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Getting return cab fare for price of single, or a little bit more?

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Hi All,

The following situation occurred to me and I wanted to ask people's opinions on it.

I want to take a cab to an airport, meet someone, and have the same cab bring us back. From the cab's workload perspective this isn't any different from just sending a cab from my town to collect my friend and bringing them here. But the cab company wants to charge me double fare. I pointed out that it is the same workload and I would be prepared to cover any additional expenses incurred due to e.g. having to drop me off somewhere different from where I'm picked up, which for the airport I'm going to this would be £2. However they won't compromise.

I have also offered them an additional £20 which would be the cost of a one way train which would be the alternative way I would do his, and spoken to two different companies who both said the same thing, while not giving me any specific reasons. Just "we don't do that". It seems absurd for me to have to take a train when the car is already doing that journey.

So I'm curious why they won't do this? Of course they are a business, and are free to make their own decisions and don't have to justify them to me. But it doesn't seem to make business sense. They have the ability to make about 20% more for a journey they are going to do anyway. So while it may just be as simple as the cab office workers not understanding this would be a benefit to the company, while the owner would, I wonder if there are other reasons I might be missing as to why they wouldn't do this?

Any thoughts? Is it likely I will find a cab company to agree to this, or am I wasting my time?

Regards

neorich2002

Comments

  • Nodding_Donkey
    Nodding_Donkey Posts: 2,738 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts
    Because they may find a fare to the airport that fits in with the journey.
  • enfield_freddy
    enfield_freddy Posts: 6,147 Forumite
    Because they may find a fare to the airport that fits in with the journey.


    only


    1: if they were private hire
    they had a pre booked job


    2: black cab
    licenced to pick up by the local authority of that area
  • Ozzuk
    Ozzuk Posts: 1,884 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts
    A lot of the cabs I've seen have software showing fares available in the area, perhaps they are banking on a full return fair - which at an airport you'd think was a pretty safe bet.
  • enfield_freddy
    enfield_freddy Posts: 6,147 Forumite
    ok , question for OP to settle this


    what is your approx. town location , and then which airport?


    I am presuming that the statement " additional £20 which would be the cost of a one way train " more or less tells us its not 200 yds away.


    black cabs are only licenced to pick up in there local borough , not 2 towns away .


    a private hire can only pick up via a pre booked journey , the police check on this and act accordingly
  • Hi,

    Thanks for the replies. To answer the last post.

    My town is High Wycombe. The airport is Gatwick.

    I have been quoted £60 for a single cab fair. So £120 return.
  • enfield_freddy
    enfield_freddy Posts: 6,147 Forumite
    its pure greed then.
  • lammy82
    lammy82 Posts: 594 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper
    Use the same logic on the train and you won't need to pay your fare. "You're going that way anyway mate".

    Sarcy comments aside, the reason they won't do it is because they won't necessarily be sending a cab from your town. They may get lucky and have a booking for an airport drop-off which lines up nicely with your friend's arrival. They might not, but they'll want to keep the schedule as flexible as possible.

    Ultimately, the business model for a taxi is that you pay for the time/distance that you are being carried, and the taxi firm/drivers soak up the cost of driving about with no passengers inbetween the bookings.

    Don't expect them to carry you for free, and they won't charge you for the cost of driving to pick you up.
  • Owain_Moneysaver
    Owain_Moneysaver Posts: 11,392 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Most airport jobs will be fixed fee and it's usually a fairly competitive market with people comparing prices before they book.

    Therefore the cab firm will be unwilling to discount much if at all for a return journey, especially if there's a fairly good chance they'd be able to get another customer to pay full fare for the reverse journey on another booking.

    If you were going somewhere else, where the cab firm would be likely to have an empty vehicle for the return journey, you'd be more likely to get a discount for the return journey.
    A kind word lasts a minute, a skelped erse is sair for a day.
  • martinsurrey
    martinsurrey Posts: 3,368 Forumite
    I pointed out that it is the same workload and I would be prepared to cover any additional expenses incurred due to e.g. having to drop me off somewhere different from where I'm picked up, which for the airport I'm going to this would be £2. However they won't compromise.

    I assume that if on the way back the driver decided to pop into Tesco to do his weekly shop you would be fine waiting, as you havent paid for the return journey?

    Or that if they got a fare on the radio you would be fine if he stopped the cab and kicked you out?

    the return would make them forego the option of doing anything else, and you pay for that.
  • jbuchanangb
    jbuchanangb Posts: 1,338 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I think you should go down on the train. The next question is whether you should pre-book a High Wycombe private hire car to pick you up at a specific time, or just take a cab from the rank at Gatwick. More flexibility in the latter in case your friend is delayed. But agree the fare with the driver before you get in the cab.
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