Make taxi companies pay - yeah about time

[Super Nova]

Consumers have found it almost impossible in the past to seek compensation for poor service from taxi companies.

The final report from the Fels taxi industry inquiry recommended taxi operators "should be made subject to the consumer guarantee provisions of the Australian Consumer Law" after the draft report noted how difficult it was for customers to seek compensation for poor service.

Now the Consumer Action Law Centre is calling on the taxi industry to introduce its own compensation scheme and save customers the trouble of having to go to court to recoup losses for poor service.

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I have to say in my experience in Australia (Sdney and Melbourne) I sometimes would have to chase the Taxi company up. Particularly if going to the Airport and you cannot be late I always added and extra 1/2 to one hour to my travel time just in case they blood well let me down.

Here in the UK they have many smaller taxi companies (mini cabs) plus the black cabs and the mini cabs are reliable if you book them in advance. I tend to use the same one so they get to know you a little and want to keep my business because if they let me dowen once... I will tell them and move to the next company. Competition keeps them keen on the customer service.

Compensation maybe a difficult area as this could be wide ranging... not sure how this would work really.

Aussie, what are your thoughts?

[Aussie]

There will be a zillion stories available concerning de-regulating the Industry, which in part, is what you are referring to. Personally, I don't fear it or favour it. The problem is that the punters do not understand how the Industry works, and that is our fault because we have never bothered to tell you. I can only discuss the Queensland position, as I have no real idea how other jurisdictions work.

1. When you ring the booking and dispatch company (and that is not me or any other Licence owners) they will accept your 'booking'............but they fail to tell you that simply 'booking' does not guarantee a Cab (owned by people like me) will turn up at the time you want.

2. 'Booking' does not mean that a Cab is selected....cocooned.......prevented from doing other work.....set aside.....just for your 'booking.'

3. You could 'book' in January for a Cab to pick you up in December, and that works no better, effectively or assuredly than ringing for one five seconds before you wanted it in December, but you are not told that.

4. If you have a deadline to meet, give yourself plenty of leeway.....ring very early as it surely is better to be there hours early, than not get there in time. We are not airlines, or buses or trains which run on schedules. If, when you ring for a Cab, there isn't one, empty, around the corner, you will have to wait until the nearest Cab becomes available for you......and even then...............he might elect to get someone else instead of you for a variety of reasons.

5. My solution. Simple. If you want a guaranteed on time dedicated to you personal transport facility, you have three options. (a) Drive yourself. (b) Employ your own personal driver, or (c) PAY a premium to the Cabbie to compensate him for sitting idle just for you while he watches better jobs go by him. Say, oh.....$30.00 would be enough. You pay the $30.00 plus the usual fare and he will be there as you, personally, require.

If you want guaranteed 'on demand' service, you'll have to pay for it.

[Super Nova]

Excelent response Aussie. Very clear.

There will be a zillion stories available concerning de-regulating the Industry, which in part, is what you are referring to. Personally, I don't fear it or favour it. The problem is that the punters do not understand how the Industry works, and that is our fault because we have never bothered to tell you. I can only discuss the Queensland position, as I have no real idea how other jurisdictions work.

Agree. I have no idea and only get frustrated when it goes wrong... which is not often.

1. When you ring the booking and dispatch company (and that is not me or any other Licence owners) they will accept your 'booking'............but they fail to tell you that simply 'booking' does not guarantee a Cab (owned by people like me) will turn up at the time you want.

In Australia I found this out by talking to the taxi drivers. Usign minicabs here in London they confirm the booking by looking at their bookings.... they even haggle on the time because it is a small company. Then I know I have a cab but I need to do it well in advance. Last minute cabs have the same problem as Aus.

2. 'Booking' does not mean that a Cab is selected....cocooned.......prevented from doing other work.....set aside.....just for your 'booking.'

Yep

3. You could 'book' in January for a Cab to pick you up in December, and that works no better, effectively or assuredly than ringing for one five seconds before you wanted it in December, but you are not told that.

Is this because they don't have an advanced booking system and it is all operator driven?

4. If you have a deadline to meet, give yourself plenty of leeway.....ring very early as it surely is better to be there hours early, than not get there in time. We are not airlines, or buses or trains which run on schedules. If, when you ring for a Cab, there isn't one, empty, around the corner, you will have to wait until the nearest Cab becomes available for you......and even then...............he might elect to get someone else instead of you for a variety of reasons.

Plent of time is right depending on how important it is for you. I think the punter owns the risk not the taxi company. There is no contractual agree to an SLA.

5. My solution. Simple. If you want a guaranteed on time dedicated to you personal transport facility, you have three options. (a) Drive yourself. (b) Employ your own personal driver, or (c) PAY a premium to the Cabbie to compensate him for sitting idle just for you while he watches better jobs go by him. Say, oh.....$30.00 would be enough. You pay the $30.00 plus the usual fare and he will be there as you, personally, require.

Paying more to get a greater level of service.... that gives an incentive... again you need to weigh the risk vs cost vs benfits.

I find that if I establish a personal relationship with a couple of local drivers, I can ring them to book them in preference. If they cannot do the run they find a mate who can. This works best.

If you want guaranteed 'on demand' service, you'll have to pay for it.

If you want a premium service... you may need to pay. Having a relationship where you direct yours and others business to a driver really helps as well.

[Aussie]

Is this because they don't have an advanced booking system and it is all operator driven?

It means that when you talk to the person who answers your call, they will enter your booking into the 'system,' and it matters not a jot when you made the call, a year or a few seconds before you wanted the Cab at your front door.

[IQS.RLOW]

(c) PAY a premium to the Cabbie to compensate him for sitting idle just for you while he watches better jobs go by him. Say, oh.....$30.00 would be enough. You pay the $30.00 plus the usual fare and he will be there as you, personally, require.

I can't believe that someone of even your limited intelligence bothered to even type that out

[Super Nova]

(c) PAY a premium to the Cabbie to compensate him for sitting idle just for you while he watches better jobs go by him. Say, oh.....$30.00 would be enough. You pay the $30.00 plus the usual fare and he will be there as you, personally, require.

I can't believe that someone of even your limited intelligence bothered to even type that out

Well I expect that a finanial incentive would get their attention and would helpo guarantee they trun up on time.

What I don't see is how the compensation argument will work. There would have to be material loses where you claim the taxi is at fault when there is no agreement to any service level.

You could legislate a service level I guess.

More litigation and more mony for lawyers.

Aussie,

I guess you win both ways

[Super Nova]

Is this because they don't have an advanced booking system and it is all operator driven?

It means that when you talk to the person who answers your call, they will enter your booking into the 'system,' and it matters not a jot when you made the call, a year or a few seconds before you wanted the Cab at your front door.

So I guess then the system will allocate a driver near the time of the booking, going to any random drive in the same way it does for a call a few seconds before.

No differentiation and no preference given.

That could be improved.

Maybe they could implement a premium booking that takes you to the top of the queue to improve the chance of a premium booking getting serviced before others. There would need to be a premium booking flag fall as an incentive for the cabbie. That may help don't you think.

[IQS.RLOW]

Just how exactly is the customer going to tell the cabbie that he will have a little bonus waiting for him if he gets there on time?

[Aussie]

Maybe they could implement a premium booking that takes you to the top of the queue to improve the chance of a premium booking getting serviced before others. There would need to be a premium booking flag fall as an incentive for the cabbie. That may help don't you think.

That is what I said. User pays for priority. NOIQ thinks otherwise it seems. If there was a premium agreed at the time the booking was made.....and if we did not get there on time..............sure, we should pay the cost of any loss you might suffer. If you want that guaranteed service.............there has to be a price.

Just how exactly is the customer going to tell the cabbie that he will have a little bonus waiting for him if he gets there on time?

The system will be set in advance. Like:

NOIQ: Hello Yellow Cabs. I want a Cab at 8.00 am.

Yellow Cabs: You are are an internet fucker. Aussie told us. Wanna take a punt on Aussie being there, or would you prefer to agree to pay Aussie a premium of $30.00 on top of the usual fare so that he is there when you want him.

NOIQ: Fuck Aussie.

Yellow Cabs: No worries. We have entered your booking. Have a nice day.

[Super Nova]

Just how exactly is the customer going to tell the cabbie that he will have a little bonus waiting for him if he gets there on time?

The booking sstem need to change so the in taxi system makes a cash register ding to get their attention so they all rush to grab the booking.

Greed is a great motivator.