Short Taxi Fares (and the associated driver rage!)

[anat0l]

speaking of short fares I was watching someone trying to hail a cab the other day in the Mel CBD... taxi after taxi stopped, the woman would go to the window and ask if the driver would take them to xyz. All of the refused. I'm sitting there thinking 'why don't you just get in and THEN tell them where to go'?

Finally after about 20 minutes (and 5 or 6 cabs) she did just that - got in first and then told them. the taxi went on its way.

It is still illegal to refuse short fares right?

I believe it is illegal for a cabbie to refuse any fare. I suppose there are some defences against this for drivers, but I can't quite think what exceptional circumstances allow a cabbie to refuse a fare. "Too short" is not likely exceptional enough.

At least in Australia it should be OK to jump into the taxi first then tell them where to go.

Short fare aversion seems to be a rampant thing in MEL for some odd reason.

 

[mushez]

For me - I do BNE INT to my warehouse/office in Pinkenba 4008 - which is the same suburb and all of 8 minutes from the international terminal, and personally find the $25 taxi fare to be expensive and a rip off - but bets walking any day.

While I feel for a taxi driver who waits 2-3 hours for my fare, it really isn't my fault that they all choose to wait and they choose to be inefficient.

I also feel for taxi drivers/owners who have to pay $5,500 pa in registration fees for their vehicles, as well as insurance premiums up to $10,000 pa per vehicle in QLD, that has them needing to make $45 profit each and every day on the vehicle simply to cover these two overheads.

Also the $3 BNE Airport Corp fee charged on each taxi departure from the rank is a little bit exploitative.

I guess I just don't like inefficiencies, and feel the rath most of us get on short fares is not because it is short - it is because the driver has elected to wait 3 hours and take the punt he might retire on the next fare.

 

[RooFlyer]

I believe it is illegal for a cabbie to refuse any fare. I suppose there are some defences against this for drivers, but I can't quite think what exceptional circumstances allow a cabbie to refuse a fare. "Too short" is not likely exceptional enough.

<snip>.

"End of shift and going the other way" is the excuse I get. I'm not sure if that's an officially acceptable reason for refusing fare, but I've had it when I've gotten into the cab and when the door's locked but window opened and he asks where I'm going to.

What can one do, insist that he takes me, while he just sits there? :evil:

 

[medhead]

The smartest cabbies what to start the meter and get the flag fall as many times as possible.

 

[Buzzard]

The shortest cab ride Mrs B and I have taken was when ADL had the old 2 terminal airport. We wanted to go from domestic to international. We were put into a cab that just dropped off. $5 later we were all happy

 

[medhead]

The shortest cab ride Mrs B and I have taken was when ADL had the old 2 terminal airport. We wanted to go from domestic to international. We were put into a cab that just dropped off. $5 later we were all happy

Shorter than me. Old domestic to airport hotel, when I first moved to SA.

 

[JessicaTam]

I will now grab a cab from the departures area in MEL as I am just outside the 'short fare' boundary.

A much more pleasant drive than when I have caught cabs from the rank: A cabbie was told if he got back from dropping me off in 20 minutes he could skip the rank. I swear we were going to break the sound barrier, and I am not sure we actually came to a complete stop when he got to my place. I made sure he counted out the exact change. :-|

 

[boomy]

"End of shift and going the other way" is the excuse I get. I'm not sure if that's an officially acceptable reason for refusing fare, but I've had it when I've gotten into the cab and when the door's locked but window opened and he asks where I'm going to.

Every time it's raining in MEL and I try to catch a taxi home from the CBD I get the 'end of shift' excuse. Interesting they all finish around 5pm...
I tried once to get in before telling the driver where I want to go and the door was locked. He gave me an angry look and said I must say where I want to go BEFORE entering the car. Off course once I told him my address (about 6km from CBD), he didn't let me in and drove away.
I

 

[anat0l]

Just out of interest, in MEL, does the taxi industry / taxi drivers / in general with taxis have any sort of "reputation"?

We don't usually talk a lot about taxis in the news or what not in Brisbane, unless a taxi driver gets assaulted. Of course, there's also the regular chestnuts, like the taxi parking lot at the airport and the fairly expensive Airport to CBD transit.

I don't know why, but of all the major centres in Australia, I find the taxi service in MEL the most appalling (on average).


I'm actually surprised that the OP got a bit of a snub for a job from BNE Airport to Ascot. It's not a "long" job, but it's not like it's not the shortest ride ever! Frankly, unless you call a favour from someone, how else are you supposed to get home (there's little practical public transport to Ascot)....

 

[JessicaTam]

Just out of interest, in MEL, does the taxi industry / taxi drivers / in general with taxis have any sort of "reputation"?

We don't usually talk a lot about taxis in the news or what not in Brisbane, unless a taxi driver gets assaulted. Of course, there's also the regular chestnuts, like the taxi parking lot at the airport and the fairly expensive Airport to CBD transit.

I don't know why, but of all the major centres in Australia, I find the taxi service in MEL the most appalling (on average).


I'm actually surprised that the OP got a bit of a snub for a job from BNE Airport to Ascot. It's not a "long" job, but it's not like it's not the shortest ride ever! Frankly, unless you call a favour from someone, how else are you supposed to get home (there's little practical public transport to Ascot)....

MEL taxis certainly do have a reputation. So much so that former FedBank chief (or was it ACCC?) Alan Fels did a fairly intensive review, with some strong recommendations.

 

[ashleyn]

I think Australia wide the taxi industry has a bad name. In WA we are going through an 'awareness' program being run by the daily newspaper. No different to anywhere else in Aust I think. We should all do our bit to make it better. Dob in the bad apples who refuse fares or make you feel uncomfortable if they accept it. It's their job and they are bound by rules. AFF has the collective buying power to make a difference here.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

yeah - taxi drivers in Melbourne... don't know the way, or will ignore your instructions when you tell them a specific route. One argued with me and said another way was shorter but then we hit half a dozen sets of lights and the meter went up accordingly (compared to my way with one set of lights).

taxis in general around Australia... and maybe this links back to another thread here on FT about 'buy Australian' - but why do we have to put up with cramped, creaking, dirty, sedan type taxis?

london cabs are a great design.

Why don't we have them here?

Or why hasn't the Australian car industry diversified to make an equivalent vehicle? Why does a disabled person have to wait hours for cab when a single vehicle type could carry everyone like they do in london and other parts of the UK?

Taxis are very expensive here in Australia - but the the service and vehicle doesn't match the price we pay. (Yeah Japan is outrageous for taxi prices but i get a pristine car with great service).

 

[anat0l]

AFF has the collective buying power to make a difference here.

I wouldn't say that too quickly.

That said, if we could studiously report all major transgressions, we might make a difference in and of itself. It's not as if we can take our business elsewhere - whilst taxi companies must compete against each other, so to speak, it is in essence a cartel, and funny enough, regulated by the government.

I think this is why services like Uber are becoming much more popular (but are not as widely spread, nor necessarily as responsive, and understandably more expensive).

If you get a bad driver who races off when you tell them a bad fare, you might be hard pressed to note the details of the taxi (e.g. car number). I wonder how the relevant complaints interface (don't know who it would be) would treat such complaints, because it can be a "they said, we said" thing (even with advanced tracking of cars, it's not easy to establish without being there whether a cabbie refused a fare).

 

[Aus ATC]

As a regular short trip taxi user in MEL I generally use the departures level, but recently have felt like a criminal when I do - trying to avoid the "traffic wardens" or whatever they are.

Once having taken a cab from the regular rank, (having said to the rank dragon that I was a short trip) I jumped in a cab and said I was going to the Control Tower (other side of the airport and about $20). Driver heads towards the Tulla but I pull him up at the BP servo - where are you going? He thought I said Crown Towers. Let's just say the remainder of the trip was a little frosty.....

 

[QFflyermelbourne]

MEL drivers really are appalling. The other consistency I have had for the last couple of years is that the Indian drivers (who seems to be the overwhelming majority) all seem to spend their entire lives on the phone to someone doing god knows what. Most have the ear piece in and softly mutter away, but last week I got in a cab in the CBD and the driver had his phone call patched through the stereo with bluetooth and the woman blaring out very loudly the speakers. I assumed he would kill this once I got in but nope - the whole 20min ride home I had to endure this shouting match in god knows what language back and forth. I've also regularly dealt with those who argue about route and insist their way is better when it's absolutely not.

 

[cove]

That is the reason we use a driver from Melbourne airport to Southbank.

 

[Simo]

MEL drivers really are appalling. The other consistency I have had for the last couple of years is that the Indian drivers (who seems to be the overwhelming majority) all seem to spend their entire lives on the phone to someone doing god knows what. Most have the ear piece in and softly mutter away, but last week I got in a cab in the CBD and the driver had his phone call patched through the stereo with bluetooth and the woman blaring out very loudly the speakers. I assumed he would kill this once I got in but nope - the whole 20min ride home I had to endure this shouting match in god knows what language back and forth. I've also regularly dealt with those who argue about route and insist their way is better when it's absolutely not.

that is just rude...

 

[Groundfeeder]

A few years back I scored a lazy cabbie from city to MEL DOM who seemed to take his time when I asked if I could get a quick trip.

The best "revenge" is to sit in the rear LH seat and if they have been annoying, after paying you get out and leave the door open, as they have to get off their a#se to go around and close it.

Sometimes the air goes blue but it's great when other pax realise the reasoning.

 

[boomy]

yeah - taxi drivers in Melbourne... don't know the way, or will ignore your instructions when you tell them a specific route.

Not only in MEL... I had a heated argument once with a taxi driver in SYD who wanted to take the eastern distributor from the airport to city.
Usually I'm happy with that but that time it was late in the evening and I know for a fact that when there is no traffic it's very similar timing going through Redfern (I used to live in SYD).
Anyway, the driver was very unhappy about my choice and started cursing me in a foreign language. I couldn't care less, told him to shut up and drive but if it was someone else, more agitated seating there instead if me, the driver could get in big trouble for his attitude.

 

[Alanslegal]

It is still illegal to refuse short fares right?

Yes, the driver should be reported. Sad but that's how the theory works. However if I was on the other side and the actual taxi driver owner, paying for the license, costs etc I would expect that I be able choose how I operate my business, and if refusing a short fare was more worthwhile to me, than that should be my right.

I believe it is illegal for a cabbie to refuse any fare. I suppose there are some defences against this for drivers, but I can't quite think what exceptional circumstances allow a cabbie to refuse a fare. "Too short" is not likely exceptional enough.

The two exceptions I know of, are; 1. if the driver reasonably believes the person/s would be unable to pay for the fare and 2. if the driver reasonably believes that the person/s may be a safety risk