Taxis

[straitman]

I make a point of not letting my card be used in a manual imprinter - I always ask at the start of the journey and will happily find a different cab if it's not working (IMHO, that was the cause of my CC fraud problems interstate - forgetting to ask and then having it as the only option for payment).

The occasion I was referring to was a short Tullamarine to Essendon airport trip using an electronic card machine and a corporate Amex card. :shock:

 

[thewinchester]

Cabs - great when you have a good driver, terrible when you don't.

I don't know if I've recounted these stories on AFF before, but the following are the kinds of drivers who get on my nerves to no end.

The first comes from a late evening PER-BNE flight which got in after midnight. Usual story at PER with a huge queue at the rank and all the new or lazy drivers flooding the lanes. Newer drivers in PER always congregate around the airport ranks rather than ensure an even distribution of service leading to constant complaints regarding taxi availability in the metro area.

PER's issues also arise from how easy they made it to get a cab license here because of all the public opinion. Drivers here can get a license interstate which is as simple as sitting a test for which they can buy the answers for, transfer that license to WA, and ignore the basic local knowledge requirement by procuring a GPS unit which they'll never use anyway.

Sheer lack of standards and consistency means that all the good drivers continue to suffer at the hands of the useless souls who continue to fill the industry while they wait for a better job in the mining sector.

Anyway, Mr 6 Months or Less was my driver - and only bothered to tell me halfway down Brearley Dr that his Cabcharge unit wasn't working. This of course was after instructing him on my destination he had no idea where it was, let alone any clue about Perth's northern suburbs or major regional centres. I had to stop at an ATM on the way to get cash to pay him - and he had the gall to keep the meter running while I did.

Thankfully Swan Taxis take customer complaints reasonably seriously and have set their systems up to quickly deal with and penalise drivers who do wrong by customers. Having captured the drivers details and called Customer Service the next morning, per normal processes he suffered a 1hr dispatch lockout and barred from airport rank pickups for the duration.

My next occurrence happened mid-last year where due to my own laziness (read inability to get out of bed on time), I was running late for work. Hailed a cab at the William St rank outside Wesley Church, and gave him the location and asked him to take a very specific direction.

Well, the Eastern European driver decided to completely ignore the customer's instructions and decide the way he wanted to go - which would have added an extra $10 to the meter. He drove straight past the first street specified - and was asked why. He responded that he was going to the Graham Farmer Fwy this direction (imagine the broken English here if you please). When informed again he was specifically asked to go up the street he just drove past, he said he was going his way.

Needless to say, I made him pull over and stepped right out of the cab without handing over a dime. A quick call to Customer Service - where the operator was so outraged by the story she'd already sent a message to his Raywood unit ordering him back to their headquarters in Vic Park immediately. Later that day, the Manager who made a follow-up apology call to me advised he'd been pulled from the road for the remainder of the day as it wasn't the first complaint they'd received about him, and he'd be attending some mandatory training in the next week or so.

Now, as an ex-taxi driver, it is a bit of a furphy to think that cab drivers will take you the long way. Generally this will only happen with a driver who has no idea where they are going - a new driver, generally with poor english. they will know main roads only and will guess a main road and ask if they should go that way. If this happens you need to be on top of them, otherwise you might get a long trip.

Well you have my respect as a former taxi driver, but my personal experience does beg to differ.

As a more than frequent taxi customer (at least 250+ journeys a year, most in and around PER), I know there is a sizable compliment of drivers - the evil 1% - who do try to hose the customer and take them the long/wrong way. I have way too many stories to recount on how many drivers I've had hauled over the coals for attempting this stunt.

This isn't to say that the majority of drivers are dishonest - most of them are average to brilliant. As already suggested its a small percentage of drivers who spoil the reputation to others.

The favourite scam in Melbourne is to put the $2 phone booking fee on a hailed taxi and plead ignorance when called on it. Using a credit card in an Melbourne taxi is almost guaranteed to result in fraud. I've seen more honest drivers in BKK than MEL.

The taxi directorate is only there to protect their members (owners) and they hate passengers with a passion. Every so often the issue a press release and do nothing.

Fraud and cab charge where the 2 reasons I stopped using credit cards to pay for taxis.

Complain, and complain loudly I say. Whenever you have a terrible driver or one who tries to rip you off - your first stop should be the Customer Service number of the relevant taxi company.

Also, you should always pay by credit card when you have a terrible driver and insist on the Cabcharge receipt. This gives you a record of the trip, as well as all the details you need to track down the errant driver.

It also enables you to perform a chargeback if the company doesn't act on the complaint. The drivers/owner's life more difficult if repeated chargebacks are received, as NAB can pretty much knock them off the network and refuse service.

As an added bonus, paying by Cabcharge costs a bad driver - 3% of the fare for a cash redemption of their Cabcharge receipts, 4% if they are automatically deposited to their bank account. Small piece of revenge even if you don't lodge a formal gripe.

And by the same token - if you get a really good driver, give him a reasonable tip (I normally tip around $3-5, mainly so I don't get change from notes) and make sure to get his details and log a compliment for him with the relevant cab company.

That's the other thing I try to do. If I can (safely) avoid a cab either by a public bus or train or tube, then I will. A "tourist" heading to the airport is ripe for picking. Same with a confused tourist walking around an airport looking for the cab rank.

Agreed. I'm sure there's something we as a community can come up with, in addition to straitman's suggestion of a good list of private drivers/known good cabbie's.

 

[notzac]

The occasion I was referring to was a short Tullamarine to Essendon airport trip using an electronic card machine and a corporate Amex card. :shock:

How can you be defrauded when they use an electronic machine? I'm not suggesting you're telling fibs, just genuinely curious.

 

[straitman]

How can you be defrauded when they use an electronic machine? I'm not suggesting you're telling fibs, just genuinely curious.

About 2 months later a cab charge appeared on my Amex statement. The company procurement department had it sorted very quickly with a comment that happens every so often.

 

[notzac]

:shock: fair enough then..

 

[drewbles]

How can you be defrauded when they use an electronic machine? I'm not suggesting you're telling fibs, just genuinely curious.

Skimming on the EFT reader? They're similar to the ones in McDonalds that were rigged with skimming kit. Possible that they've put a dodgy reader into a legitimate one (ie dismantle the original and install it inside, as was the case of the McDonalds one, the actual hand pieces with the PIN Pad were fully replaced).

 

[Sethor]

I have had issues :!:

So have I, Those Taxi brokers(they process the CC payments for the drivers) are also crooks. When I rang up disputing a $120+ cabcharge against my credit card (I am pretty sure I would recall a $120 cab fare) they wanted to charge me $50 to check if the transaction was not found to be fraudulent.

 

[anat0l]

I avoid taxis where I can simply due to the cost, unless someone else is paying for it. Unfortunately, I have been caught at times where I need to get some where quick and public transport won't cut it.

I haven't been ripped off by a taxi yet (well, some might recall AFF #4 coming in from SYD after the FL run), but it's amazing what happens in a couple of years. When I started working for my research institute in 2005, I started taking taxis more (mostly due to to work); slightly went up as well as I found AFF and FT . At that time, BNE taxi drivers were generally very competent. They would always offer a choice of routes where applicable (i.e. sometimes one was faster than the other, but longer, etc.). Hardly any of them used a GPS - they were more than competent. And many were great to have a chat to.

Now I find that a lot of drivers are pretty surly and don't like to chat much. Almost all of them have GPSs and they use it all the time, even for simple / common locations. I often have to direct drivers to make sure they are not taking the long way; strangely enough :!: GPSs don't necessarily route someone on the "shortest route" even if you tell them to do so! It is very depressing to note that many drivers do not even know some of the common streets, suburbs or landmarks (except for the airport ).

That's just in BNE. I haven't taken a taxi in MEL for a while, but the last time I did I experienced no problems. Looks like there's enough anecdotal evidence on this board for me to be very cautious the next time I do need a taxi in MEL!

CBR taxis are generally very good.

SYD taxis are alright although one must remember to tell the driver to avoid the Distributor when coming from the airport , unless you are in a real hurry and it is the "right" time.

PER taxis have been OK for me. PER domestic airport definitely doesn't offer a taxi rank of sufficient size to process the taxi line fast enough :evil: pretty ridiculous - arriving off the last BNE-PER flight of the day, even with no checked bags you'll be lucky to make it to your hotel room and on the bed at a few minutes past midnight. Hailing down a taxi rarely works anywhere in Australia, but especially in PER. Calling a taxi in advance to arrive at a certain time (irrespective of the time of day) is also a hit and miss affair more so than other centres in Australia.

With the exception of New Zealand and a very short trip in LON (since a certain forum member wasn't willing to walk in the rain with his shopping ), I have never taken a taxi in another country. Mind you, my risk assessment that I had to complete for my Sth Africa trip pretty much precluded my use of taxis there for security reasons. Mostly everywhere else, cost is the issue.

Within Australia, I'm not going to even start the gripe on Cabcharge and credit card surcharges...... again........

Like most people have said, not all taxi drivers are rip-off artists and/or mind-numbingly incompetent. There are some good drivers around, but I'm finding them to be much more rare than previously. Also, in case you are wondering, I've found IME that there isn't too much of a correlation between the race/ethnicity and the quality of the taxi driver. Some of you may disagree with your experiences, but for me that's what I've found.

It's not fair that good taxi drivers should be unfairly labelled as bad people. We have at least two forum members who are taxi drivers, or ex-taxi drivers; I'm sure you are all good people so I'm sorry that we have to talk about your industry (or ex-industry) like this.

To get back to the OP.... *whoa - long diversion*.... I have to confess that I often rely on the honesty of the driver in a city which I am not familiar with to take me to my destination on a suitable route. Looks like I should be heeding the advice of some of the posters here and plan a bit ahead, because unfortunately it seems that I can no longer jump into a taxi and place my trust in someone who is supposed to be able to bring people from A to B efficiently. I also insist on receipts because they are the only evidence I have to make sure that I will be charged correctly (if I pay by credit card or Cabcharge).

 

[medhead]

medhead,

Not disagreeing with you at all but have to ask if the 'Not really.' comment refers to NYCguy suggesting a Limo service or mine about having a lisy of cabs and Limos :?:

I think they are, depending upon circumstances, all relevant

SWMBO is teaching to not respond in my usually way to this kind of questioning. And I'm learning slowing.

A question has been asked in this thread. That question was asked by neither you nor NYCguy.

Who Do You Think You Are? Sorry but my world is not revolving around you. :shock:

But perhaps I could have been more clear that I was answering the question asked by the OP.

 

[medhead]

So why do so many drivers refuse short fares? It drives me mad travelling around Australia and having drivers try to rip me off at every opportunity.

The favourite scam in Melbourne is to put the $2 phone booking fee on a hailed taxi and plead ignorance when called on it. Using a credit card in an Melbourne taxi is almost guaranteed to result in fraud. I've seen more honest drivers in BKK than MEL.

The taxi directorate is only there to protect their members (owners) and they hate passengers with a passion. Every so often the issue a press release and do nothing.

About time that thieving drivers and their taxis were taken off the road for a month for a first offence. If it is an owner driver then forfeit the plates.

I caught a taxi today in the outer suburbs of Sapporo to go to Shiroi Kiboto Park. The fare was literally 2-3 minutes (I didn't know where I was going). The driver refused the extra 50 yen over the flag fall and thanked me for travelling with him.

Never happen in Melbourne.

As I said they (the stupid tosser cab drivers) don't understand the taxi business. The $2 fee - caveat emptor - you need to protect yourself, I'm certainly not saying that you don't protect yourself. I'm famous for having run ins with taxi drivers. And it is sweet when the police turn up after 2 hours and then them to get lost.

As for fraud, there is fraud everywhere not just taxis.

But I'd certainly agree that standards could be enforced a lot more. trouble is there is the monopoly positions in the australian taxi business.

 

[medhead]

PER's issues also arise from how easy they made it to get a cab license here because of all the public opinion. Drivers here can get a license interstate which is as simple as sitting a test for which they can buy the answers for, transfer that license to WA, and ignore the basic local knowledge requirement by procuring a GPS unit which they'll never use anyway.


Well you have my respect as a former taxi driver, but my personal experience does beg to differ.

As a more than frequent taxi customer (at least 250+ journeys a year, most in and around PER), I know there is a sizable compliment of drivers - the evil 1% - who do try to hose the customer and take them the long/wrong way. I have way too many stories to recount on how many drivers I've had hauled over the coals for attempting this stunt.

This isn't to say that the majority of drivers are dishonest - most of them are average to brilliant. As already suggested its a small percentage of drivers who spoil the reputation to others.

Most of things you mention are about standards and these are not going to be enforced while there remains a monopoly in taxis in Australia.

Swan sound pretty good but what is their number 131008 or 132211? As for the dodgy drivers in the wild west. Well yes it is the wild west and it is the only place where I've experienced a V8 powered taxi. In the examples you give you did exactly the right thing. I pulled up a driver for taking me the wrong way, he ordered me out of the taxi. So I got out as required to by law, and that was when he realised his mistake, by ordering me out he lost his fare. He then followed me to the office, as short walk and called the police. He then waited for the police for 2 hours, over a $5 fare, only to have them totally agree that i didn't owe him a cent. (that guy was in the paper a week later for taking an old dear around about 5 newsagencts to get some Crows medals (or some such rubbish). According to the old dear he was such a good driver, he even went into the shop for her at the 5th shop where they finally got the medals - but he kept the meter on the whole way - AHole)

Frankly all this is caused by a vicious cycle of disrespect for taxi drivers by passengers who think taxis are a rip off and then drivers who are working on commission for a bare minimum. That poor sucker who sits at the airport for 2 hours waiting for you to get off the aircraft is lucky if he gets 40% of the fare.

As for tips, a good idea, but better to look at about 10%. Also pay it as cash not on you card or cabcharge. I never give a tip on cabcharge because those rip off artists get 10% of the tip.

Is there a local knowledge test in WA? the qld taxi driving test allowed me to use a UBD to find places (with meter stopped of course). The problem i find in Adelaide is not local knowledge but lack of driving skills. people get arrive in this country and get a taxi licence solely on the basis of being allowed to drive in their home country. I don't care what i pay as long as i get there alive. :shock:

 

[straitman]

SWMBO is teaching to not respond in my usually way to this kind of questioning. And I'm learning slowing.

A question has been asked in this thread. That question was asked by neither you nor NYCguy.

Who Do You Think You Are? Sorry but my world is not revolving around you. :shock:

But perhaps I could have been more clear that I was answering the question asked by the OP.

medhead,

Maybe you should listen to SWMBO more often!

Look at it logically, I had a choice of three posts that you could have answered. You did not address who you were answering and the OP seemed the least likely and I could not separate the others so I asked a simple question. The only one with a complex about the world revolving etc etc appears to be you.

Now back on your meds and tomorrow is another day.

 

[DrA]

Most of things you mention are about standards and these are not going to be enforced while there remains a monopoly in taxis in Australia.

Swan sound pretty good but what is their number 131008 or 132211? As for the dodgy drivers in the wild west. Well yes it is the wild west and it is the only place where I've experienced a V8 powered taxi. In the examples you give you did exactly the right thing. I pulled up a driver for taking me the wrong way, he ordered me out of the taxi. So I got out as required to by law, and that was when he realised his mistake, by ordering me out he lost his fare. He then followed me to the office, as short walk and called the police. He then waited for the police for 2 hours, over a $5 fare, only to have them totally agree that i didn't owe him a cent. (that guy was in the paper a week later for taking an old dear around about 5 newsagencts to get some Crows medals (or some such rubbish). According to the old dear he was such a good driver, he even went into the shop for her at the 5th shop where they finally got the medals - but he kept the meter on the whole way - AHole)

Frankly all this is caused by a vicious cycle of disrespect for taxi drivers by passengers who think taxis are a rip off and then drivers who are working on commission for a bare minimum. That poor sucker who sits at the airport for 2 hours waiting for you to get off the aircraft is lucky if he gets 40% of the fare.

As for tips, a good idea, but better to look at about 10%. Also pay it as cash not on you card or cabcharge. I never give a tip on cabcharge because those rip off artists get 10% of the tip.

Is there a local knowledge test in WA? the qld taxi driving test allowed me to use a UBD to find places (with meter stopped of course). The problem i find in Adelaide is not local knowledge but lack of driving skills. people get arrive in this country and get a taxi licence solely on the basis of being allowed to drive in their home country. I don't care what i pay as long as i get there alive. :shock:

Swan Taxi is 131330. And I have ongoing issues with them. Pre-order taxis to go to the airport that show up so late you barely make check-in cut off times despite having given yourself what should have been plenty of leeway. Or more often, they simply don't show up at all and you miss the flight entirely unless you can find someone to drive you at the last minute. I'm not sure if this is an issue with the drivers or with the dispatch centre, but it's ridiculous the number of times this has happened to me. I'd like to think that it's not the drivers, as I'd assume they'd appreciate the $40-$50 cab fare from my house. But then that raises questions about the dispatch centre not putting bookings into the system.

 

[anat0l]

Swan Taxi is 131330. And I have ongoing issues with them. Pre-order taxis to go to the airport that show up so late you barely make check-in cut off times despite having given yourself what should have been plenty of leeway. Or more often, they simply don't show up at all and you miss the flight entirely unless you can find someone to drive you at the last minute. I'm not sure if this is an issue with the drivers or with the dispatch centre, but it's ridiculous the number of times this has happened to me. I'd like to think that it's not the drivers, as I'd assume they'd appreciate the $40-$50 cab fare from my house. But then that raises questions about the dispatch centre not putting bookings into the system.

+1 know how you feel!

I was in PER last year catching a charter flight to LER. We asked for a pickup at a time (with sufficient contingency!) from the Sheraton; we booked the taxi at least 12 hours ahead but our ride arrived 30 minutes late. We were almost considering to join the rank, since the people there seemed to be having more success.

Someone said there aren't enough taxis in PER - though the same "problem" existed over 3 years ago now (i.e. during the mining boom and still persists during the "plateau"). Then again, I feel sorry for any driver that gets a morning job from the airport to Mandurah then doesn't have a job down there to carry back to PER proper; feel even more sorry for them when they have to traverse the traffic on the main highway back to PER. On the other hand, an airport job ex-Mandurah should easily clock up a fare of close to $100....

 

[harvyk]

I ended up emailing a complaint to the taxi company, including the receipt details.

They seemed to be quite concerned by the behaviour of the driver, so I'll see how that goes. (They said the driver has 14 days in which to respond to the complaint, so they will get back to me with the result within that time)

I have in the past used taxi websites to provide fare estimates, so I know roughly how much I am up for, and I start question things if the fare is approaching that price and yet we're not yet close to the destination.

That all said I usually try to catch public transport or airport buses where possible. It's rare that I have things outside CBD's. (Although not unheard of, as is evident in one of my other active threads)

 

[docjames]

This thread illustrates why the major capitals of Australia need fixed fares for Airport-CBD.

eg. MEL to any CBD destination = $fixed.

Works well in NYC where fare is fixed to any location on manhattan island.

Minicabs in London will tell you over then phone a fixed price for service to LHR/LGW etc (varies pending time/day etc).

 

[medhead]

medhead,

Maybe you should listen to SWMBO more often!

Look at it logically, I had a choice of three posts that you could have answered. You did not address who you were answering and the OP seemed the least likely and I could not separate the others so I asked a simple question. The only one with a complex about the world revolving etc etc appears to be you.

Now back on your meds and tomorrow is another day.

Yes, lets look at it logically: the OP finished with

Do you guys have any stratagies you use to ensure that your not taken for a ride if your in a city you don't really know?

That is basically the topic of the thread, the purpose if you like to address the question posed by the OP

"Not really" clearly fits as a response, despite your illogical conclusions. unlike for your post as you note.

Read it aloud to yourself - "do you have stratagies?" "Not really"

I also didn't quote you, i wasn't responding to you at all otherwise I would have quoted you. By all normal thread conventions I was answering the OP.

In deference to SWMBO I'll leave it at that, but will note that her training is about telling me not to fire off the first thing that comes to mind. That doesn't mean that I can't respond to people whose logic doesn't seem to conceive of the idea that other people are in the world and they can have conversation without them. No matter how excellent their suggestions might be.

I also don't see anything self centered about trying to carry on a conversation with the OP that doesn't involve you . NO MEDS FOR ME

 

[medhead]

Swan Taxi is 131330. And I have ongoing issues with them. Pre-order taxis to go to the airport that show up so late you barely make check-in cut off times despite having given yourself what should have been plenty of leeway. Or more often, they simply don't show up at all and you miss the flight entirely unless you can find someone to drive you at the last minute. I'm not sure if this is an issue with the drivers or with the dispatch centre, but it's ridiculous the number of times this has happened to me. I'd like to think that it's not the drivers, as I'd assume they'd appreciate the $40-$50 cab fare from my house. But then that raises questions about the dispatch centre not putting bookings into the system.

My general rule is don't book a taxi, and if it is not there within 10 minutes ring for another taxi. Generally somewhere like ther sheraton is going to get better response to a phoned immediate booking. Youmention people on the rank having more success, if it is busy with ranks full of pax you'll find that few drivers will listen for radio jobs, this is especially worse with the automatic system where they have to login. When i drove it was voice dispatch and I could at least hear when the operator was yelling for a pick up. But they only yell for a pick up for a VIP customer, someone like the sheraton, DrA who booked the night before is not going to get the same response. The other factor is that when it's busy radio jobs are pretty often no shows, because they usually jump in the first cab that shows up, whereas that is less likely at a sheraton pickup, for example.

Basically if no one is in your area, which is likely if it is busy, say early morning airport jobs, your goingto have great trouble getting a taxi. most taxis in the suburbs will either not take a radio job if they don't want to go to the airport. this happens if shift change over time is close say 5 or 6 am, going to the airport will get them stuck there for at least 2 hours. To make change over, and not pay the next driver penalties, basically means driving back empty. That is also why any driver going to te airport in the morning is going to stay there and get a pax away from the airport, so taxis will tend to concentrate at the airport in the morning. So it is not that there isn;t enough taxis, just that the business dynamics are based on not starting the car unless your getting paid, as much as possible.

anat0l in relation to the question of driving to Mandurah, if it is outside of the Perth taxi zone then the pax probably to pay the driver the fare to return to the Perth taxi zone. Of course, I'm not sure if WA have taxi zones and how big they might be.

 

[hedge]

When I was doing FIFO perth, some guy at the airport (a miner - operator) jumped in a cab and said he wanted to go to bunbury - cant imagine how expensive that fair would have been.

 

[DrA]

My general rule is don't book a taxi, and if it is not there within 10 minutes ring for another taxi. Generally somewhere like ther sheraton is going to get better response to a phoned immediate booking. Youmention people on the rank having more success, if it is busy with ranks full of pax you'll find that few drivers will listen for radio jobs, this is especially worse with the automatic system where they have to login. When i drove it was voice dispatch and I could at least hear when the operator was yelling for a pick up. But they only yell for a pick up for a VIP customer, someone like the sheraton, DrA who booked the night before is not going to get the same response. The other factor is that when it's busy radio jobs are pretty often no shows, because they usually jump in the first cab that shows up, whereas that is less likely at a sheraton pickup, for example.

Basically if no one is in your area, which is likely if it is busy, say early morning airport jobs, your goingto have great trouble getting a taxi. most taxis in the suburbs will either not take a radio job if they don't want to go to the airport. this happens if shift change over time is close say 5 or 6 am, going to the airport will get them stuck there for at least 2 hours. To make change over, and not pay the next driver penalties, basically means driving back empty. That is also why any driver going to te airport in the morning is going to stay there and get a pax away from the airport, so taxis will tend to concentrate at the airport in the morning. So it is not that there isn;t enough taxis, just that the business dynamics are based on not starting the car unless your getting paid, as much as possible.

anat0l in relation to the question of driving to Mandurah, if it is outside of the Perth taxi zone then the pax probably to pay the driver the fare to return to the Perth taxi zone. Of course, I'm not sure if WA have taxi zones and how big they might be.

I live in Perth. I'm not calling from the Sheraton. I often have to leave for the airport at 2-3am to catch the 6am flight to Dubai. That doesn't leave me with the option to go wake my neighbours up and beg them to drive me to the airport. I'm a regular customer, but for whatever reason, taxis don't show up. I'll give them 15-20 minutes before I ring back and ask them to send a taxi. And still...They don't show up. Ring back again, still doesn't show up. Rinse and repeat. I have missed flights because of this. Whether it's taxi drivers who think I'm just a pi**head who is lying about needing a cab to the airport at 3am on a weekend to get priority, or whether the dispatch centre is worse than useless...It doesn't matter. The fact remains that I shouldn't have to put up with this just because I live in a residential area, nowhere near a taxi rank, and am not booking a pickup from a hotel.

Sorry, I have anger issues with Swan Taxis. I'm hoping that if they again increase the number of taxi permits they issue that this problem might be reduced.