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Cabbies Strike Provocative Poses for This Year's Risque Taxi Calendar

By Tanveer Ali | December 17, 2014 1:06pm
 For the  second year  in a row, 12 of Chicago's cabbies struck provocative poses to raise money to fund  a long-standing federal lawsuit against the city .   
Taxi Calendar 2015
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CHICAGO — For the second year in a row, 12 of Chicago's cabbies struck provocative poses to raise money to fund a longstanding federal lawsuit against the city.

Melissa Callahan, who has been driving cabs in her hometown Chicago since 2007, again took all the pictures for this year's Chicago Taxi Calendar.

Callahan said her fellow cabbies were happy to take pose for the calendar, which features professional drivers in minimal clothing striking risque poses on or near their taxis.

"I told him to pole dance on the stop sign," she said of her photo of Mr. January, who posed on a residential street in Ukrainian Village.

Mr. February is splayed on the hood of a Yellow cab. Mr. December stripped down to a Santa hat and red silk underwear. Mr. September is nude — to see that one, you'll have to buy the calendar.

Last year, about 200 people did, including many cab drivers and customers from across the country, Callahan said.

Like last year's calendars, this year's $15 version will help fund a federal lawsuit seeking to get cab drivers treated more like city employees and less like independent contractors.

Earlier this month, the city approved an ordinance that will lower lease rates, cut maximum fines by more than half, trim credit card fees and allow revenue-sharing on advertising atop and inside cabs.

The ordinance was passed as a way to give cab drivers relief from competition brought by ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft.

Despite the passage of the law, the federal lawsuit is still on, Callahan said.

"This case was filed before Uber and Lyft really became well-known," Callahan said. "There were issues that the city hasn't addressed yet."

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