European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 8, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 18 the stars and stripes saturday. February 8, 1986 at right b on of the a Bricf of Newyork Gay Tab driven without of a vanishing a Ltd of Hedstr cart. New York immigrant cab Drivers by Maureen Dowd new York times t he taxi Driver of new York lore that Brassy Middle aged Street smart cabbie who loves to palaver on sports and politics is going the Way of the checker  new report based on a year Long study of the new York taxi Drivers Institute paints quite a different picture of the City s new Breed of taxi Drivers. Three quarters of the 4,369 new cabbies Are immigrants. They were natives of 82 different countries from Albania to Yemen. Those polled were attending the mandatory Institute course in geography and Courtesy. Their median age was 33, and they were relatively Well educated. More than half had completed two or More years of College. But Only half said they spoke English at Home instead citing an exotic Range of languages that included the West african dialects of a efik and Kru and the Indian languages of Gujarat telegu and Malayalam. Thor were More now driven from Haiti than from new York City and More from Bangladesh than new Jersey. While there were 133 applicants surveyed from the soviet Union there was Only one from Kansas. The television and movie image of the quintessential new York Driver has gone out of business said or. Anne g. Morris the study s project director who Heads the Center for logistics and transportation at the graduate school and University Center of the City University of new York. The composition of cab Drivers has changed to mostly foreigners who work very hard but Are not As  the Survey was conducted from october 1984 to May 1985. Ellen Welman a spokesman or the City taxi and limousine commission estimated that More than 90 percent of those surveyed had gone on to become cab Drivers. The taxi and limousine commission has found the results of the study reflective of what the Industry has turned into an immigrant population of cab Drivers she said. Morris said the Survey underscored the need for mandatory geography and map Reading courses and May also help explain passengers complaints about cab Drivers who do not know the Way to grand Central terminal or the Brooklyn Bridge. A Quarter of those surveyed had lived in the City for three years or less. That s not very Long to get to know your Way around Morris said. The Institute training gives them a grip on what it s All about in  far from being Bryty they Are very troubled by the negative image of cab Drivers said Morris who conducted group interviews with the applicants to ascertain their View of the Industry and the training course. They feel they do grueling work and make an Effort but that they Are dismissed As stupid people who steal and Don t know anything she said. And that s simply not  Morris suggested that the fear of crime might be what is keeping the Industry a largely male Bailiwick. The taxi Drivers Institute was started in 1984. Anyone applying for a Hack License has to Complete its 20-hour course which includes geography Courtesy and Driver passenger relations. Morris said this census represented the first such demographic profile of the taxi Industry anywhere in the country. It reflects the same sort of changes that Are taking places As different As Washington and Dallas she said. 8h in cult a that la heft to Drivers leasing their cabs instead of being paid by salary plus commission May have attracted More new immigrants to the taxi work Force. With leasing there s no career ladder so it does t attract people with other options she said. College students or actors might prefer to work in restaurants rather than having to pay the up front costs of leasing which can Range from $75 to $100 per  Morris said she would like to continue studying the Industry to determine whether the new Breed of taxi Drivers will contribute to slowing the Industry s traditionally High turnover rate. Many of these people May regard taxi driving As More of a Long term calling because there s a lot of Independence in the Job she said. It s one thing a Small businessman can go into. You buy a medallion you have your own business. These people want to make it professionally and economically and be  today s crossword by Eugene Sheffer across 42 depressed 2 epochs1 madly 44 rare Avis 3 Cathedral excited 46 Khayyam parts6 Wax dyed 50 tropical 4 Wrath fabrics rodent12 Plano Tchlo 52 mexican cat snack13 unrelated 54 wryly to ethics amusing14 news hour 55 thrilled 15 actress 56 made Over 9"�p.slgnoret 57 Breaks Hornbeam 16 re amount fast17 club costs Down 19 spanking 1 actor20 feed the o Shea hogs22 Compass 24 beast of burden27 concerning 29 top notch 18 exalt 21 ignited28 adage 5 Over looked 6 vile 7 wrong8 actor Selleck 25 Road is warning i 26 meryl strap movcr28 Chap. Eroned30 show 41 directory Otansy 42 Den ,d43 monster 45 French Char 47chesiflntah 48pub an to yesterday s Puzzle the Cush Hurt Workins Inthy Wathis Hoosby clean what is to Pear Mdse Naguy take break