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How reliable are taxis in the morning, if you were to call for a cab at about 7:30am, what are the odds of it being at your house within 20mins?

Are there usually taxis available at taxi ranks at shopping centres at that time of morning?

Are some taxi companys better than others?

Wedgie would know more about this than I do.

Are you after one every day or just as a one off?

Back a number of years ago, my brother was "in between licences" at the request of SA's finest. He lived in Highgate and worked in Elizabeth and caught a cab every morning to the city then the train to Elizabeth. He managed to get the same cabby a few mornings in a row and came to an arrangement with the cabby to pick him up every morning at the same time. Worked well for the cabby as he got a fare at the start of his shift every day, worked well for my brother as the cabby never turned on the meter and charged a flat rate, cash only.

If you are after a one off trip, my information was pretty much useless. I reckon most around here are used to that though.

As with all cabs I reckon it depends on time of year (ie whats on) and perhaps most importantly how many are in your area at the requested time (despite what they say, I reckon the distance you're travelling and expected fare come into it also)... I'd think at that time of the day if you booked in advance you'd be pretty safe with a 20 minute leeway mate.

As smac says, if it is a regular fare make an arrangement for the same cabbie to pick you up each day. My brother is a cabbie and has a number of his customers do this. You will find that Adelaide taxis do do a good job of getting to their customers quickly.
Cheers

pafc1870 wrote:How reliable are taxis in the morning, if you were to call for a cab at about 7:30am, what are the odds of it being at your house within 20mins?

Are there usually taxis available at taxi ranks at shopping centres at that time of morning?

Are some taxi companys better than others?

Wedgie would know more about this than I do.

Absolutely zero chance.

We used to catch taxis a lot for work, from the suburbs to the airport.

After too many late/lost/no shows we now use the limo service. 100% success rate of being on time every time. Nicer car, driver cares, doesn't smell, well presented, speaks English, and knows where roads such as "Brighton Road" and "Anzac Highway" are.

Sadly, the cost of the better service has sky rocketed, as every other company is doing the same thing. (Use a taxi from the airport as theres always many there)

All taxi companies are equally as poor, in my opinion.

I have dozens of war stories involving taxis.

"name withheld so I get home next week"

Taxis at 7-30am is in a non peak period
The busy period starts about 8-00am.
At 7-30m there would be many cabs waiting for a call from thier companies for a job.
My advice is never book taxis at round times like the 7-30am
There might be several bookings at that time
I would book the cab for 7-25am and get a more guarenteed arrival.
[ On busy weekend nights all people should book cabs at hour.55 and hour .25 ]

Also depending where you are commuting from
I would book a cab at 7-15am
You increase your chances of a cheaper fare due to the later peak hour traffic.

Agree with the previous poster. A taxi driver in Canberra told me it's always best to book the cab at (say) 7.25, then your cab is at the front of the queue. All the 7.30 bookings follow thereafter. It worked for me.

Also, book the cab ride to the airport, and if they say where are you going, tell them that they must've stuffed the booking up - but at that stage you've got them and they can't really refuse your fair.

A couple of times in the past due to an emergencey or what not Ive had to call a taxi in the morning, usually gets there within say 40 mins.
If you book them the night before Ive had one rock up on time if not a couple of minutes early every time.
Mrs Wedgie has been in need of many taxis to get to the airport and they've always been spot on the time if booked.

I always book a taxi at least an hour out, very rarely have the need to just call one up and get a lift.

Will be catching one at 5am on Friday morning to get to the airport to go to Canberra but I'll be 'booking' my old man.

Simple story is, if you book you're laughing within that 20 min time frame, if you don't you're pushing it and it will come down to where you live.
If you need one everyday you'll have no problems.

Bigger is usually better too, my old man despite at some times working for a smaller company has always advised to call the biggest or one of the bigger companies as your chances are a lot better then too.

And if you're looking at just rocking up to a cab rank I know the only one my old man sits at in the mornings is the airport.

Wedgie wrote:A couple of times in the past due to an emergencey or what not Ive had to call a taxi in the morning, usually gets there within say 40 mins.
If you book them the night before Ive had one rock up on time if not a couple of minutes early every time.
Mrs Wedgie has been in need of many taxis to get to the airport and they've always been spot on the time if booked.

I always book a taxi at least an hour out, very rarely have the need to just call one up and get a lift.

Will be catching one at 5am on Friday morning to get to the airport to go to Canberra but I'll be 'booking' my old man.

Simple story is, if you book you're laughing within that 20 min time frame, if you don't you're pushing it and it will come down to where you live.
If you need one everyday you'll have no problems.

Bigger is usually better too, my old man despite at some times working for a smaller company has always advised to call the biggest or one of the bigger companies as your chances are a lot better then too.

And if you're looking at just rocking up to a cab rank I know the only one my old man sits at in the mornings is the airport.

Dunno, you've had better luck then me.

I've never tried the 25 past trick.

But i have rung at say 6.35 when my 6.30 am taxi is not to be seen, to be told it's on its way. Arrives say 5-10 minutes later, ask the driver why so late, to be told 'they only put the call out at 6.25, and i was the nearest driver"

If i was "only" going to work, it's fine. But going to the airport (as answered when booked), it's not.

Also had a taxi driver no show at all, as he couldn't find my street, and gave up and went back to the city, without calling his depot.

I blame the high level of employment, it seems to me that many of the taxi drivers are very much the bottom of the "employment chain" and only got that job as no one else wanted it. And apologies to the nice, good, old regulars, but they seem to agree with me.

It's the same, if not worse, interstate.

A trick I have learned, when interstate, is NOT to tell the driver you aren't a local (unless you wan't the scenic route).

If going to the airport and only going away for 2-3 days it is still chepaer for me (work) to pay car parking than catch a cab anyway (from Flagstaff Hill)...and much more convenient for me

No luck, just know which companies to call and where you live has a lot to do with it.
Of course Im lucky as I use my old man a lot of times. He starts about 4am everyday so if you ever need one early send me a pm and I could get you someone who is 100% reliable.

Rushby Hinds wrote:Dunno, you've had better luck then me.

I've never tried the 25 past trick.

But i have rung at say 6.35 when my 6.30 am taxi is not to be seen, to be told it's on its way. Arrives say 5-10 minutes later, ask the driver why so late, to be told 'they only put the call out at 6.25, and i was the nearest driver"

If i was "only" going to work, it's fine. But going to the airport (as answered when booked), it's not.

Also had a taxi driver no show at all, as he couldn't find my street, and gave up and went back to the city, without calling his depot.

I blame the high level of employment, it seems to me that many of the taxi drivers are very much the bottom of the "employment chain" and only got that job as no one else wanted it. And apologies to the nice, good, old regulars, but they seem to agree with me.

It's the same, if not worse, interstate.

A trick I have learned, when interstate, is NOT to tell the driver you aren't a local (unless you wan't the scenic route).

No morning glory for you?

I agree with most of what MAL and Rushby have said.

Pick a time that is out of synch like 25 or 55 past the hour.

Dont let them know you are not a local if you are out of town - many questions they may ask are disguised to glean this answer.

School runs are busy periods aside from the usual 5pm timeslots, Sat nites, and anytime it is raining.

Have had a few horror stories myself but find Melb taxi drivers the worst in terms of everything - their driving, presentation, detours etc.

The thing I really hate when you book to go to the Airport is that they always ask your flight departure time. I often have carry on only and check in on line so I can get there within a few minutes of boarding. The operators always give you this spiel about "the airlines have told us to to suggest you arrive an hour early". Funny, but the airlines never tell me what time I should book the taxi for!

The other turn off is every cabbie always has a string off complaints they want to get off their chests. I could write a book about those, and in the majority they are all rubbish complaints. Had one guy tell me the speed limit past emergency services was 25kmh. I told him it was 40, because I knew it was as I was working for the emergency services at that time when the law was changed. No, I was wrong. Another said he made $5 hr for a 60-70 hr week. I said he could get a day job at minimum wage for 40hrs a week and moonlight as a cabbie for 20 hrs a week and be way in front. There endeth that "discussion".