Taxi Fares - poor maths and false advertising.

MamaMoo_2

Hi all.
I wanted a few opinions really.
My local taxi company pushed a leaflet through the door the other day stating £3 minimum fare (which actually means £3 for the first mile), and then in a large font at the centre of the leaflet "£1.10 per mile".
Upon being charged £8.50 for a 4.5 mile journey, I have the operator a call.
Apparently, it's £3 for the first mile, £1.10 for the second and £1.20 per mile thereafter. The leaflet apparently states "£1.10 per mile" as "most people go less than 2 miles". There's no mention of this proce increase anywhere else on the leaflet, but they stand firm that its not misleading.
Also, they also said £8 was what I should have been charged. It's not £1.10/1.20 per mile or party thereof, if you travel say 1.1 miles that's what you get charged for, not for 2 miles.

Firstly, would you consider the ad misleading?

Secondly, using the above figures, what do you mathematical geniuses think the correct fare would be?

notanewuser

MamaMoo wrote: »

Hi all.
I wanted a few opinions really.
My local taxi company pushed a leaflet through the door the other day stating £3 minimum fare (which actually means £3 for the first mile), and then in a large font at the centre of the leaflet "£1.10 per mile".
Upon being charged £8.50 for a 4.5 mile journey, I have the operator a call.
Apparently, it's £3 for the first mile, £1.10 for the second and £1.20 per mile thereafter. The leaflet apparently states "£1.10 per mile" as "most people go less than 2 miles". There's no mention of this proce increase anywhere else on the leaflet, but they stand firm that its not misleading.
Also, they also said £8 was what I should have been charged.

Firstly, would you consider the ad misleading?

Secondly, using the above figures, what do you mathematical geniuses think the correct fare would be?

They cannot advertise £1.10 per mile and charge anything different. From what you say it said, it should be £3 for up to 2.7 miles and then £1.10 per mile from then on. So 4.5 miles would be £5.20.

Using their maths it will be somewhere between £7.10 and £7.70 - quite a difference.

I'd be ringing trading standards and local radio (and telling the firm so as well).

MamaMoo_2

See, I can totally accept paying £3 for the first mile an £1.10 thereafter as that's standard practice around here (although I agree that the way the advert is written makes it appear to be £1.10 per mile, minimum of £3, so as you say, £3 for the first 2.7 miles)
I'm just a bit peed off at the blatant false advertising £1.10 per mile is just that, not £1.10 for your second mile, then £1.20 for all the rest!
Incidentally, they also claim to be 10p cheaper per mile, however the cost for a certain journey I often make (home from the supermarket) is the same price with their competitor.

paddyrg

If the nearest competitor charges £3 for the first mile, then £1.20 from mile 2 onwards (as opposed to mile 3 onwards), and charges are per mile or part thereof, then ALL they can claim is that their trips are 10p TOTAL cheaper. 1.1 miles is £4.10 instead of £4.20, but from thereon it is always just 10p cheaper in total as the following miles are the same price. Very misleading, yes, trading standards and may as well give them gyp through asa.org.uk as well, to remind them of their obligations.

Personally I always use metered taxis now, having been reamed by minicabs in the past.

MamaMoo_2

paddyrg wrote: »

If the nearest competitor charges £3 for the first mile, then £1.20 from mile 2 onwards (as opposed to mile 3 onwards), and charges are per mile or part thereof, then ALL they can claim is that their trips are 10p TOTAL cheaper. 1.1 miles is £4.10 instead of £4.20, but from thereon it is always just 10p cheaper in total as the following miles are the same price. Very misleading, yes, trading standards and may as well give them gyp through asa.org.uk as well, to remind them of their obligations.

Personally I always use metered taxis now, having been reamed by minicabs in the past.

1.1 miles is, IIRC about £3.20. They go up in increments, but rather than going up by 11p per .1 of a mile, they round up, depending on mileage. Never goes up systematically though.
A 2.3 mile journey costs £4.70 both with them and their competitor. Their competitor uses a meter, the company in question have a chart with mileage vs cost.

arcon5

I always ask the price over the phone when using Private Hire. Not for this reason, but because some drivers are known to overcharge.

But I do agree the leaflet is grossly misleading. Should have paid what you thought to be the correct fare and gave them your details and told them to pursue you if they disagree! I would expect a fare based on that leaflet of £6.85.

MamaMoo_2

arcon5 wrote: »

I always ask the price over the phone when using Private Hire. Not for this reason, but because some drivers are known to overcharge.

But I do agree the leaflet is grossly misleading. Should have paid what you thought to be the correct fare and gave them your details and told them to pursue you if they disagree! I would expect a fare based on that leaflet of £6.85.

If I'm travelling an unknown route, I do always ask for a quote. I just didn't expect to have an issue with the cost of a journey I am always charged between £6.70 and £7 for. I then didn't expect the taxi firm to completely agree with the driver!
Unfortunately, I was paying with a £10 note, otherwise you can bet he'd have got what he was owed and not a penny more!

Shelldean

sounds like the company we used to get back to the station on holiday.

BIG huge sign on site stating that for 5-7 people the fare to town centre was £7. Now the station is before the town, so I was rather :O when i called to book and asked operator to confirm the cost, she said £8. And then couldn't understand my query when I asked why it cost more to go less? Esp as the sign is huge and covers the side of a phone box. She did agree to my paying £7 as that was price I'd seen it advertised at. ( and ever at £8 it was cheaper than the bus and saved our efforts)

MamaMoo_2

Shelldean wrote: »

sounds like the company we used to get back to the station on holiday.

BIG huge sign on site stating that for 5-7 people the fare to town centre was £7. Now the station is before the town, so I was rather :O when i called to book and asked operator to confirm the cost, she said £8. And then couldn't understand my query when I asked why it cost more to go less? Esp as the sign is huge and covers the side of a phone box. She did agree to my paying £7 as that was price I'd seen it advertised at. ( and ever at £8 it was cheaper than the bus and saved our efforts)

I think you have to have failed maths in order to do the pricing schedule for a taxi company!
I also get irked at things like one of my local companies charging fare and a half if you specifically order a disabled access car, and the other company specifying that if you need a disabled access car, you need to book 24 hours in advance bit of a pain if my great nan is visiting and we decide to all go out together.
There's also the policy of one of them that if you need the driver to wait for 5 minutes or under, it's free, but 6 minutes and the waiting charge is £1.80 and 30p per minute thereafter.
Luckily the last two problems very very rarely affect me, but I think it's a pain!

zagfles

They're rubbish at maths but the fares are cheap! It's around £1.90-£2 per mile round here!

kingfisherblue

In my area, the amount for taxis and minicabs is set by the council - they can charge less, but they cannot charge more. All vehicles have a visible metre, and the amount is increased by distance - so there is no charge when sitting at traffic lights, for example.

There is no additional charge for a disability accessible vehicle, and all Hackney cabs provide this access. Some private minicab firms also provide this, but you sometimes have to book in advance.

OP, I would contact your local Trading Standards as it sounds as thoguh the firm are falsely advertising fares. Also, they do not seem to be able to work out simple maths - by their own 'revised' fares, I worked out the correct price to be £7.10 (or £7.70 if charged per mile or part thereof - the first calculation assumes half the cost for half a mile).