Addison Lee - better to pay cash

[dowie]

Just a tip...

Was rather drunk last night, drinks with work mates, strippers then a McDonalds in the early hours - > me wandering down some random street thinking I need to get home... thankfully Addison Lee have an iphone app with a 'find my location' option and my home address, card details already stored - so I just used that and a car arrived within 5 mins. (Tis a fantastic app if, like me, you sometimes find yourself completely wasted, unsure of your exact location and just need to get home).

I got into the cab and (rather surprisingly) the driver was a white British guy and pretty much straight away he started some rant about credit card bookings. (have booked with Addison Lee before and none of the other drivers had moaned like this guy) Anyway his main gripe seemed to be that he gets paid less for credit card bookings and my home address wasn't in a busy area for him. I think he was trying to guilt me into paying him a tip - it wasn't working and if he'd asked directly he'd have been told where to go. He carried on his rant about how the firm screws him though when I suggested that he should work elsewhere he seemed to think that Addison Lee was the best option. (Perhpas he should pull his thumb out and sit the knowledge if he's that bothered). Essentially he seemed to be a typical 'foreigners taking our jobs' numptie who's annoyed that he's not earning more money for a very basic job that quite frankly any **** with a driving license could get.

Anyway I was curious and a bit of searching reveals that the company does (it seem) pay less to the drivers for credit card bookings and also charges customers more (so seemingly makes rather a large margin from these) - my tip therefore, to avoid the potential of some working class Londoner with a chip on his shoulder having a big rant (and also to save a couple of quid) is to just book cash bookings with these guys.

 

[arknor]

taxi drivers need to get a grip... the invention of "set destination , turn right , turn left , straight ahead" means any moron can indeed be a taxi driver as non of them have any real local knowledge anymore and all drive the same crap routes.

i bet the real reason he likes to be paid cash is because hes almost garunteed not to get a tip if someone pays by card

 

[[TW]Fox]

taxi drivers need to get a grip... the invention of "set destination , turn right , turn left , straight ahead" means any moron can indeed be a taxi driver as non of them have any real local knowledge anymore and all drive the same crap routes.

Quite. Infact why ANY taxi driver should expect a tip at all is beyond me. What exactly do they do above and beyond the cost of the journey to deserve a tip?

'Have a tip, thanks for not crashing'?

 

[arknor]

Quite. Infact why ANY taxi driver should expect a tip at all is beyond me. What exactly do they do above and beyond the cost of the journey to deserve a tip?

'Have a tip, thanks for not crashing'?

a lot dont even have meters anymore... and just quote you randomly the cost of the journey based on how likely your going to pay it..

one tried to charge my stepson 15 quid for a 5minute journey that only takes 15minutes to walk
my stepson said i might aswell just walk and the guy said a fiver , i suspect he originaly said 15quid because my son came out of a club and the guy just assumed hes a drunk teenager or something but he was just getting out of work, i bet loads of people get taken advantage of

 

[v0n]

Last time I checked Addison Lee was surcharging £4.40 for credit and debit cards. For me that's enough to never use them, but I suppose the driver was moaning that company quoted ££ and it includes that fee.

 

[Mailman86]

A driver asked me how much I usually pay for a taxi journey once just as we were arriving at the destination (it was a regular trip from my house) and I tried my luck and just said £5. He seemed surprised but just accepted that it cost £5. Journey usually costs £15 at least.

 

[Scam]

I prefer to pay by giving them my company's account number

 

[arknor]

I prefer to pay by giving them my company's account number

cool story bro, why dont we all show each other our bank balances , cars and houses?

dont know why people have to come out like wow im rich as hell cos i can get taxis on a company account on a forum like this espcially when its fairly obvious quite a few on here are more than likely a lot richer than you will ever be yet they dont need to brag

 

[PMKeates]

I have had an Addison Lee driver give me the whole credit card spiel. My thought is that I would prefer to pay by card as it's more convenient if I can't quickly find a cash machine. It also means that I can 'buy' taxis and just shove people in them, like I had to do last Saturday night.

To avoid annoying drivers I have taken to ordering a Mercedes-Benz, as these drivers are effectively the 'crème de la crème' if there is such a thing.

 

[HangTime]

taxi drivers need to get a grip... the invention of "set destination , turn right , turn left , straight ahead" means any moron can indeed be a taxi driver as non of them have any real local knowledge anymore and all drive the same crap routes.

I got a taxi in Bristol once and had to use the sat nav on my phone to give him directions, IMO they should either know the area or have their own sat nav, they are pretty cheap these days.

 

[ironman]

I have had an Addison Lee driver give me the whole credit card spiel. My thought is that I would prefer to pay by card as it's more convenient if I can't quickly find a cash machine. It also means that I can 'buy' taxis and just shove people in them, like I had to do last Saturday night.

To avoid annoying drivers I have taken to ordering a Mercedes-Benz, as these drivers are effectively the 'crème de la crème' if there is such a thing.

Their MB drivers are much better than the standard bogo Galaxy ones, S Class airport transfer, guaranteed to have soothing classical music playing which is great for 5am starts.

 

[PMKeates]

Their MB drivers are much better than the standard bogo Galaxy ones, S Class airport transfer, guaranteed to have soothing classical music playing which is great for 5am starts.

Quite, though I don't use them for airport transfers. I am outside of the City and I have a local chauffeur that gives the same service (except more personal, in that he knows me) and is better value for money. I think A-Lee charge a bit over the odds as they know that most corporate customers don't care, but we don't have a relationship with them at work and I don't have to use the travel agency, so I prefer to cherry pick my own company to deal with.

 

[Nexus]

I've used Addison Lee a fair bit as a company I used to work for had an account with them. I've always found the drivers are a bit hit and miss, some will be fine, but others will take you a poor route, worse still some will even drive completely the wrong direction! I had a guy at the start of the year who didn't even appear to know Central London.

The last company I worked for though flat out refused to use them or reimburse anyone for fairs, as they said they had too many troubles with them in the past. They used Lewis Day instead.

Personally the only troubles I've had with them were when I was finishing work late and had a cab booked for 2am, but there computers were all down and it never came.

The other was a personal booking I made on my credit card earlier this year. Discovered I'd been billed twice for the same journey, took four days till I got a response from them and a refund.

I know that the same journey from work to home is about £18 in a black cab, £26 with Addison Lee, so it's about an £8 difference.

 

[Glaucus]

a lot dont even have meters anymore... and just quote you randomly the cost of the journey based on how likely your going to pay it..

Against the rules, unless the distance is over x-amount or it's not a flag down taxi. But then if it's not a flag down taxi they aren't allowed to stop for you.

Can find all the info/rules and prices on your councils website.

You can demand the useage of the meter in most circumstances.

When I was in Perth they had an app for booking and it was great, was their own app as well. More taxi companies should release such apps and being able to pay by card would be awesome.
If the setup there own app it would be far cheaper for them, rather than a third party taking a slice.

 

[Ahleckz]

I phoned up my usual taxi firm (Hampden) the other day on my mobile to book a taxi from a ASDA. I was put through to their automated service and a robot voice asked if I wanted to book a taxi from the ASDA I was standing outside. How did it know?!

 

[Cleeecooo]

I phoned up my usual taxi firm (Hampden) the other day on my mobile to book a taxi from a ASDA. I was put through to their automated service and a robot voice asked if I wanted to book a taxi from the ASDA I was standing outside. How did it know?!

magic

 

[Globul]

I just Aqua Cars because they are the cheapest and nicest in my local area and always pay by cash and always give £1 tip....the tip thing even in London

 

[dowie]

I have had an Addison Lee driver give me the whole credit card spiel. My thought is that I would prefer to pay by card as it's more convenient if I can't quickly find a cash machine. It also means that I can 'buy' taxis and just shove people in them, like I had to do last Saturday night.

I'd always used card before and never had any moans from the drivers before - though I guess it is just the whole convenience thing for me too - having said that if it is cheaper I'll perhpas book using cash in future.

To avoid annoying drivers I have taken to ordering a Mercedes-Benz, as these drivers are effectively the 'crème de la crème' if there is such a thing.

I'd assume that these guys maybe have a better deal re: credit cards as I'd have thought most of their work would be account work. Do they tend to cost much more to hire than the usual cars?

 

[PMKeates]

I'd assume that these guys maybe have a better deal re: credit cards as I'd have thought most of their work would be account work. Do they tend to cost much more to hire than the usual cars?

For a journey last night I was quoted £69 for a Galaxy or £86 for an E-Class.

As a further example, if now I would like to go the London City Airport, the price for a Galaxy is £45.50 and the price for an E-Class £59.00 (both cash).

 

[J-FRO]

Was rather drunk last night, drinks with work mates, strippers then a McDonalds in the early hours - > me wandering down some random street thinking I need to get home... .

That is exactly how my night went except I was with mates, not work mates.