Majik Carpet ATX Tours

09/08/2023

This has been a registered ®️ business for over 18 years

08/08/2022

08/08/2022

If you don't know who Randy Rainbow is, check out this YouTube video:
https://youtu.be/7hk4TGuedxA

Grab your tickets for an October 1st (affordable) upcoming show at ACL Live theater on Willie Nelson BLVD.
https://fb.me/e/1WQ1EgPqn

Credits:Parody Written and Performed by Randy Rainbow(Based on "Dance: Ten, Looks: Three" by Marvin Hamlisch from A Chorus Line)Song Produced, Orchestrated, ...

06/25/2022

This is so sad. RIP

Clay Allison, Austin punk rock legend, died this morning. He owned House of Wacks, rock&roll memorabilia, antiques, rocks and junk store, 701 E 53rd St. I was driving down North Loop in Feb. 1999, throwing coins out my window, my spell to find a place to start up my witch store, the old Natural Magic store. I saw his “Sublease Available” and screeched into the parking lot. Clay served me White Russians, intimidated me with his intellect and nonstop jokes and wooed me with his debonair flattery. He seemed very pleased with the idea of witches taking over his store. He refused to take a deposit. “I trust you so you'll have to trust me.” And of course I did. That space has since then been home to quite a few successful small businesses (and pipe dreams) and I firmly believe that Clay is the reason that witches (Yarrow & Sage now carrying the broom) are again in this wyrd and wonderful place today. RIP Clay

08/16/2021

01/25/2020

Weird Austin delivers weird heroes!

A group of people dressed in animal costumes jumped in to help a victim of a domestic violence attack.

06/07/2018

Thirty local brisket masters compete for Best Brisket in Austin title

06/05/2018

What the taxi industry needs in the 21st Century.
Smartphone apps under the direction of multinational venture capitalists have threatened the existence of thousands of independently owned operators all over the country.
The major disadvantage the small operators face is the lack of national recognition, relying on local authority to operate. The marketing of an individual taxi comes down to the trade coat on the car. The paint job, decals, lights etc. Before the smartphone apps, the most effective way to get business was to drive around where a lot of people could see your car.
With the advent of the smartphone apps, people are no longer looking for a generic taxi but an individual vehicle that announces that it has arrived via the app. In this climate the trade coat seems to be a liability rather than an asset. But this is a public relations problem.
I have been driving a taxi for 15 years, the last 3 have a nightmare. But i have been making observations, and i dont think those smartphone apps have a solid business model and the traditional taxi model has some advantages over the smartphone apps; because the taxi driver and and system has the experience coupled with the generic nature of a taxi, to safely convey passengers to and from high traffic areas. The apps on the other hand, with inexperienced drivers coupled with passengers that are looking for a specific unmarked vehicle has the potential to cause confusion, chaos and more hazardous traffic congestion. As opposed to just flag down a passing cab, or go to the cab waiting at the front of the line.
If the small operators are to survive we must recognise our strength and double down on them.
Defend your trade coat, with paint make a unique color scheme and make drivers agree not to be caught loading from the apps using the company's colors. If they quit to drive for the apps they will have to repaint their cars. I have been seeing too many former taxis working the apps still using the company colors.
Dispatch; electronic dispatched taxis are nothing new, taxis have been radio dispatched for decades as well as computer dispatched decades as well. The apps have only opened dispatch service to everyone with a smartphone, not a smart idea in reality. But the companies existed because they had a closed system to dispatch drivers to passengers. Smartphone apps are providing the closed system to unvetted drivers in anonymous cars. Pretty much all of the permitted taxi companies in the Austin market have tried more than one dispatch app, even before the TNCs came to town, for some reason they did not catch on with the public. However they provided all of the features that the TNCs boast as being so innovative, including tracking your pick up, and remote payment.
The big problem with the remote payment, as well as credit card processing, the company collected and held on to the funds, distributing on the company's fees and schedule. This arrangement proved to be disastrous when fuel prices go up and the driver needs to fill the tank daily.
Then along comes Square! The same smartphone technology that enabled the TNCs allows the individual taxi driver to process credit card payment and cut out the company all together. There are other credit card processing apps, but i know many drivers all over the country are using Square. I know this because when a customer enters an address to receive a receipt, Square remembers it and often skips the entry page altogether.
Most of the traveling passengers that pay with a credit card automatically have their receipts sent. These are customers that are brand new to me, but not Square. So Square has a nationwide network of taxis and they dont even know it.