Taxi Driver Online

The taxi trick that could be costing you as much as DOUBLE your fare

https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news ... ou-1875624

Two taxi drivers have revealed the tricks of the trade to help you avoid being ripped off

A Lincolnshire man has issued a warning about a trick used by some taxi drivers that can see unsuspecting customers shell out twice the amount they should be paying.

The man, who didn’t want to be named, has spoken out after his son was almost caught out after taking a cab back to his home in Bourne after a night out in Stamford on a Saturday night.

Heading home at around 2.30am, the 19-year-old was quick to realise the driver of the taxi had his meter setting on three – which is only ever permitted on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day.

As it was after 11pm the setting should have been on two, meaning the teenager very nearly paid over the odds for his journey.

However, after being warned of this by his dad previously, he contested the fare and had it negotiated down to the appropriate rate.

And now his dad, a former taxi driver himself, wants others not to be aware and not get caught out.

He said: “Between the hours of 6am and 8.59pm the rate is 1 (£1.80 per mile).

“After 11pm to 5.59am the rate is 2 (£2.55 per mile) but if the customer gets into the car before the higher rate, even if the journey goes into the higher rate time, it [the fare] is from when the journey begins.

“The last rate which is the one my son was attempted to be charged with is rate 3 (£3.60 per mile).

“My son’s journey was Stamford to Bourne where you can imagine the difference in cost.”

The man, who stills holds his taxi licence, fears other taxi drivers are doing the same.

“This is common practice by some, but not all,” he said.

“Some firms take advantage of the out of town drunk folk.

“Some don’t even run the meter – [they] make up the fare which obviously is extortionate and the meter isn’t used to hide this fact.

“I’ve been told by others [that this is happening] – but this is the only with evidence I’ve seen though I keep advising people to take pictures of the meter and drivers badge.”

That advice has been heeded by a driver currently employed by a taxi firm, who feels some members of his profession are taking advantage of people when drunk by charging more than they should.

“Unfortunately it’s extremely common by out-of-towners trying to take advantage of drunk people – it is basically stealing,” said the man, who has worked as a taxi driver for two years.

“I don’t know who do it but you get to hear all the stories from passengers who have been caught out.

“People who have been charged £60 back from Stamford to Bourne.

“Stamford to Bourne is £23/24 on the meter town to town before 11pm and £33 after 11pm.

“Taxi drivers are basically taking advantage of drunken people – it is greed.”

In most places, the local council authority will audit the fares taxi companies are permitted to charge.

In this incident the vehicle is understood to have been operating under a licence from South Kesteven District Council.

The authority has been approached for comment.

Utterly disgraceful

The trade is obviously very disreputable in that neck of the woods

I didn't think they had regulated fares in Stamford. each company have their own.

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Grandad,

Whats the rate from 9pm to 10.59pm ?

They must be the best drivers in the country running you home for nothing between 9pm. and 11pm. or perhaps they just ask for a donation.

You can either go on the default council rate or you can deposit your own table of fares with the council but in effect everyone is on the council rate the only variation being those who register a tariff card allowing for charging T2 or T3 for more than 4 passengers depending on the time of night

The passenger claims to have been a sole passenger BUT if he was in a party of 5 or 6 then this might have been in accordance with his tariff card

The big problem is that we have 30 or 40 part time drivers who work PH in Peterborough in the week and roll into Stamford after 23.00 to "fill their boots" we also get Peterborough PH plated cars turning up and ranking up unofficially in the square etc. etc.

Our L.O.'s are too busy trying to catch people out not getting admin tasks completed on deadline and sitting in their office to actually come down to Stamford more than half a dozen times a year and do enforcement so many drivers think they can get away with anything and frequently do.

For instance we are not allowed to rank up in the square but it is used regularly by most drivers at night and also on market days because it is THE place people always have gone to looking for taxis. The council huffs and puffs writes letters but NO drivers are ever punished and to be fair it is what the public wants and if drivers didn't go there the Peterborough PH's would on a Friday or Saturday night

As long as I can remember there have been drivers trying it on and overcharging

The thing is the 1974 local govt act messed us up and created a monster district

SKDC covers 364 square miles

by comparison Rutland is only 148 square miles

London is 606 so two LO's to cover an area 60 percent of the size of greater London

On a weekend there are just 2 police officers on duty covering that area and a population of over 130000

It is very easy for rogues to flourish when there is little law and order

That said I doubt it was someone from my firm or gangsta cabs but the others are owned by people who will employ anyone

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

So made a few phone calls

The lad concerned was the son of a taxi driver from Bourne he was part of a group of about 8 lads and was supposed to be picked up by dad BUT dad didn't turn up to pick him up

they had a 6 seater and a car back to Bourne drivers sensibly asked for money up front

6 seater (one of my drivers) charged £35 with 3 or 4 drops including one at a village on the way the other car charged £30 for 2 passengers and did not have the meter on

Apparently the 19 year old lad whose dad was a driver started shouting about demanding that the fare should only be £20.00 even at 02.30 in the morning !!!!

Neither vehicle had the meter on nor was it set to T3

Oh and by the way the video attached to the article is not of a driver I recognise and the photo could have been taken anytime as it is not date or time stamped

it appears the picture was taken at another time by the lad (possibly in dads car) by a lad very upset that he didn't get a cheap ride home from dad

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Always take these stories with a pinch of salt anyway

Lad reminds me of a guy I picked up a couple of times quite a few years ago now. He always announced that his dad was a taxi driver who had told him NEVER to pay the metered fare.

To be fair his dad was one of the best known in the area for discounting, so at least he's consistent, but recall a short while later when he was moaning in the local press because other drivers were charging less than him

his name wasn't Skippy perchance

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

No doubt the T3 scam goes on (pretty sure it does here) but the lad probably just said to his dad it was on T3 when it wasn't, or his dad just suspected it was on T3, and by the time the press got hold of it the driver was deffo on T3

My view has always been that every driver's a secret Skippy, but they tend to moan when others are doing the Skippy bit, especially when the other drivers are trying to out-Skippy Skippy

Biggest scam down here is the unscrupulous multi-seater drivers charging meter and a half (5-8 people) tariff when having 1-4 people in the car.

They are going to be well miffed should the council remove the multi-seater tariff from the approved chart.

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IDFIMH

Where are the calender controlled metres, these only change tariff on the right date and time

How do they work when you have a vehicle that can work on different rates due to the number of passengers? For example if we are using an 8 seat vehicle in the daytime and we have 1-4 passengers it is rate 1 but if we have 5-8 passengers it is rate 3. how does the meter know?

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Grandad,

We have them down here and they work well, apart from the thieves who press the multi seater tariff when they shouldn't.

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IDFIMH