17 November 2013

New taxi meters. Check the rate!

| Ampersandish
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Some Canberra taxis have new meters installed.

Yesterday, in the second time in as many weeks, I got into a cab around 6pm, and noticed the rate was set on the more expensive option (Rate 2, which starts at 9pm). Both times on notifying the driver that the rate was incorrect, I got the same response – “the rate is automatically set, and I have just swapped over shifts with the day driver”.

I rang the taxi company and flagged this with them. They said the rate can be manually changed and were concerned about the potential for ‘accidental’ overcharge, as was I.

If you are catching taxis around town, might pay to do a quick check to make sure the correct rate is on the meter.

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had the same thing happen on a “long” cab ride (km-wise, was actually a 22 min drive that ended up costing me about $85)….crooks…canberra cabs are so outrageously expensive already and when they do this it makes it even worse.

Good tip to others and we should all insist they have the correct rate or get out of the cab/threaten to call the company on the spot.

gungsuperstar12:28 am 18 Nov 13

They know full well that, on Monday to Friday at least, most people catching cabs during the day are using work credit cards/cab charges, and thus couldn’t give a rats arse whether the rate is correct.

So the New meters offer no advantage to the consumer. I will still drive to the airport thanks.

i bet that the cabbies don’t forgot to check that the meter has ‘automatically’ swapped over the rate to the higher one at 9pm. in fact there was an issue with the automatic rating not working properly you can bet the issue would have been reported and fixed (at the very least with a manual override) on the very first shift the new meter was in the cabs!!!

this sort of thing reinforces every crap cab experience i’ve had or heard about. thank you for reporting it – another dishonest practice to watch out for when i am forced to taxi somewhere.

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