I did this job while I was in college. It was a last resort for me (desperate move on my part for money) since we were in the recession then (after 9/11) and I couldn't find a job. If anyone tells you this job pays well do not believe them. It pays well if you own your own cab and self employed. If you work for a company you DO NOT get paid well at all (it's not by the hour. It's comission plus tips). I've delt with drunk people throwing up in the cab, 30 year olds (that act 18) that threaten to punch you out because they think you missed an exit or they think you jacked up the taxi meter, individuals run out without paying, I've gotten death stares from individuals with obvious mental problems, i actually got an old lady (a little mental) trying to exchange sex for a free cab ride (i was traumatized haha), hookers trying to exchange sex for a free cab ride (that's a thousand STD test checks for me if i actually obliged lol), you also risk robbery as well (yep they told me the night shift was the only position they had availabe for me). Every shift you start off in debt because you need to pay to lease your cab (don't forget I didn't own the cab I rented it) and also you have to pay for your own gas. This was all just to pay for school books so I could study in college and I was still broke sometimes haha, and you have to be prepared to work at least 10 hours to 12 hours a shift to make it monetarily worthwhile. I will admit I met some good people though and my employer and employees were good natured people.
However, it's a good thing my grades were good and I ended up getting a job as a math tutor after that (i felt i was literally in heaven after putting up with all that). The timing was perfect that I got the math tutoring job after that because they (the cab company) were most likely ready to can me because I couldn't put in enough hours (because of college). I lasted four months there.
P.S. This job is usually a job for desperate people looking for a job or a person looking for a temporary part time or temporary full time job. Few people do this as a career and it takes a special type of person to pull it off as a career. Also, someone got shot in a cab a few months after I quit for the cab company. There is a good reason a parent says " you should tip the cab driver"