Before hiring any taxi or private hire vehicle service, it's helpful to ask these questions. This will increase your chances of hiring a quality service and getting good value for money.
You need to make sure your driver is fully licensed and insured to be on the road. Besides having the relevant motor vehicle insurance, taxis and private hire vehicle services should have either public liability insurance or taxi liability insurance.
This form of coverage protects you in case an accident or injury occurs, particularly where the driver or the company has been negligent. If a service cannot provide evidence of licensing or insurance coverage, go elsewhere.
You need to have a clear idea of the amount you’re going to pay when hiring taxis or private hire vehicles. Are they going to use a meter? Or will you agree on a set price before the journey? Are there any other hidden fees or extra charges?
You should have a total understanding of how you will be charged, and how you’re able to pay (via card, contactless payment, or cash). If you don’t get clear answers to these questions, it’s likely they’ll try to charge you extra during and after the journey.
If you need any special accommodations, like a child seat or a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, you need to ask about availability at the earliest opportunity. Most taxis and private hire vehicles aren’t equipped with to handle these requests, so forethought helps.
If they’re unable to accommodate your request, you’ll have the time to find a service that can help you.
In life, mishaps can occur and stop you from being able to take your expected journey. Whatever the reason, if you need to cancel your taxi or private hire vehicle, you need to know whether it’s going to cost you a penalty fee.
Many services allow you to cancel without any extra charges, as long as you do so with enough notice. Most allow you to cancel free of charge if you give them at least 24 or 48 hours’ notice – but it’s best to check and see what your local services allow specifically.