Taxi Driver Online

I read somewhere about a bit of kit used by drivers to accept credit cards in their vehicles

It was in one of the trade mags about 6 months ago, it used the Orange mobile phone network to process transactions securely IIRC

It might have been called something like redback or silverback ???

Can't find anything on google, can anyone recommend a mobile / in-car credit card device and provide any online links or info ?

Thanks a bunch

I can't remember the name of the thing, but one of my mates has one and it's costs him about £1 a day.

They are good, and print out very nice little receipts.

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IDFIMH

Silver back or something?

They want a big cut on the credit card! Surcharge fare by 15% and do 50K a year of credies and it might be worth it.

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A member of the Hire or Reward Industry

sound similiar to taxipay which i use.works for me! http://www.taxipos.com/

This one looks a good one, a mate of mine has this in Nottingham. 2 days for the money to go into your account.

http://www.silvergumsolutions.com/

11.5% is a bit steep. i had cardnet from a preivous business they seem to think that you not allowed to add on a credit card surcharge these days. surely if you get 5% of the surecharge back, then that amounts to over charging the customer?

still got the old paper system in the car. where you put the paper slip on top of the card and push and pull the roller to make an imprint. not that i've had anyone ask to use a card in the last 6 months at least...

The bits about the commission is interesting.

HC regulations, as you say, state they cannot exceed the tariff card.

But if you charge a booking fee/percentage on top of the metered price, then surely you are in breach of the regulations.

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IDFIMH

company called 123 send supply my mobile terminal contact 0207 940 1150

There are quite a number of systems out there, but do check out the temperature range of the printer.

Most of them use a thermal printhead (so they don't need a ribbon) and I know a few cabbies that left them on the dash last summer and got a load of black paper!

I believe that the customer must always end up with a printed or imprinted receipt for the transaction. Because of this and the charges made by mobile terminal companies there are loads of people that will stick with the ggod old roller machine for some time to come.

Ivor

Last time I was in a black cab in London he advertised that he would take credit card payment if agreed at start of journey for a 10% surcharge.

Now Claude, is that legal? Does the PCO allow you to charge extra for alternative methods of payment?

If so, why not for cheques as well.

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A member of the Hire or Reward Industry

Ah, so that's what he means by a proper way to run a taxi business, ignore the tariff sheet.

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IDFIMH

Many shops charge a rate if you use a credit card, many have it hidden. Yesterday I went to Halfords and paid by switch, on the recipt it said I agree to have 5.5% charge deducted and paid to Halfords for debit card handling. I think you have the charge for merchent banking status, might be wrong but who cares

But Halfords don't have teir charges set by the local council.

Many of whom stipulate 'maximum' fare.

I have yet to see a local tarrif sheet saying you can charge more if passengers pay by credit card or cheque.

In a free enterprise council this is of course possible.

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A member of the Hire or Reward Industry

taxipay was passed by edinburgh district council.the radio company asked them before starting to use the service

We take Credit and debit cards in all our cabs, and the maximum cost per transaction (to us) is 50p. On average, the cost is about 22p per transaction.

We use Streamline via MODACS. We found that the cheapest system. We just have terminals at the office and the driver just blows the number through on the radio. The customer just signs one of our own dockets carried in the cars. Never had any serious problems with it.

In about 10 years, we have only had about two dodgy cards presented.

We set a minimum of £10.00 fare to accept a card. However, we often take cards for lower amounts when Mum or Dad (for example) phone us to pick their daughter up from the disco/party etc.

Our view is that while we may lose a few pence on some fares, we get additional fares that otherwise we would refuse anyway (Eg. Out of town pick-ups), and end up building up our cistomer base by it.

Biggest users of credit cards are airport bookings (all £40-£75 fares and above) and station bookings where many book a car for a weeks journeys etc, and minibus bookings where we always insist on advance payment anyway.

Around 5% of our total trade is paid for by credit card.

We have never made an additional payment for handling them. And, what I find of interest, is that in the NatWest STreamline retailer agreement, it expressly states that retailers charging extra for accepting cards, will be eliminated from the scheme. So... How do Halfords and all those big stores get away with it?

Can you check your credit card slip again, and see if Halfords did actually charge you that extra percentage? Because I have noticed the same on Dixons and PC WOrld receipts, but have never actually been charged any extra on the advertised price.