Candy Taxi in New York: How to Recharge Yourself on a Business Trip

Taxis in New York are divided into two types: traditional yellow and car services, which can be of any color. The former can pick up passengers on the streets, the latter cannot. Kar services work only on call. But there is one car that belongs to a completely unique - candy - taxi. CandyCab was created in New York by Mansour Khalid, a taxi driver with 25 years of experience. He treats passengers with sweets, invites them to sing karaoke and entertains them with light and music. In his car, they celebrate weddings and birthdays, and also just have fun. The story of Khalid was told by the publication Tut.by.

Mansour Khalid is not just a taxi driver. He is a local landmark. His "candy cab" appears in many New York City travel guides. In addition to an expensive stereo system, Mansur's "pumped-up" SUV has light and music, microphones and karaoke displays, and the armrest is filled with sweets for passengers. “It is forbidden to eat and drink in the car. An exception is sweets, ”warns the sign in the cabin.

For the past few years, Mansour has been working as an on-call taxi driver. You can book a "candy" trip at his site.

But he started with a yellow taxi, on which he worked for almost 20 years.

“I came from Pakistan to the US in 1993. He started by working as a cleaner, dishwasher. Whoever worked. I turned as I could. It wasn't easy, of course. But life itself is not an easy thing, ”said Mansour.

Tired of endless part-time jobs and lack of money, the guy got a job in a taxi.

“At the time, yellow taxis were a good source of income for drivers. Not only was it enough to pay the bills, but there was also some left over from above. I was making about $ 1200 a week. Some of them went to pay for the lease, and another part went to the salary of my second driver. I worked the night shift, so I earned a little more, ”explained the taxi driver.

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Mansur knows how to find a common language with clients and never argues with them, so he did not have conflict situations with them.

“For all the time I have probably transported about a million people and never got into trouble. There was one interesting story. The client was rushing to the party. It was winter and there was a lot of snow around. While getting into the car, he fell into a puddle, wet his feet. We arrived at the place, he asked me: "Can you sell me your socks?" I asked if he was sure of this. To which he handed me a 100-dollar bill and said: "Give me your socks." He put them on and went to the party. These were the most expensive socks in my life, ”said the driver.

How great personal grief inspired Mansur to give joy to others

In the city of Mansur, they call it “candyman”. He got this nickname in 2012, when he began to treat his passengers with free sweets. Unfortunately, the occasion was sad. In 2010, Mansur had a son. The boy was named Saad. Doctors diagnosed the child with congenital heart disease. For two years Saad fought for life. Every evening after the shift, Mansur would come to the hospital to visit his son and bring the doctors coffee and sweets.

“It seems to be a trifle, but it was very pleasant for them,” the taxi driver recalls.

Unfortunately, the doctors were unable to save Saad. In April 2012, the child died. In memory of his son, Mansur decided to give joy to the people around him. So behind the back seats of his first car - a yellow Toyota - a niche appeared with free candy for everyone.

"I understood a lot. The people who got into my taxi often looked tense, tired, sometimes angry. In conversations, you understand that the reason for depression for the majority is so petty that it was not even worth bothering with it. Life is too short to pay such attention. I treated them to sweets, talked to them, and the mood changed. They were smiling, ”the driver said.

In addition to the chocolates, Mansour also installed a karaoke music system in the salon. All with the same purpose - to give people joy. Passengers appreciated the new items and began to post their photos from the "candy taxi" on social networks. Over time, journalists found out about Mansur, and from the pages of newspapers and online publications he got into guidebooks with sights of New York.

The townspeople responded to good with love

The generosity of the "konfetoman" paid off handsomely. In 2014, his car broke down. He gave all the family's savings to the treatment of his son and to improve the car. Mansur was left without work and without money.

“I gave all my money for the treatment of my son… Everything… I had 0 dollars 0 cents left. After his death, my car broke down and I simply did not have the money to fix it. I posted a message on Facebook and Twitter with the text: “Guys, the candy taxi is closing. I can no longer contain him. " And then my subscribers responded. They launched an information campaign, started fundraising on the Internet. Ordinary people, whom I once gave a lift and treated to sweets. Today I am on my feet and have a lucrative job thanks to these strangers. Honestly, I love this country, - said the taxi driver.

We managed to collect about 6,5 thousand dollars via the Internet. And after participating in a show on one of the major TV channels, he received a check for 25 thousand dollars. He gave part of the funds to pay the initial payment for the new Lincoln Navigator, which he bought on credit.

I spent the rest on setting up a karaoke music system. Now Mansour drives around New York not in a yellow Toyota, but in a large black SUV. In the armrest, he still carries sweets for his passengers. He spends between $ 400 and $ 600 monthly on candy, chocolates, toffee, and other treats.

“The car cost about 80 thousand dollars ... The car is my second wife. I do it all the time: I repair it, maintain it in good condition, wash it, clean it. Naturally, only I can drive it, ”said the motorist.

Before the pandemic, he on Saturday he arranged free trips for everyone, provided that it was to be a company of 5 people. So he thanked the New Yorkers for putting him on his feet after the death of his son. Now he does not suit trips by large companies, but the taxi still works and entertains passengers.

“Let's not waste time. Marry me"

Mansour is a workaholic by nature. In his car, he spends almost more time than at home with his family. By the way, he also met his wife in a taxi.

“She herself is from Poland and came to New York to visit her friends. She got into my cab. I looked at her through the rearview mirror and thought, "How beautiful she is." She was staying at a hotel in Manhattan. We exchanged a few words during the trip, and I invited her to show the city. She asked: "How much will it cost?" I said, "Free," says the taxi driver.

Mansour drove her around the city, brought her to a restaurant for dinner, and then drove her to the hotel and drove up to the parking lot every day, waiting for her to leave.

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“When she came out, I was so glad to see her. I drove up and we drove and walked. On the day of her departure, I took her to the airport and at parting asked if she would mind if I flew to her in Poland. She thought I was bluffing and agreed. The next day I bought a ticket and flew to Poland for the first time in my life. It took me two days to get from the airport to her city. I even had to spend the night at the bus station. I arrived, she opened the door and was very surprised. We met for 6 months when I told her: “I love you very much. Let's not waste time. Marry me". She asked for time to think. I was in Poland with her then. I remember she accompanied me and said at the airport: “I love you too and accept your offer,” Mansur shared his love story.

Mansour greets people with a smile. He sees them off with a smile. He is a surprisingly optimistic and positive person who happily shares his happiness with those around him.