. On Monday, NBC10 (known for its lack of covering anything substantive) conducted an undercover investigation, confirming Brosbe’s findings and showing cabbies refusing to accept the cards.

[Coming six week's after Brosbe's report, NBC10 must be a little behind in their Spin reading. On a side note, I have personally confirmed that 6ABC anchorman Jim Gardner is a regular reader.]

So yesterday, the Philadelphia Parking Authority, which controls the taxis, issued an executive order mandating that all cabs accept credit card payments and conducted a crackdown at the Philadelphia Airport. NBC10 was there, cameras rolling:

The Video

Some cabbies are claiming to be striking, but it seems as though the Parking Authority will win this round. With the authority to cut off a driver’s ability to legally drive a taxi in the city, they hold most of the cards in this deck.

Props to NBC10, but hopefully they’ll be a little faster in jacking our reporting next time. Or they’ll give us a shoutout.

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