U Eko taxiju sam zaposlen 2,5 godine. Bila je to velika promjena za mene, s obzirom da je moje prijašnje radno mjesto bila tvornica duhana. Ipak, svugdje se ponašam jednako – moj odnos prema klijentima uvijek mora biti na visokoj razini. Svaki dan kad sjednem u auto, zamislim kako bih ja volio da mene netko vozi. Tako vozim svakoga tko uđe u moj taksi.

Drago mi je kad mi netko dođe nakon dva ili tri mjeseca i sjeti se da sam ga ja već vozi. Često se sjete jer im je vožnja sa mnom ostala u dobrom sjećanju, a ja se uvijek trudim da tako bude sa svim klijentima koje vozim.

Najzanimljivijih trenutaka u vožnji taksija definitivno sam imao vozeći turiste. Lijepo je slušati otkud dolaze, što ima u njihovim državama od kud dolaze, kakvi su običaji, a naravno i njima je uvijek korisno od nas taksista čuti sve zanimljivosti o gradu. Odmah ispituju gdje ići, što vidjeti, što pojesti i drago im je kad im kažem sve neke male tajne i zanimljivosti grada koje možda neće čuti od vodiča ili pročitati u knjigama.

Obilaženje posebnih mjesta u gradu u ulozi vodiča

Sjećam se jednog jako simpatičnog i posebnog klijenta iz Amerike. On je bio vrlo mlad, imao je oko 20-ak godina i ja sam ga pokupio na aerodromu i vozio prema gradu. Njemu je bila želja vidjeti sve što je vezano uz Dražena Petrovića. S obzirom da je mlad, mene to jako iznenadilo, ali sam s veseljem prihvatio zadatak vodiča i vozio ga po svim mjestima koja su značajna za Dražena Petrovića u Zagrebu. Tako sam ga vozio do muzeja, dvorane, pa i do groblja, a uz vožnju sam mu ispričao i sve zanimljivosti i anegdote o našem najpoznatijem košarkašu. Bio je jako oduševljen i to ga se iznimno dojmilo.

Iznenadne suze radosnice

Jednom sam vozio jednog starijeg čovjeka iz Brazila koji je putovao Hrvatskom, a ja sam ga vozio na povratni let na aerodrom. U vožnji mi je pričao što je sve u Hrvatskoj vidio, koja je mjesta posjetio. Na kraju vožnje je čak i zaplakao. Rekao je da ovakve ljude i zemlju nikada nije vidio i doživio. Njegove suze radosnice su i u meni potaknule osjećaj topline i sreće i još dugo dugo ću pamtiti njegove riječi koje su me zaista, evo i sada, ganule do suza. Lijepo je od nekoga tko živi tako daleko, na drugom kontinentu, čuti da je u Hrvatskoj doživio najljepše trenutke u životu i jedno od najljepših putovanja, i da će svima u Brazilu ispričati priču o našoj lijepoj Hrvatskoj.

Za kraj, ako moram izdvojiti tri prednosti vozača taksija, to bi bili rad na komunikativnosti i rad s ljudima, dinamičnost radnog mjesta i svojevrsni avanturizam ovog posla jer svaki dan doživiš nešto novo i neočekivano.

I've been working in Eko taxi for 2.5 years now. It was a big change for me, since my previous job was in a tobacco factory. Nevertheless, everywhere I go I behave equally - my relationship with clients always has to be on a high level. Every day when I sit in the taxi, I imagine how I would love that somebody drives me. That’s how I drive anyone who sits in my taxi.

I'm glad when somebody comes after two or three months and remembers that he has already drove with me. They often remember because the ride with me remained in good memory, and I always try to do this with all the clients I drive.

The most interesting moments in driving a taxi were definitely while driving tourists. It's nice to hear where they come from, what are their customs from where they come from and of course for them it is always useful for to here all interesting things about Croatia. They are immediately questioning where to go, what to see, what to eat and I’m happy to tell them all the little secrets and interesting things about city that they probably won’t hear from guide or read in the books.

Visiting special places in city

I remember a very nice and special client from America. He was very young, about 20 years old and I picked him up at the airport and drove to the city. He was eager to see everything related to Dražen Petrović. I was very surprised, but I gladly accepted the task of the guide and drove him in all the places that were significant for Dražen Petrović in Zagreb. So I drove him to the museum, the hall, and to the cemetery, and during the ride I told him all the interesting things and anecdotes about our most famous basketball player. He was very enthusiastic and impressed after that.

Sudden tears of joy

I once drove an older man from Brazil who was traveling to Croatia, and I drove him on a return flight to the airport. He was telling me in the ride what he saw in Croatia, what place he visited. At the end of the ride he even cried. He said that such people and land had never seen and experienced and said that he would return with the grandparents for the second time so that they could experience what he experienced. His tears of joy have also started feelings warmth and happiness in me too, and for a long time I will remember his words that really make me cry from joy. It's nice from someone who lives so far, on the other continent, that has experienced the most beautiful moments in life in Croatia and one of the most beautiful trips, and that will tell everyone in Brazil a story about our beautiful Croatia.

For the end, if I have to outline the three benefits for work as a taxi driver, that would be work on communication and working with people, the dynamism of the job, and adventures kind of a job because every day you experience something new and unexpected.