European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 4, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Vienna taxi riders going native Many viennese residents want taxi Drivers who can carry on a Good conversation in German As Well As find their Way to and from the Homburg and other important Sites around town. By Michael z. Wise the Washington Post at the taxi stand outside the Vienna state opera cabdriver Karoly Kokai is waiting for his next fare. The radio dispatcher suddenly asks for a Quot native to go to a nearby address. Kokai a hungarian stays put letting an austrian born Driver heed the Call. One of Vienna s largest taxi dispatching services is doing a brisk business sending Quot natives Quot to transport passengers averse to foreigners at the wheel. The firm says it is merely responding to a consumer demand no different than a special request for a Mercedes or a non smoking Sedan. Although the demand for native Drivers makes up Only a fraction of Overall taxi requests in the austrian capital cabdriver say such Calls have risen sharply in recent months. Phoning for a native has become Standard practice among viennese worried about an influx of immigrants from Eastern Europe and developing countries. Quot this mirrors the general mood Here Quot said Kokai 33, who has lived in Vienna for 11 years. Quot foreigners Are  according to Kokai prospective passengers often scan the windshields at a taxi stand searching for a Driver who appears to be austrian. When some seated customers discover he is not a native after All iranian born Ham Yaun Sina said they leave his cab slamming the door As they go the preference for natives Many local Drivers say stems from aggravation Over the inability of some cabbies of foreign origin to understand German and quickly find desired destinations. But other Drivers say the surge in Calls for natives is suspect citing the rules that command of the language and a thorough knowledge of City streets Are prerequisites for obtaining a taxi Driver s License. Viennese Drivers interviewed at taxi stands around the City readily accused their foreign colleagues of Quot poor grooming Quot Quot Bazaar manners Quot and driving Quot dirty  they also said the foreigners Lack Schmaehl a Homegrown form of Chat with charming but often double edged entertainment value. Quot How can they have Schmaehl asked Driver Hubert Steininger in mock indignation the danubian lilt essential to the local dialect evident in his voice. Quot the viennese like to Converse they like to talk politics they like jokes. When you pick them up at a tavern you say so How was the wine were there any Good looking babes you can t just sit there at the wheel a you be got to Tell  City spokesman Christian Roettinger termed dispatchers readiness to transmit requests for native driven taxis an Quot exploitation of latent  yet while austrian Law prohibits discrimination on the basis of National or ethnic origin in Public services officials said they know of no instance where the practice has been legally challenged. Quot i am simply meeting a demand Quot said Gerhard Pfister manager of the fun taxi 31300 a Mph taxi company which is linked by radio to nearly a Quarter of Vienna s 4,340 cabs. Several foreign born cabbies have ended dispatching arrangements with the firm but Pfister rejected such criticism saying the private company is acting according to free Market principles. Quot i respect customers wishes no matter what Quot he said. Quot i Don t see Why this should be a matter for  Pfister s primary competitor Vot fun taxi refuses to transmit orders for native Drivers. Quot we see this As a sort of discrimination Quot said Vot manager Leo Muellner. Quot All the Drivers have been tested and Are licensed so we do not make an it do Tim tons. For us they Are All equal. Some austrian passengers angry at what they too View As discrimination have begun asking dispatchers for a foreign born Driver when ordering a cab. The Vienna taxi Drivers Guild estimates that 10 percent of the City s 7,000 licensed cabdriver Are foreigners residing legally in Austria. Strict disciplinary procedures have stemmed Large numbers of unauthorized cabbies according to the Guild and testing for German and Street knowledge has been toughened. Quot guest workers Quot compose around 0 pen ent of the total austrian work Force. Asked about concern from local Drivers who say the foreigners threaten their livelihood a Guild official said the Market needed the additional Drivers from abroad. Viennese cabby Sylvia Schrack said she responds to radioed requests for a native Between six to eight times a Day other Drivers said the Calls represent up to 20 percent of their daily fares. Quot i Don t see it As xenophobia. These Are just customer preferences Quot said Schrac k. Quot when you go to an italian restaurant and order pizza that is what you want. You Don t want Green  june 4, 1m2 stripes Magazine 13