Taken for a Ride is a short documentary that examines the devastating aftermath of San Francisco’s Taxi Medallion Sales Program—a city-backed initiative that promised opportunity but delivered financial ruin.

In 2010, then-Mayor Gavin Newsom introduced the program, allowing cab drivers to purchase medallions—the licenses required to operate—for $250,000. For many drivers, it was a chance to invest in their future, to finally own a piece of the industry they had spent decades serving. But just as they bought in, Uber and Lyft—unregulated and rapidly expanding—entered the scene, reshaping the landscape of urban transportation.

While ride-share companies grew with the city’s support, medallion values plummeted, leaving drivers saddled with insurmountable debt. Today, more than 40% of those medallions have been foreclosed on, and many drivers continue working under crushing financial pressure, unable to retire or recover.

Through the stories of three San Francisco cab drivers, Taken for a Ride explores the collision between policy, profit, and the people left behind. It’s a poignant look at a city in flux—and a workforce caught in the fallout.

The film focuses on 3 cab drivers who bought their medallions through the Medallion Sales Program. We hear why they bought it, how the unregulated rise of Uber and Lyft affected their business and how they are struggling with debt while having to pay for a medallion that is now worthless.