To want to report my taxi driver to his company

[Islandlady]

Occasionaly I get a taxi from Ryde Esplanade to my home at the top of Ryde
there are no buses in the evenings and I have a 20 min walk up a couple of hills, if I have had a really hectic day at work or my legs hurt I cant face the walk.

The taxi fare is £5.40 but most drivers say just give me a fiver as I am a local.

Today I got in a taxi and gave my road name, the driver asked me what end of the road I am in mentioning the correct name of my road and then reported in to his office again giving the correct road name.

My road is basically a direct line from the high street and then a right so I was suprised when he turned left half way up the main drag which put us half way up the road opposite mine and asked me if he should turn left or right, I was suprised and said no you turn right xxxx road is at the top of this road (I had assumed before that he had turned left due to some sort of
diversion so didnt query it)

He then said he thought I had said yyyy road I corrected him saying I had told him the correct road and that was the destination he gave to his office.

When we got to my house he told me he would take of 40p as he had gone the wrong way so it would be £6.20.

There was no way I was going to pay extra for his mistake and just gave him £5.40, ended up with him ringing the door bell to get the rest of his money, OH and me had a bit of an argument with him ended up with him telling us we were banned from using his firms taxis - one of the largest in Ryde so normally the first one in the rank.

I got his taxi license number and am thinking of reporting him - dont want to be blackballed from the company as they do run 2 out of every 3 local taxis.

And he was so bleddy rude, I know a lot of the drivers and they are really nice - first time I have had a problem with local services since moving here.

AIBU to refuse to pay the extra and AIBU to want to report him .

All for 80p? YABU, a lot of hassle for less than a pound!

Agree 80p probably isn't worth the hassle but as someone who has used the same taxi firm for over 20 years I have to say I do get pissed off with the "make it up as you go along policy".

Fair enough, fares go up over the years but i've made weekly journeys to the same place...one week i'm charged £6, next £6.50, next £6, next £7, next £6. Depends on the driver...that's not on. No point bringing it up with the portacabin office though, best of luck with that!

I wouldn't advise you to report him as such - why not call the taxi office or, better still, call in person (if it's nearby) and explain what happened, maybe saying that possibly the driver is new, may not be familiar with the route blah blah, and expressing your concern that the driver informed you that you are banned from using the company's cabs and seek their reassurance that this is not the case.

As an opener to the conversation I'd check that the cost for the route is £5.40 because the way things are going price-wise a rise of 80p since the last time you used the service is not inconceivable.

And, of course, don't forget to praise the company's excellent service and it's courteous drivers who've got you and, on your recommendation, all of your friends, relatives, neighbours etc, safely to your destinations over a period of X years.

Report him! If you don't, he might get you black listed for not paying you'll never get a lift home. I hate taxi drivers taking the piss

thanks for the replies - its still £5.40 to get to my road its standard across all taxi companies ( I checked with a rival co by phone afterwards)

Report him to the council that issues his licence. I've done this with a client at work before. Yes it may only be 80p but if he is ripping every person he pucks up by 80p that adds up.

I wouldn't bother reporting him, it sounds as if everyone involved was at the end of a bad day, tbh.

He probably made an honest mistake in taking the wrong turn, he should have reduced your fare to the usual rate (as a goodwill gestture) but he didn't. I'm not sure how it ended up with the bloke banging on your door and your DH getting involved but I have little suspicion that the threat of having you banned from using them was a bit of Friday evening bravado?

I agree, calling into the office to make a concerned enquiry about the driver after your poorer than expected service, is the way forwards.