Guess Who's Profiting from the Poor Taxi Service

Well that answers one question I had: whether they’d fixed/removed the voice system. Guess not. I just haven’t seen a lot of bleating about it lately.

I hear the people at work snarling about the voice recognition system/debacle, so I know it’s still operating. They swap stories about how crappy it is.

Yep I agree when im in Canberra and I need to call a cab its cabxpress. I still get any cab that I see on the street though I just never call canberra cabs any more.

Good stuff – I had been meaning to try cabexpress, but got out of the taxi habit during the voice-recognition debacle.
I hope cabexpress are doing well.
And I hope whoever kept sticking to the voice recognition to save a few bucks is regretting it now.
what a stuff up!

Don’t use Canberra Cabs/Aerial/Silver Service/Elite taxis (they are all the same company by the way). When the ACT government had been complaining about the lack of competition, they set up these extra “front” companies, but don’t be fooled – they’re all Canberra Cabs. When they introduced their voice mangling (oops, I mean recognition) system, and it consistently stuffed up my bookings, I stopped using them. This monumental cockup on the part of Canberra Cabs was the impetus for a new mob to start up – “Cabxpress”. Go Cab Express!!!! I use them *exclusively* now. When arriving at CBR airport on a flight and needing a taxi, I’ll even let every Canberra Cabs/Aerial/Silver Service/Elite taxi go by, waving the people behind me in the queue past me. When a Cabxpress taxi gets to the front of the queue, I take it.

Screw Aerial I say. They have shown such damn contempt for their customers, by consistently and persistently refusing to acknowledge that anything was wrong with their voice system, when people were screaming about it (one just had to listen to 666 to hear them).

Just call 6260 6011 and you’ll talk to a real person. And chances are that the driver him/herself will ring you and let you know how far away he/she is! Neat! http://www.cabxpress.com.au

[And no, I have no connection whatsoever with Cabxpress]

Why should our taxes be diverted to prop up Snow’s money-making activities?
The ACT gov’t isn’t responsible for the airport mess. The airport precinct is controlled by the federal gov’t planning people, and they didn’t give Snow any trouble at all. Snow is holding the local government to ransom by his crash-through tactics. Also, notice how he’s built things right up against the fences? The new building on Majura Road, the depots and things at the corner of Fairbairn and Pialligo Aves, and the Brindabella Park stuff? That’s so when the roads are widened, he has less risk of losing some of his land. Meaning people on the other side of the road cop more/all of it.

Clever, eh?

The problem is that all developments except this one can be monitored and controlled by the ACT govt so that the whole community benefits. The airport is exempt from local zoning controls. It means that his plans are isolated and immune from any impact on the surrounds, unlike any other development. He gets the benefit without having to wear any responsibility, i.e. pay the ancillary costs that any other commercial developer would have to.

I’m happy for the airport to make money as long as total cost to the community is factored in and he doesn’t get a free ride like as at present.

Ant workers dont pay $15 a day, they are talking long stay parks for people flying interstate.

I’m not sure if it’s still running, however workers could park for free at the Brand depot and catch a free shuttle to civic. Also there is a Dean’s airport shuttle bus, which I believe runs every hour to Civic and back.

So what if Terry Snow is making money? – good on him. Why should he have to fix the roads out there, isn’t that what we pay taxes are for, or are our tax dollars only for glassworks and statues these days.

The ACTION route 80 went to the airport for a little while in 2000/01 from memory but was cut out due to lack of patronage. I remember catching it one Friday night when the taxi queue was horrendous.
I hear a whisper that ACTION is maybe planning a return to the airport later this year with their revised timetable.

OYM I believe the rumour – otherwise why wouldn’t Action go to the airport?