Independent taxis to roll!

I suspect that most regular taxi users already have an ‘independent driver’ or two on call. I certainly do.

And yep, I have sat in taxis with the window open when it is near freezing or cancelling out the aircon in summer because of the BO. How hard is it for them to go home and have a quick shower?

I have complained, but who knows what the outcome was. Despite being totally propped up by government regulation, the transparency of the taxi industry is zero. And, don’t get me started on the 10% skim on virtually all credit cards. Theft – and not going to the drivers.

dtc said :

Then again, finding a taxi is pretty hard so all for more licences.

I think there are actually plenty of taxis, it’s just hard to get a driver as the pay is so poor.

Maybe I have lower standards, but I catch 4 – 6 taxis per week and while now and then the driver doesn’t know where to go exactly, most of the time they do and I’ve never been in a taxi that is dirty, smelly or with a driver who is dirty or smelly. I think the drivers do a pretty good job.

Then again, finding a taxi is pretty hard so all for more licences.

Spot on, Stephanie. Plenty of chauffeured hire car companies in Canberra, and the rates aren’t much higher than regular taxis. I’m happy to pay a little extra for a guaranteed booking, an on-time pickup, a clean and mechanically sound car, and a well presented and polite driver who speaks English and knows his way around. Also, they don’t look at you sideways when you ask them to help you load up the boot.

Its true- A clean driver and preferrably clean taxi is a fair request, I dont need to see the remains of what they ate for lunch still sitting on the dashboard.
I regularly use Hire Cars in Canberra. They are clean, friendly and reliable. Since using them I havent used a taxi- just due to bad experiences. And the cost isnt even that different to be honest. Find a good driver and stick with them!

I just want clean driver, that knows where they are going. How hard is that?

I used to do 14 hour (or more) Sundays in a non airconditioned cab. It wasn’t that difficult to organise a shower (just 1) somewhere in the day, complete with clean clothes.

The last cab I was in here in Canberra would have been closed down if it were any other public facility.

Also, any old timers here will remember the so called “scab cabs” of many years ago, along with the threat of Yellow making an appearance on the scene. What goes around, comes around. Meanwhile the regulator has no idea how to fix the problem.