How to Pick a Reputable Taxi Service Abroad
You may be comfortable with using your local taxi service when you’re at home, but when you’re travelling internationally, you may not be familiar with the best taxi services at your destination. Many tourists have reported being scammed by illegal taxis and being overcharged by taxi drivers when abroad. To help you pick a reputable taxi service that suits your needs while you’re travelling, here are our top tips.
Look for a Taxi Service With a Good Reputation
Many travellers would rather get a cab from the airport to their hotel instead of hiring a car or taking public transport, but picking up a cab at the nearest taxi rank isn’t always the safest option. Before you leave for your trip, do a bit of internet sleuthing and look up the most popular taxi companies in the city you’ll be travelling to. The cab company should be registered and have an operator’s licence from the local authority. Generally, popular companies are more likely to offer the best and most reliable services. Popular taxi services will have the best reputation, and will offer prompt arrival, ensure that you are taken on the safest and most direct route to your destination, and have professional, vetted drivers. Look at the services and kinds of vehicles that are available. Some taxi companies may offer wheelchair-accessible cars, seven- or eight-seater minivans to transport larger groups, executive cars for business travellers, and meet and greet services.
Read Their Online Reviews
If you want to know more about a taxi company’s credibility, you should look up what their customers have to say about them. Online reviews can provide you with more information on the professionalism of their drivers, the reliability of the service, and what the overall quality of the service is like. When reading the negative feedback, check that the customers’ concerns were addressed by the taxi company and that they received a satisfactory response. The taxi services that have their customers best interests at heart will do their best to resolve any issues they have.
Research the Drivers’ Qualifications
Depending on which country you’re travelling to, they may have different regulations in terms of what qualifications taxi drivers are required to have. Put your safety first, and look into what each company has to say about their hiring process. Choose a taxi service that does background checks and medical assessments on all their drivers, offers safeguarding and customer service training, and requires that their drivers take an examination before being hired. Their drivers should have a taxi or private hire vehicle licence (or the country’s equivalent) and they should have taxi insurance. Before selecting a taxi company, it may be wise to ask if any of their drivers speak English so you don’t have any miscommunication issues when it comes to discussing the fare and telling them your destination.
Choose a Taxi Service That Offers Fair Pricing
A reputable taxi service will have their prices listed on their website and on their app. They will usually charge a specific fee per mile (or kilometre), per number of minutes waiting in traffic, or if you request to stop somewhere mid-journey. Rates may change for airport pick-ups and drop-offs, on specific dates, or at certain times of the day. Some taxi services may be more expensive if you’re traveling at night or on public holidays. They should also state any fees relating to damaging or dirtying the vehicle. Check that there aren’t any hidden fees for wheelchair users or individuals with prams and car seats. Compare each taxi service’s prices to make sure they are charging fair and competitive rates, but remember that the cheaper service may not be the best. Some cities and councils will have laws regarding the fees that can be charged by taxi companies, so you should research them before you leave for your trip.
Check That They Have a Secure App
Some taxi services will have a secure app that you can use to pre-book your taxi. The app should provide you with a booking confirmation message that includes the driver’s I.D., the car’s brand and colour, and the registration number. Some apps will have a tracker so you can see where the vehicle is as the driver makes their way to you. Some taxi companies will calculate your fare on the app before your ride, so you will know how much you will be charged prior and there won’t be any surprise fees. They may allow you to pay by card so there will be no cash involved. Make sure you use two-factor authentication when logging in to the app and don’t share your password with anybody. The companies that don’t have an app should provide you with a confirmation text before the vehicle arrives with the driver’s I.D and the vehicle’s registration number.
Check the Condition of the Vehicle
Once you have decided on which taxi service to use while you’re abroad and have booked a taxi, you should inspect the car you will be travelling in. Before you get in the taxi, look at the condition of the car. If it doesn’t look clean or well maintained, don’t get in and consider calling another cab company. Check that the driver’s I.D. matches the one in your confirmation notification and ask them if they have your booking information. Make sure the seatbelts are in working order and that there is a meter installed.
Choosing a reputable company with qualified drivers and quality vehicles will make you feel safer and more confident with taking cabs abroad.
