Taxis refusing fares - anybody else run into this?

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Forums › Finance and wealth management › Taxis refusing fares - anybody else run into this?

NZtechfreak

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#75812 23-Jan-2011 22:35

Anybody else here had taxis refuse them fares that they considered short?

Trying to get home my brother and I were refused 4 times in quick succession by Auckland Co-Op taxi drivers after they found out where we were going, not a lot of fun in the rain. When another cabbie eventually picked us up our fare turned out to be $27, which didn't strike me as all that terrible to be honest.

After doing a little looking around I found some Herald articles about the problem, here, and here.

Anybody else got some stories to share?

Anyways, I've complained to Auckland Co-op taxis and await their response... I've also made a Facebook Cause encouraging people to boycott them until they make some definitive inroads into addressing this, feel free to join!

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#430360 23-Jan-2011 22:38

Did you take the number plates of the cabs that refused?

If it was me I would just hop in the taxi and tell them where to start driving. I would not give them the chance to refuse.

John

NZtechfreak

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#430362 23-Jan-2011 22:44

If it hadn't been pissing down raining with us absolutely freezing I certainly would have.

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robbyp

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#430366 23-Jan-2011 22:52

NZtechfreak: Anybody else here had taxis refuse them fares that they considered short?

Trying to get home my brother and I were refused 4 times in quick succession by Auckland Co-Op taxi drivers after they found out where we were going, not a lot of fun in the rain. When another cabbie eventually picked us up our fare turned out to be $27, which didn't strike me as all that terrible to be honest.

After doing a little looking around I found some Herald articles about the problem, here, and here.

Anybody else got some stories to share?

Anyways, I've complained to Auckland Co-op taxis and await their response... I've also made a Facebook Cause encouraging people to boycott them until they make some definitive inroads into addressing this, feel free to join!

I thought it was illegal for them to refuse. If it was me I would have told them that if they didn't take me I would take their number plate and make a compliant.

NZtechfreak

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#430367 23-Jan-2011 22:54

Told the first guy that, he didn't care. Told a cop nearby, he said nothing they could do about it.

It is illegal, but as they say in the Herald article the problem is proving it.

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robbyp

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#430368 23-Jan-2011 23:14

NZtechfreak: Told the first guy that, he didn't care. Told a cop nearby, he said nothing they could do about it.

It is illegal, but as they say in the Herald article the problem is proving it.

Getting it on youtube, via an iphone camera, and it going viral could be good. Perhaps Target will do something this year on it. Banning drivers from getting a taxi license who are caught doing that would be the answer. You would think that these taxi companies would have 'secret shoppers' testing their drivers and the quality of the service. Sounds like there are too many cowboys out there. It may take someone being attacked, who was initially refused custom from a taxi driver, before it is more enforced. NZ is an 'ambulance of the bottom of the cliff' nation.

sarg

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#430429 24-Jan-2011 08:33

Failing to accept a fare has a fine of $200 to the driver involved.
Land Transport Act 1998, s.40 & Offences & Penalties Regs 1999, r4 & 4.5(4) Land Transport Rule: Operator Licensing 2007

that would be an ecumenical matter

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myndlyz

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#430431 24-Jan-2011 08:40

i guess im lucky, i've never had a taxi refusing my fares. when its raining and i get out of britomart, i catch a cab to 1 fanshawe street, nzi building. lol its only like 5 minutes walk!

Nety

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#430439 24-Jan-2011 09:01

Did you get it and then say where you wanted to go or did you ask at the window? (not that it should matter)

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oxnsox

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#430461 24-Jan-2011 10:09

sarg: Failing to accept a fare has a fine of $200 to the driver involved.
Land Transport Act 1998, s.40 & Offences & Penalties Regs 1999, r4 & 4.5(4) Land Transport Rule: Operator Licensing 2007

Thanks for that. I'd always thought that the Driver had the right to refuse business.... after all it's his business he'd be losing.
But I thought that refusing your business was based upon whether the driver felt comfortable with you as a customer or your destination, rather than the size of the fare , or losing their place in a queue

minimoke

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#430491 24-Jan-2011 11:15

Happened on my last trip to Auckland. Corporate Cab driver "didn't know where the address was". Thats because it was an address near the airport so a short fare he clearly didn't want.

I understand it must be a pain in the ass for drivers to wait all day at the rank only to get a short fare - but thats business.

The next cab I approached said it would be $30. Fine by me and I happily paid. I got to where I needed to be and the driver got paid. Winners all around.

Its a problem easily resolved - have a minimum fare within X Km's of the rank.

And just so we are clear it was a CORPORATE CAB that refused the fare. Guess who I'm not taxiing with next time!

alasta

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#430493 24-Jan-2011 11:27

minimoke: Its a?problem?easily?resolved?- have a?minimum?fare within X Km's of?the?rank.?

Isn't that what the flagfall is for?

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gible

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#430553 24-Jan-2011 13:27

The issue is that they cab companies (and through them the cab drivers) pay a premium for permission to use the airport (and other private) cab ranks. The airport justifies it by specifying a minimum standard, but the fee is so high that if the cab driver gets more than a couple of short runs, their entire profit is gone.

Capitalism at work: if you can charge for it, do so.

myndlyz

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#430557 24-Jan-2011 13:33

Nety: Did you get it and then say where you wanted to go or did you ask at the window? (not that it should matter)

yeah i ask at the window, lol wouldnt want to get in and told to get the hell out! haha.

p.s.it costs around $7(!!!!!!!) to get from britomart to my work in a cab. makes me want to be a cab driver...

alasta

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#430563 24-Jan-2011 13:38

gible: The issue is that they cab companies (and through them the cab drivers) pay a premium for permission to use the airport (and other private) cab ranks. The airport justifies it by specifying a minimum standard, but the fee is so high that if the cab driver gets more than a couple of short runs, their entire profit is gone.

Don't the cab companies just add the airport levy onto the customer's fare? That's what they do in Wellington.

trig42

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#430710 24-Jan-2011 20:11

They do if you are going TO the airport or between terminals (I think). I think that the only cabs that can sit in the ranks and wait at the airport are the companies that have a deal with the Airport to do so.

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