3 May 2013

Catching a taxi on the rank in Canberra?

| trix
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Is there some regulation that mandates you have to take the first cab off the rank in the ACT?

I went to catch one from by the Casino last week, and the first in the rank was a manky van. Since I was going to pick up a couple of colleagues for the journey, rattling around in a van wasn’t terribly appealing. So I went to the next cab in the line and he refused my fare due to the fact I “had” to take the first in the rank.

Having looked at the monopolistic Canberra Cabs website, the only reasons drivers can refuse fares is due to objectionable behaviour of some description. Other than manky vans – I ended up taking it because I was in a rush, and it was rough as guts on the inside – I think I have the right to refuse to take any particular taxi when I choose. There have been plenty of other places in the world where I’ve gone down the rank to another taxi where either the car or driver didn’t look so dodgy.

So, was this guy making rules up on the fly, or what? Sure, it’s “courteous” to take the first car on the rank, but refusing service to me on those grounds seemed pretty screwed up.

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I’m not sure I understand the question – you were worried about ‘manky’ and yet you still wanted to catch a taxi?!

Musn’t do fleet inspections anymore…..

And with all us wonderful cabbies no longer in the game, what you’re left with is shite!

buzz819 said :

Road Transport (Public Passenger Services) Regulation 2002
Section 122
(4) If 2 or more taxis are in a taxi zone, the 1st taxi has a right to the next hiring unless the person hiring selects another taxi.

Section 135
(5) A taxi driver must provide reasonable assistance with a passenger’s goods.

Thanks, that’s exactly the info I wanted (didn’t know where to look). I’ll take the driver number next time.

Had a similar experience many years ago in Sydney. Driver was insistent you had to take the first cab unless he refused. I can see why. First guy has obviously been there longer.

Even so good chance for a big go at Canberra taxis being the only ones so dont let me interrupt.

Without a doubt, Canberra taxi’s are the absolutely worst, from the driving skills and attitude of the drivers right through to the condition of the car.

I know it sounds like a “first world problem” however, if you are using and paying for a service then you expect to pay for a quality experience or at least one that meets a basic standard.

I was in a cab on Wednesday that smelt of urine. the vehicle was filthy as well!

Canberra cabs are the WORST I have experienced – stinking, filthy dirty like no other citys cabs I have ever seen. The locals cab operators here could take a leaf out of other citys and townships and offer clean and mechanically sound vehicles.

I had the experience of returning from a holiday and needing a cab from the airport to home in Evatt. With 3 large suitcases and 3 adults and hand luggage I wanted the cab to be a wagon or a van (manky or otherwise).

The cab controller guy at the airport was insistent that we take the first cab at the airport rank – a Falcon sedan and not the Tarago which was cab number 2. When I said I didn’t think the luggage would all fit in, he assured me it would.

BUT, the taxi drivers solution was having one of the cases on the back seat (on top of the passengers). When I said you have to be %^&$ing joking, the controller suddenly decided we could take the Tarago…….

HiddenDragon said :

That “rule” applies in other parts of Straya as, in my experience, does the “rule” which allows a cabbie to say “sorry mate/love (as the case may be), can’t do that” (or words to that effect) when the proposed destination is too far/close/whatever – in the latter event it is, of course, perfectly acceptable to go to the next cab on the rank (but that’s alright, because that’s different……).

129 Requirements about acceptance of taxi hirings
(1) The driver of a taxi that is available for hire must accept a hiring promptly when offered.

Taxi Services Customer Charter

Customers Rights and Responsibilities:

Taxi customers have the right to:

A driver who is licensed and accredited;
See the taxi identification number;
Choose a preferred route;
See the metered fare;
Travel in a clean, tidy, smoke free, and well-maintained and roadworthy cab;
Have the air conditioning turned on or off;
Have the music system turned on or off;
Be accompanied by a guide dog;
Refuse a multiple hiring;
Use an EFTPOS facility where available;
Use valid credit or debit cards as displayed in the cab;
Be given a receipt or tax invoice for their trip.

I also just spoke to Canberra Cabs and they confirmed that it is still the passengers prerogative to determine which taxi they wish to utilise at a rank although they do encourage people to go to the front of the rank.

Road Transport (Public Passenger Services) Regulation 2002
Section 122
(4) If 2 or more taxis are in a taxi zone, the 1st taxi has a right to the next hiring unless the person hiring selects another taxi.
(5) The driver of a taxi (other than the 1st taxi) must not do anything in contravention of the 1st taxi’s right to the next hiring under subsection (4).

Section 135
(5) A taxi driver must provide reasonable assistance with a passenger’s goods.

I once made this mistake for the exact same reason. The cabbie I went to wasn’t as scrupulous as yours though and took me anyway, getting a resentful beep from the minibus cab as we passed. I thought the vans cost more was my reasoning but apparently the fare is the same so I’ll know that for next time.

Sometimes I’ll get a cab up Bugden from the Erindale shops because walking up that hill was a nightmare even before I had a metal rod inserted in my left leg. I generally tip the driver about five bucks though or else I feel guilty because of the relatively short distance of the trip.

bundah said :

bearlikesbeer said :

I had a driver of the first cab on the rank refuse to help load my luggage into his boot. He said lifting luggage wasn’t his job, and suggested I call over another driver in the queue for help.

I instead approached the driver of the cab behind, explained that the bloke in front of him wasn’t prepared to help with my luggage, and asked if he wanted the fare instead. He said that was against the rules, and I would have to take the first cab in the queue.

I stood curbside for 2mins until the first cab took a fare. The second cab pulled up, and the driver helped me with my luggage.

This is appalling behaviour,the taxi industry has gone to hell in a handbasket for if that happened when i was driving you’d get disciplined FFS!

Gone to hell indeed. I have not really ever had an issue with cabs, the generally arrive when roughly about the time that I book them and dont give me much grief. However, not long back I was at the Dr at Cooleman Court in Weston receiving treatment for a back injury and I called for a cab to pick me up to take me home (to a location in Weston).

Dispatch advised me there is a rank outside Cooleman Court and I should wait there. I explained that I was suffering from a debilitating back injury, that I was aware of the rank and also aware that during the day it is predominantly empty and my pain was bad enough for me in having to walk from the door to the curb, let alone the 200 yards to the rank and could I please book the taxi. After some discussion about “no I dont need an ambulance, I’m just going home” and “yes I do need a taxi, I’m going home”, I was advised that I would get the next available taxi in my area. In my condition at the time, I was not able to stand and wait (nor sit for any length of time), so to wait, I had to lie on the benches out the front of the Drs… and wait is exactly what I did.

20 mins of waiting and I called the dispatch back and he advised me that in that time, there had been no cabs available in my area to take my call. A further 20 mins of waiting and the driver who finally came to get me, not only could not speak .. just look, smile and shrug. He had no clue as to my destination or how to get there (nor did he look like the driver pic on the taxi display licence – Pic was Indian and the driver was Asian). Pointing left and right got me home and he got a tip ONLY because I already had the cash note in my hand as I left the DR and by now I was in agony and I was not prepared to wait and fiddle about with change.

A week later and the same scenario, however this time the taxi never came at all (after again a second call to dispatch 20 mins into my wait to verify that I was on the list). Fifty minutes into my wait, I had to call my brother to leave his work and come and pick me up.

The following week (which turned out to be my final visit to the DR) as I ordered my cab, I advised of my pick up location and stated my destination from Weston was Civic, and the cab arrived in under 5 mins. In the taxi, I told the cabbie I had changed my mind and wanted to go to a location in Weston, and got home quickly and with less than the usual amount of agonising pain.

I might just add that getting to the Dr, by booking a cab the night before, had no issues and the cab was always there on time waiting for me (and this was a Weston to Weston trip as well). It was never an issue in getting there, only booking one on the fly to get home.

bearlikesbeer said :

I had a driver of the first cab on the rank refuse to help load my luggage into his boot. He said lifting luggage wasn’t his job, and suggested I call over another driver in the queue for help.

I instead approached the driver of the cab behind, explained that the bloke in front of him wasn’t prepared to help with my luggage, and asked if he wanted the fare instead. He said that was against the rules, and I would have to take the first cab in the queue.

I stood curbside for 2mins until the first cab took a fare. The second cab pulled up, and the driver helped me with my luggage.

This is appalling behaviour,the taxi industry has gone to hell in a handbasket for if that happened when i was driving you’d get disciplined FFS!

@bails – given the cost of catching a cab here, and the aforementioned monopoly which purports to provide cabs in neat and tidy condition, yeah, in the “first world”, I expect “first world” service.

I was wearing a suit and picking up colleagues to attend a professional appointment, not borrowing a mate’s dunger to move furniture.

And the point about the van’s condition is the least part. I still think I should be able to take any car I choose, particularly if I feel potentially unsafe (or any other reason – I don’t want to breathe in someone’s cigarette smoke exhaust or BO).

HiddenDragon10:10 am 03 May 13

That “rule” applies in other parts of Straya as, in my experience, does the “rule” which allows a cabbie to say “sorry mate/love (as the case may be), can’t do that” (or words to that effect) when the proposed destination is too far/close/whatever – in the latter event it is, of course, perfectly acceptable to go to the next cab on the rank (but that’s alright, because that’s different……).

bearlikesbeer9:47 am 03 May 13

I had a driver of the first cab on the rank refuse to help load my luggage into his boot. He said lifting luggage wasn’t his job, and suggested I call over another driver in the queue for help.

I instead approached the driver of the cab behind, explained that the bloke in front of him wasn’t prepared to help with my luggage, and asked if he wanted the fare instead. He said that was against the rules, and I would have to take the first cab in the queue.

I stood curbside for 2mins until the first cab took a fare. The second cab pulled up, and the driver helped me with my luggage.

johnboy said :

I imagine the taxi drivers have some code of their own about who gets to go first.

But for what they charge if you don’t want a manky van you damn well shouldn’t have to have one.

I’ve been in situations where whilst sitting at the back of the rank passengers have opened the door and said they wanted me to drive them home even after i told them it was customary to go to the front of the rank.But when they insist they don’t want to,one is obligated to take them and what i would normally do is drive to the front of the rank and inform the driver they insisted i take them as a courtesy to the first car on the rank.

Unless things have changed in recent years,which is unlikely,you can choose any cab on the rank.

I imagine the taxi drivers have some code of their own about who gets to go first.

But for what they charge if you don’t want a manky van you damn well shouldn’t have to have one.

I’ve seen some first world whinging in my time, but refusing to take the “manky van” takes the cake.

The “manky van” had been waiting longer, and the cab driver was being corteous. Maybe if you’re worried about it you should look in to booking this for your next journey.

http://www.canberrahummer.com.au/

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