San Diego cab drivers are now subjected to a body odor test in order to pick up consumers. The cabbies, who in San Diego are 94% foreign born, with 65% from East Africa, believe the new criteria re-enforces stereotypes that foreign cab drivers smell bad.
For years, San Diego Regional Airport Authority inspectors checked each driver for proof of insurance, functioning windshield wipers, adequate tire treads, and good brakes. Drivers are graded pass, fail or needs fixing.
Now, cabbies must pass a body odor test, determining their level of smell. Anyone who fails the smell test is ordered to change before picking up another customer.
Drivers question exactly what constitutes as a “bad” smell, who determines it and how inspectors distinguish between them and their cars. The checklist has a separate item for a vehicle’s “foul interior odors,” that may include gasoline, vomit or mildew.
But San Diego isn’t the only city that has instilled specifics on cabbies appearance and body smells. Chicago requires drivers be “clean and neat in their appearance.” New York City’s wording is similarly broad.
Seattle has long evaluated cabbies for body odor associated with infrequent bathing and not washing clothes, but dropped the test last month for a more general requirement on cleanliness.
The new criteria encourages regular bathing, and is said to be enforced for customer satisfaction.