Something fishy with Value Cabs

screwedagain

Haven't posted in a while but saw the topic of Belfast taxis and just couldn't resist joining in the grumbling with my tuppence worth.

If I had a pound for every time I booked a taxi, for it not to show up and then have the operator on the phone claim that the driver waited for me and I wasn't there, I would be rich enough to own my own taxi company and put these smug, self serving little hitlers of taxi drivers out of business. Ok maybe not but you see my point...

In my experience Fon-a-cab are generally much worse than Value cabs, which I always found strange since they are owned by the same person/family?

Something needs to be done in terms of legislation of minicabs in Belfast, because it is utterly ridiculous that you can be in the city (a city trying to promote itself as a progressive and attractive tourist destination and beacon of 21st century nightlife no less)centre at 12:30 - 1am on a weekend and be told on the phone that you have at least a two hour wait for a taxi, that all taxis are booked and they are not taking any more bookings, or worst of the lot not have your call answered!

Either amend the licensing laws to stagger kicking out times or come down heavily on taxi drivers who refuse to collect prebooked customers who rely on a taxi to get home to the outskirts of the city in favour of a group of floozies who only need to travel half a mile down the road but can't walk because their feet hurt. Ok, not meaning to be sexist, but that is what I have experienced and I'm sure I am not alone.

The most annoying thing is that these companies, on the face of it, are doing all they can to prevent the above happening, by way of automated texts telling you the number plate and description of your taxi etc. But the drivers still openly flaunt this, and I have had some of them admit to me that if they go to collect a fare, and don't want to go/can't be bothered driving to certain place/don't like the look of the customer, they just clear it on their system, the operator at the call centre sees it as a no-show on behalf of the customer, the driver goes on to get a more lucrative fare elsewhere while the original customer gets shafted. This is totally unacceptable, ESPECIALLY in the case of lone females (such as my wife, who on one occasion was approached by a kerb crawling dirtbag because she was left waiting so long for a taxi...)

Well that's that off my chest...

skea56

Many years ago when I was living down in Belfast, I got last minute tickets to see a show in the Waterfront, I phoned during the day and booked Value Cabs for 7.15. My last class finished at 6, which meant I had just enough time to get home, shower and get ready. Taxi turned up at 6.55 and my friend when she went out and asked him to wait another 5 mins. What she got instead was an absolute mouthful of abuse from the driver.
We never used ValueCabs ever again. I see the standards have not improved much in the last 10 years.

sk56

glentoran99

I always book using the phone app, means you have no operator bulls**ting you that's its "just around the corner"

ooo000ooo

stevieboy11 wrote: »

Ordered a taxi for 5.20pm tonight. turned up at 5.11 - when we got in at 5.18 it seemed we had been charged as if we were late. didnt question it, even though the trip from Jordanstown into Belfast cost £18.

Coming home we ordered a taxi at 12.23 - phone buzzed at 12.30 to say the taxi was outside. Left the bar immediately and got in to be charged by the taxi driver as if he'd been waiting ten minutes

I'll give them the benefit of the doubt once in a night as far as mistakes are concerned, but twice just stinks of a rip off - who else has been charged from when the taxi has supposedly turned up, not from when they thought it was there?

We couldn't possibly have made the taxi any earlier - why should we pay for their interpretation of time?

Sorry Value Cabs, last time I'll be in one of your taxis

Support your local taxi company, I always use Abbey(the one that ends in 588?) they're cheaper, quicker and they turn up pretty much when they say they will and i've never been charged on the odd occasion that i've kept them waiting a couple of minutes. I think they charge about a tenner to go from whiteabbey into the town?

spo2

ooo000ooo wrote: »

Support your local taxi company, I always use Abbey(the one that ends in 588?) they're cheaper, quicker and they turn up pretty much when they say they will and i've never been charged on the odd occasion that i've kept them waiting a couple of minutes. I think they charge about a tenner to go from whiteabbey into the town?

That's who we always use too - very reliable and no problem booking returns with them!

Stuart788

My friend was visiting me from England he charged her three times the average cost of the fare and not knowing any better she paid up. Every since then I wouldn't go near them with a 60ft barge pole!

pd53

jenny-wren wrote: »

We booked Value Cabs for a City Centre 1.00am pick up. Waited outside 10 minutes early. 1.00am came and went, no cab. Phoned the cab office and they said the cab was there and we weren't. Couldn't get another cab and ended up walking home.

I accidentally left my purse on the back seat of one of their cabs. I'd chatted to the driver who told me he lived in Belmont and it was his last run of the night. Phoned the cab office within 5 minutes, described the driver and gave them the details we chatted about. Their response 'we have 400 drivers, there's no way we can help'. Fair enough, my silly mistake .... but their don't care attitude lost them a customer.

Surely value cabs can match the driver to your booking?

jenny-wren

pd53 wrote: »

Surely value cabs can match the driver to your booking?

You would have thought so wouldn't you?!

Too much hassle I guess.