Taxi Driver Online

Is it not understood that the charge is for using the machine as a utility charge and is completely seperate from the fare?

The TaxiPay solution is cheap and easy to use. However, I think it's been pointed out before that these transactions are processed as 'customer not present' - even if the cardholder is sat right next to you. This means that in the event of a disputed transaction the card company take sides with the cardholder and it is up to you to prove that transaction is genuine. This would work fine if you are just taking payments from regular known customers, but gives you no protection against card company charge-backs when the card has been used fraudulently. The only 'guarantee' of payment is using an electronic chip & PIN enabled terminal. If the cardholder has disclosed his PIN number then he has taken liability.

You get a little machine to take an impression of the card on the usual visa slip. TaxiPay will guarantee the payment if you have filled, signed and completed the slip with the authorisation code.

Thats interesting because when a charge back happens with CNP transaction the bank refund the money into the customers account untill a CHIP and Pin verified receipt can be provided to them. So are TaxiPay going to take this loss on themselves and not pass it back to you when a CNP charge back occurs?

So the customer just signs for the displayed meter fare?

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IDFIMH

Council here added a 10% surcharge to the tariff card for card payments, about 2 years ago.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

The customer signs for the total balanc eon the understanding it includes a transaction fee for using the card service. This is normal practice and acceptable under the "The Credit Cards (Price Discrimination) Order 1990" Act.

I have no reason to doubt what you say, but I'm more interested in the 1847 Hackney Carriage (not it's real name) Act.

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IDFIMH

1847 Town Police Causes Act

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Grandad,

Well I don't think that would work up here because the Scottish legislation says:

The fares for the hire of taxis in any area and all other charges in connection with the hire of a taxi or with the arrangements for its hire shall be not greater than those fixed for that area under
this section...

So the premium for using the card would have to be authorised by the council, as per what gusmac said re Aberdeen.

lol

I notice the Cash is King phrase on here. Is it though? I know I never have more than a tenner on me when I go out and even use my card to pay for drinks now. Then theres the safety issues of carrying cash in the cab and most business's give their employees cards for travel expences and who wants to be waiting on payment on a 90 day invoice if you can get it paid to you today on a card? Travellers use their cards too and by 2012 your going to have to be in it to win it and I mean card acceptance not the Olympics!

Well said.

I think cash is king everywhere, but that doesn't mean your system doesn't have it's place.

But the point I'm raising is that I'm not 100% certain that charging the customer more than is on the meter is 100% legal in 100% of councils.

Now it can be by just adding a surcharge clause onto the tariff card, but I bet more councils haven't got such a clause than have.

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IDFIMH

I appreciate what you’re saying and it is a bit of a grey area. The card payment discrimination act is UK legislation for allowing a fee to be charged where a card is used which of course is a different issue from local government’s legislation regarding surcharging the fare. More and more councils are aware that taking cards in the car is going to incur a utility charge and are adjusting their wording accordingly. Link below.

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1990/Uksi_19902159_en_1.htm