Does this happen to anyone? You get a quote for a ride to x. When you reach your destination, the fare requested is higher than the quote.
If anyone can recommend a nearby service who never do this, we’d love to hear about them.
I find Uber quotes are always reliable, and the route is shown on your phone, which means drivers can’t get away with lengthening the journey. The rating system also keeps them honest, and the excellent centralized customer support means you get a refund if there are problems.
Has there been a change of heart on Uber losing its license in London? If not, then we might all need good mini-cab options.
I will miss Uber. I didn’t use it particularly frequently but always found the drivers friendly and reliable.
It’s likely to be months before Sadiq Khan is able to shutter Uber, because the service must be allowed to operate during the appeals process.
The punitive measures taken against Uber will need to appear fair, so TfL will have to take action against other minicab companies too:
Let’s keep the thread on topic. It’s a request for recommendations.
That’s good news - thank you
I hope Uber can sort out some of the criticisms against them and we all, customers and drivers, end up with an improved service
Is Uber good for advance bookings e.g. next day to Heathrow?
I wouldn’t recommend Uber for advance bookings. You can only book for a time space of 15 mins, eg 8.30-8.45 which doesn’t really help if trying to get to airport on schedule. Also, Ubers fares are not fixed as someone suggested earlier… It only gives you a fare estimate so can go up quite considerably from what you are ‘quoted’. I’ve used forest hill cars for Heathrow and found them good but expensive… And the Sydenham station cars (london cars) for gatwick who have been reliable and cheaper than uber. Hope this helps.
It should not be like that. The price you are quoted is the price you pay.
There can be few issues with prices that customers can experience if the car booked incorrectly by a customer.
In general,
the customer should know how much he/she will pay before committing a journey, but if the customer calls and gives approximate pick-up or drop off point, a dispatching system that the minicab company uses will calulate APPROXIMATE fare so when the journey is completed, you may get a suprise.
Then, if you dont give full information like if you have luggage and how much, when the driver picks you up with a lot of luggage and he has an MPV for example, he will charge you for estate car, 6seater, 8seater fare, which will be much different from quoted.
If there is also any stops/vias before the destination, than it can also change the fare from the original if the customer does not mention during booking which can be a suprise.
There is also waiting time that is charged separately from the journey, you need to ask the office you are booking from about the price for waiting if there can be a situation that the driver will be asked to wait.
Also a number of passengers should be mentioned, if you dont and it happens a 6-seater is sent and you have 5 people, the price for the journey will be for 6-seater, 8-seater etc.
Also, some minicab companis do not include parking fees when picking up from an airport, so the driver will charge the parking fee on the top of the fare if that is the case, again, the customer has to clarify that when booking.
Additional fees can be charged for card payments.
But if you booked a car and gave all information that is needed and the driver charges you more than quoted, do not pay, call the office straight away and speak to people in the office to clarify why. The driver can see you as an easy picking, usually minicab offices do not tolerate that and deal with them. But if they dont have records of that happening, they could not do anytning about it, they need to have some ground for the driver’s dismissal.
The reason is not political, it has a simple explaination. Some checks that done via third parties, and not TFL, may have some disclosures “not requested”, like adults or children, etc. because those third parties work in a specific areas- with children only, or adults only. It is normal practice. Private hire drives are required to have comprehensive disclosure, there are 5 of them - conictions, section 142, children, adults and chief police officer. TFL does not accept “partials”, i. e. when one or more of those five are not requested which can be a case with disclosures via third parties. To insure the compliance, TFL decided to have it done via themselves. Nothing undermining, TFL is just trying to ensure as much as possible that people are transported by risk free drivers. Obviousely clear CRB is not a guarantee that the driver will not commit crime, but it is one of the ways to make it safer.
Indeed. What is not widely reported is that Uber already had a 4 months extension granted to bring their operation into line with all other London minicab companies but hadn’t done so. Much more here:
@DevonishForester We use Data cars locally and for airport runs and I find that their quotes are close. I do not think you can expect them to be spot on though for those not using the Uber paradigm. They also have an app which is not bad.
Guys, can we stick to the OP’s question. By all means discuss this but there is already an Uber topic. Thanks.
Oh, where is that? Besides, if the thread already has been skewed then bringing some balance seems appropriate.
The Uber debate thread is in the “General Politics” category.
For those who are new to the forum:
That is very interesting and I guess makes sense for those who want to make it political and have the stomach for the poor quality debate in the political categories. What about those who see it as a story about regulations?
The OP asked for a local cab company not.debate on User. Let’s bring it back on track please.
For options for airports there were some good recommendations on a topic last year.
For those not in politicos, there was a two way discussion in February called Black Taxis vs Uber which at that time focused largely on the carbon emissions of the two sides and burnt out quickly. It was reprised recently focussing less on the conflict between black taxis and uber and more on the roll of the Mayor in the matter and political/economic outcomes for London.
London Cars based in Sydenham notify drivers of the fare in advance The fare is then displayed for driver and passenger to see on whatever machine the drivers are using now.
And yes, use a licenced minicab company. I heard there are “cowboys” out there, avoid them. If they dont have a proper operator licence, it is very unlikely they will have proper rules where the proper pricing system is in place.
Very noble of you, but that’s the job of the moderators. I asked upthread that the thread not be hijacked. At that point, one post had been made on either side of the debate. I thought that was a balanced place to ask for the thread to return to the original question. I’m disappointed this hasn’t happened.
We always use forest hill cars & have done for years, hope you are not now going to say that ha ha!
If I’m going on a longer journey that’s not familiar I always ask the controller beforehand how much it will be. Don’t know if that is any help as you may have done that before as well, but at least it gives you something to tell the driver when you reach your destination & they can then argue it with the controller.
With the controller backing up the driver and the customer out of pocket in my experience…
At one stage Forest Hill Cars were very tough on drivers who tried to overcharge; the co-owner of FHC would make the driver refund to the passenger the amount overcharged and drive to the passenger to do so if the complaint was made after the passenger had left the car. An announcement would then go out to all drivers that anyone caught overcharging would have to leave.
Don’t know whether this is still the case.
We always got a price from FHC before a journey and were never charged more. Last one was about a month ago.
+1 for Forest Hill Cars. Have used them for many years and have never been charged different to what was quoted.
I do wish individual minicab services had online/app booking systems. Or at least confirmed bookings by text or email. I used a service near my past home which capably did all of this.
Forest Hill Cars now has an app booking system.
FHC seem to be trying hard to win custom and they have been improving their use of tech with automated services based on caller ID and they text you after you are dropped off. Cars are clean now and the drivers seem to be on time (early if anything!) and on the ball. A few years back I think the service was poor and the telephone op was quite rude.
Data Cars - out of Lee Road used to be excellent for airport pickups/drop off - smartly dressed drivers and nice clean cars but haven’t used them in a while.
I once used FHC to get to Gatwick and we were really late (OH mistook 14:00 and 4PM!!) so we told the driver not to spare the horses. Slowest ride ever with the driver slowing down at green lights in case they changed!
In general cab services are much improved - 30 years ago I had some very interesting cab rides but perhaps not suited to this thread…
I used FHC for an airport run on Sunday, fixed fare no issue. I’ve used them for many years and always been happy with the service.
Shame they don’t mention it on their website. This is a case where I’d prefer web-based booking as I don’t like to clog up my phone with apps I’d only use in a blue moon.
Have you used them for an airport pick up? I’ve had issues with local firms failing to come into the airport to pick up their fare.
No idea why I had to go searching for these - should be on their site.
Think the rest of the comments here back up what I was saying. One of the controllers drives as well at the end of the day.
Always use them for pick ups and no problem at all.
Lucky you, 2 or 3 times I’ve been told one price at the office and another by the driver. Really annoying, as usually I’m in too much of a rush to argue for long.
Did you report it? it’s the driver at fault.