ian vandyke

Help a 75-Year-Old Pieter, a Loyal Monterey Yellow Cab Driver Fired After 20+ Years for Being 'Too Old' After more than 20 years of dedicated service—working 7 days a week behind the wheel of a Yellow Cab in Monterey, California—75-year-old Pieter VanDyke was suddenly fired with no warning, no severance, and no retirement benefits. The only reason given? His age. Pieter has been a fixture on the streets of Monterey for over two decades. Rain or shine, he showed up every single day to transport locals, tourists, families, and visitors safely across the Peninsula. He took pride in his work, treated every passenger with respect, and never missed a shift. He poured his heart into this job, expecting to work as long as he was able—only to be discarded when the company decided he was "too old." Now, at 75, Pieter has nothing to fall back on: no savings, no pension, no severance pay, and no unemployment safety net that can cover his needs. He’s staring down next month’s rent and bills with no income coming in. On top of that, the modest house he lives in is desperately at risk of being red-tagged by the city. Pieter doesn’t know how he’ll keep a roof over his head, let alone afford a lawyer to fight this unfair termination or make the urgent fixes to his home. This hardworking man has spent his life serving our community. He’s widowed, has no family safety net, and now faces the very real possibility of losing everything in his golden years—simply because he dared to keep working at an age when many others have already retired. Pieter never asked for handouts. He just wanted to keep doing what he’s always done: drive, earn an honest living, and stay independent. But age discrimination has left him in a desperate situation. If you would find it in your heart to lend a helping hand, it would mean the world to Pieter. Your support can help him cover rent, bills, urgent home repairs, and legal support to fight this injustice. Please donate or share his story—let’s show Pieter that his years of service to Monterey have not gone unnoticed, and that our community stands behind him in his time of need.