Sky high in Canberra

[serfty]

I've taken over a thousand taxi rides in the the last 12 years (I have my Cabcharge data to prove it) and from several bad experiences, will never again agree to share a cab with strangers.

FWIW, these days I only use Taxi's where there is no other reasonable option available.

 

[Dave Noble]

The key point is that multiple hiring is a convenience for passengers with incentives to make it work. You aren't forced into it and if you can arrange to share a cab without it, then more power to you.

You may not be forced into it, but you do need to know that at CBR ime since the taxi commisionaires often in my experience do question it in such a way as to imply that it isnt a choice.

When living in CBR , I would never agree to have my taxi shared since I didn't think the saving made it worth my having to share a cab but a few times I had to be v insistent that I wasn't sharing

Dave

 

[serfty]

In most states, when a taxi is used for multiple hiring each passenger is supposed to pay 75% of the normal fare when they alight. Some States (i.e. QLD) have a special meter setting where the 75% is calculated and shown on the meter; each passenger simply paying the amount displayed. In the other states the passenger/driver have to do their own calculation.

 

[Skyring]

I've taken over a thousand taxi rides in the the last 12 years (I have my Cabcharge data to prove it) and from several bad experiences, will never again agree to share a cab with strangers.

My wife was in tears in Adelaide the other day when she went off to visit relatives while I did some BookCrossing stuff. She had a couple of bad taxi experiences there and back and needed quite a lot of soothing down with local wine.

I can't speak for all cabdrivers, of course. Part of the problem is that it is a job which attracts low-skilled and inexperienced people, and communication is sometimes difficult.

And I'm well aware of the often intense criticism which is squarely aimed at the industry, usually legitimately. Canberra Cabs is definitely on the nose at the moment, what with one thing or another.

For my part, the job is something I'm doing for fun, and it's no fun if the passenger is angry and upset.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

She had a couple of bad taxi experiences there and back and needed quite a lot of soothing down with local wine.

Wow - that excuse works. Must try it, thanks.

 

[Skyring]

In most states, when a taxi is used for multiple hiring each passenger is supposed to pay 75% of the normal fare when they alight. Some States (i.e. QLD) have a special meter setting where the 75% is calculated and shown on the meter; each passenger simply paying the amount displayed. In the other states the passenger/driver have to do their own calculation.

The meter does the work in the ACT. Quite frankly, I wouldn't trust some cabbies to work out 75% of anything, nor would I trust others to set the right rate. If you get bad service, jot down the facts - time, place, cab number etc - and write a letter of complaint. Then tear it up and write something that will tell the managers that you aren't some ranting lunatic, and that the cabbie has a case to answer. I've seen them hauled in and strips torn off, and it's a lot more effective when the complaint is calm and factual. Just about everything a cabbie does nowadays is recorded via GPS and meter records and the EFTPOS machine and the network database, so valid complaints can be checked and the bad apples rooted out to pursue new careers.

 

[Bolman]

Hmm... 75% - how about 11%?

So many times the cabbie has told me that his eftpos machine is broken, so he performs a manual credit card swipe.

Majority of the time the cabbie doesn't fill in the $ amount, just hands me a blank ticket for me to fill out. I always make sure I fill out that field - dodgey practice.

And then, despite what the receipt states, there is always an extra 10%gst and 1% service charge on my credit card, so the cab-base-station must add that to all manual transactions when the cabbie hand them the manual ticket.

 

[oz_mark]

So many times the cabbie has told me that his eftpos machine is broken, so he performs a manual credit card swipe.

Yes, amazing how unreliable those machines can be. They suddenly break down when a card is produced. And with those single use Cabcharge things they work even worse!

And then, despite what the receipt states, there is always an extra 10%gst and 1% service charge on my credit card, so the cab-base-station must add that to all manual transactions when the cabbie hand them the manual ticket.

This is certainly something that annoys me immensely. My receipts don't match my expense claim, which can elicit a please explain.

 

[Mal]

If you ever do a "multiple hire taxi" in BNE, watch out that the cabbie actually sets up the meter correctly.

The meter should be set to fare tariff 4, 5 or 6 depending on when you are catching the cab (Most normal fares are tariff 1, 2 or 3) - more info on current cab fares here: Fare Calculator - General Information - Yellow Cabs

I once shared a taxi from the airport in BNE with some other random dude. He was seriously ripped off as the taxi driver had the wrong tariff on. I let the cabbie know and suddenly my fare suddenly reduced by quite a few $ !

Actually, it's amazing how much knowing what the taxi rules are can help when catching a cab sometimes.

Now back to the original postings... Congrats - I've met both some very friendly and some very dodgy taxi drivers in my life. Glad to see yet another friendly one has joined the ranks!

 

[thadocta]

You may not be forced into it, but you do need to know that at CBR ime since the taxi commisionaires often in my experience do question it in such a way as to imply that it isnt a choice.

When living in CBR , I would never agree to have my taxi shared since I didn't think the saving made it worth my having to share a cab but a few times I had to be v insistent that I wasn't sharing

I have some horror stories about the commissionaires at CBR - when flying in and out of CBR, I am generally doing a flying raid on Casino Canberra - so I want to get in there as quickly as I can. I don't want to be mucked around with multiple hirings and so on and so forth.

I also politely - and then forcefully - and finally rudely - tell them I will NOT do a multiple (and even then they still like to argue).

And I am involved in the taxi industry, so I know what they can and can't do!

Dave

 

[Skyring]

Yes, amazing how unreliable those machines can be. They suddenly break down when a card is produced. And with those single use Cabcharge things they work even worse!

Well, speaking from personal experience here, they certainly don't work as well as a regular credit card. I usually have to insert them several times before I get a reading. Maybe I have to work on technique, as I always get them to work successfully, eventually.

Personally, I'm all in favour of credit cards and stuff. The less cash I have to carry around the better. Mind you there's less chance of a "keep the change, driver" with these things, but I look on tips as a bonus. Usually tips come from the people who have already given me the most, with clear directions, pleasant conversation and so on. A passenger who brightens up my day doesn't have to give me money on top of the fare, so it's always an extra pleasure when they do.

However, I appreciate that with people on business travel, corporate credit cards and so on, there are usually company rules that everything must add up and there are no personal expenses allowed. My philosophy is to work within the system, keep all the accounts straight and leave nothing for the idiot computers to spit out exception reports about. That way lies happiness.

 

[simongr]

I have been remarkably free of cab fraud on my diners card - until recently. A mysterious $82 for a trip from the airport to smithfield appeared... thankfully now credited when Diners actually compared my signature (that I had to fax them a copy of - expectation would be that they would have it on file somehow) to the scrawl on the slip.

GUys I used to work with had very very frequent frauds on their cards...

 

[Skyring]

Actually, it's amazing how much knowing what the taxi rules are can help when catching a cab sometimes.

Now back to the original postings... Congrats - I've met both some very friendly and some very dodgy taxi drivers in my life. Glad to see yet another friendly one has joined the ranks!

Thanks, Mal! "Joined the ranks!" Heh. I'll have to use that.

Yes, knowing the way the system works and what the rules are is always important - look at this forum, for example. The advice given away freely, usually with links to references, is worth thousands of dollars to travellers, and can often mean a huge difference to the outcome of a trip, when the little things mean a lot and those precious few exit row centimetres become important.

I've been meeting some of the other cabbies in my few spare moments, and the selfish or ignorant attitudes of some appall me. When we find a rank with many passengers waiting, we are supposed to contact base with the information, so that more cabs can be sent. But one chap told me two nights back, that he never does this - he keeps on coming back to mine this source of riches and prays that nobody else finds them. OK for him, I guess, but for the poor passengers waiting in what might be a bitterly cold night, it's not pleasant. They don't care what cabbie they get - all they want is a ride home. Besides, what if the cabbie gets directed to the other side of town? He's got a nice fat fare in his pocket, but he's hardly likely to drive all the way back to clear the rest of the passengers.

Mind you, the same cabbie told me a good way to earn money which has the advantage of benefiting passengers. Wait until all the other cabbies have logged off for the night - and about one or two in the morning you can see the numbers of cabs on the road shrink very quickly - and then you'll be a big frog in the small pond of available work. He reckons that Sunday nights are the best, because there are so few cabs on the road then.

Anyway, I'm enjoying the work so far. I'm meeting a lot of fascinating people for a short time, a kind of sudden front seat intimacy with folk I'd normally never get to say hi to. The big payoff for me isn't the money - it's a smile at the end of the trip.

 

[JohnK]

I have been remarkably free of cab fraud on my diners card - until recently.

In December/January I had 2 mysterious taxi charges from 2 different reputable taxi companies for ~$10 each on my Amex.

Called Amex and told them these charges are not mine. They asked taxi company for proof of transaction which they could not provide. Apparently taxi companies just send a list of charges to credit card companies and get paid without anyone sighting a receipt with signature.

Has not happened again.

 

[serfty]

... And with those single use Cabcharge things they work even worse! ...

Well, speaking from personal experience here, they certainly don't work as well as a regular credit card. I usually have to insert them several times before I get a reading. Maybe I have to work on technique, as I always get them to work successfully, eventually. ...

I've only just started using these TAXI eTICKETs

Most cabbies seem have trouble using them but they eventually work. One cabbie showed me a trick where by holding a business card against the side without the magnetic strip when inserting seems to get better results.

I preferred the vouchers, one could pre-fill one out in its entireity and simply hand to the cabbie at the destination;

I've been dragged kicking and screaming to the modern era; it now takes at least a minute longer to exit a cab.

 

[Bolman]

Apparently taxi companies just send a list of charges to credit card companies and get paid without anyone sighting a receipt with signature.

Doesn't surprise me signatures are fast becoming a superficial requirement. I regularly order home delivery, pay with my CC over the phone and the delivery guy doesn't ask for a sig.

 

[Skyring]

I've only just started using these TAXI eTICKETs

Most cabbies seem have trouble using them but they eventually work. One cabbie showed me a trick where by holding a business card against the side without the magnetic strip when inserting seems to get better results.

Aha! Thank'ee kindly, sir! This is something I can put to immediate practical use. It makes sense - the thing is skinnier than a normal credit card, so it's probably not making quite so intimate a contact with the magnetic readeratron as it should.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I've been dragged kicking and screaming to the modern era; it now takes at least a minute longer to exit a cab.

I dunno if it is the same thing, but we have taxi charge cards that are swiped same as debit or credit cards. A pain since driver always takes a minute or more typing in origin & destination codes, wait for verification and print out 2 receipts (one for driver which you sign and one for client). Started using these a couple of years ago. A pain to use compared with the old paper vouchers which you could pre-fill in (or on the way).

 

[simongr]

The joys of having my driver complete the slip for me and have it waiting when I get into the cab - and only swiping my card on the second leg of a return trip. Recovers precious minutes of my life each year

 

[oz_mark]

In December/January I had 2 mysterious taxi charges from 2 different reputable taxi companies for ~$10 each on my Amex.

Called Amex and told them these charges are not mine. They asked taxi company for proof of transaction which they could not provide. Apparently taxi companies just send a list of charges to credit card companies and get paid without anyone sighting a receipt with signature.

Has not happened again.

Signatures are often only checked if there is a dispute. This is not much different to cheques - very few ever really have the signature on them checked.