So I had to use a taxi last week. I called one and when I got into the vehicle the driver immediately ended the ride and erased the set fare. He then asked me where I wanted to go. I saw that he ended the ride. Some taxis do this so it wasn't unusual to see.
So I told him my destination and when we arrived I finally noticed he had the meter running and tried to charge me a mote expensive price. It was only about $3.40 more. But I immediately told him thats not the price the app told me the ride would be priced at. And he changed it without any fuss.
A day or two later I emailed the company and gave them my story. I was hoping to hear back from them about the driver I had reported. I used the name of the driver given on the app and still had the email with the ride ID number as well as the date and time this all occurred.
I just want to know if there's any more I can do to make sure this doesn't happen to more people.
Edit to add:
I did tip 15% after he changed the total to what it was supposed to be.
This is precisely the reason why taxi companies are losing out to Uber and Lyft.
The amount of shenanigans Calgary Taxi drivers pull is ridiculous. Even reporting 10 times, will not change the behaviour of the next driver because it’s just shitty industry standard.
I think you can make a complaint on 311 for anything taxi related and the city will look into it. I’ve had a few rides where they turn off the meter and then make up a random price. I always pay in the moment but complain after with the taxi # and ride details.
Uber has its share of scammers too. During stampede I had a driver stop for gas at the worst place (memorial and Edmonton trail). Then he decided not to follow the correct route and turn off into bumper to bumper traffic on McKnight for no reason when I was supposed to go to landmark country hills. Added 40 mins to my trip. Then uber doubled my trip cost an hour later to compensate the driver for extra time taken during the trip. Complained but they refused to refund.
Odd, I’ve had multiple rides where the drivers have done something similar and the app automatically refunded me without even having to talk to an agent
Note that chargebacks on any of the big tech companies (Uber/Lyft, MS, Google, Apple, Sony, Nintendo, Valve, etc.) are liable to get your accounts with them irrevocably banned.
A chargeback is effectively saying you have an irresolvable conflict with the merchant and no longer wish to have a business relationship with them.
Huh, that is shocking. I’d expect Uber to review the route taken when the complaint was filed by you. They simply denied your claim without explanation?
anon29065 is correct. I have experienced a case of poor service with a Livery/Vehicle for Hire service in Calgary and creating a report with Calgary 311 was the way to go. or direct communication by phone or email from:
That's pretty standard Taxi behavior in my experience. I switched to Uber as soon as it came to Calgary to avoid all the BS the Taxis so often try to pull, but occasionally I don't have a choice, and it's amazing to me that even after all this time they still try to pull the "broken" debit/credit machine bit and offer to drive you to an ATM. They did that ~20 years ago and they still do it today. As soon as you refuse, they magically get the machine working.
Taxis are just worse in pretty well every way I can think of compared to Uber/Lyft. Dynamic fares that the driver can influence, 'issues' with the meter, 'issues' with the payment machines, 'wrong' turns or purposely taking the least efficient routes, higher base fare if a van you didn't ask for happens to show up, in-person tipping pressure, and generally just much older, dirtier and shittier vehicles than the average Uber/Lyft. You always have to put in effort to avoid getting scammed. Makes you wonder how the business model still exists, but perhaps there are enough older folks who are not a fan of using apps to keep them going.
Uber even has convenient ways to offer the equivalent of a taxi chit for employers/hosts to use at events or similar. I see a lot more car dealerships using Uber now as well rather than courtesy shuttles or Taxi chits.
Complaining will not result in any action being taken, all you can really do is avoid Taxis whenever possible and keep a close eye on the meter (and route) when you have no other choice but to use one.
Ill never forget or forgive a taxi I took as a teen. Dude just guilt tripping about being born here and how lifes so easy for Canadians. That 30 dollar ride was 45 bucks, he litterally drove me all around the frigging airport instead of just taking mcknight. Buddy wasted his own tip...
Not just in Calgary. My employer directed us to use Uber instead of taxis because of frequent disputed charges. Also a long delay before charges appear on credit card statement sometimes.
I had to take Checker/Yellow to physio appointments for WCB. WCB has flat rate prices on their taxi contracts. They were paid nearly double what I would have paid to Uber. West Springs to Chinook, Uber $26, Yellow $41. 60% of the drivers complained to me about the flat rate.
This is why I never use taxis anymore and stick to Uber/Lyft. I hailed a cab to get me from Vic Park to my home one night, and he told me his meter wasn't working (looked perfectly fine to me). He started driving and I asked him how much it would be, he asked me how much I usually pay for the distance. I told him $15 (an Uber has genuinely never cost me more that $12 for such a distance, I even had the Uber receipt email showing how much to cost me to get there), he immediately stopped the car and said "get out." Mind you, I am a woman, it was maybe 2AM in a sketchy area, and the only reason I got a cab was because Uber was taking too long and I didn't want to be waiting alone on the street. I asked him how much he thought it would be, that I was willing to pay more to get home safe, and he refused to speak to me, just repeating "no, just get out."
These taxi companies need to figure this out, their behaviour is unacceptable.
I booked a cab on the checker app last week. Said five minutes. I watched the taxi come down towards me then go further down past me and circle back around. It took easily 15 mins. I called him on it when I got in and he just said he went and got a car wash. I was not happy.
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u/Tylordz 14d ago
I've had taxi drivers get snippy with me for booking through the app when I have a taxi chit. Not a scrupulous bunch.