PRICE: Uber vs London Taxi
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 พ.ค. 2024
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With more passengers telling me that Uber's are expensive, I decided to try this out for myself.
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#londontaxi #uber #taxivsuber
00:00 - Intro
00:38 - Baker Street - Claridges
02:48 - Berkeley Square - London Eye
04:20 - Stamford Street - Bank
05:30 - Ridiculous Surging
06:20 - Bank Holiday Surge
06:53 - KX to St Pauls Cathedral - บันเทิง
The fear of "How much is it going to cost?" is a major killer for me - I do appreciate Cabs are probably way easier/quicker in London but it's worth it knowing the price
In the interests of fairness and balance I reckon you should have had someone with you who actually took the Uber rides whilst you took the black cabs and then compared the fares paid and route taken.
of course he wont do that, he knows how much cheaper uber, or local cab companies are
Yeah, though checking the fare at the exact time he takes a black cab isn’t a bad substitute. In the instance where he couldn’t find a cab it would be useful to see him use a black cab app. It was glossed over but that’s a benefit of the apps, they can get a taxi to you, even if you can’t find one on the streets.
If London black cabs have an app then you guys need to promote it more extensively through social media. Also I would have stickers inside the cab with a QR CODE so the passengers can quickly and easily download the app. The smartphone generation are all about apps and convenience.
They've been plenty, it's just that you can't compete against vc backed money that allows your app to lose billions every year.
The certainty of the fixed prices in apps like Uber are also part of the attraction.
With little/no traffic, the meters are probably less expensive, but with traffic the fixed prices will usually be lower.
Surge prices aren't fun but they do serve a purpose to attract more drivers to the areas with demand, which for some folks could be better than not getting a ride at all.
In other cities/countries, taxis also have many surge-like prices e.g. peak-hour surcharges, which apps do not have.
The price before you order is definitely a big plus for some people. As a person that rarely uses taxis, I'm always very nervous that I don't know how much it would cost, which is why the few times I've gone with a black cab it was still through an app like Gett just for that peace of mind of knowing the cost.
I hate that Uber change their prices at random, the price goes up in the rain, in the heat, at busy times. It's not even a small amount the prices often double.
@@XLR8bg, every time I’ve asked a London cabbie for a rough estimate of the fare to a destination they have been pretty hot on the mark.
Its funny you say that, I tried to take an Uber from hounslow to Wimbledon the other day (mainly because there are no black cabs to flag down) and after multiple cancellations I decided to see what other apps there are. I tried Ola. No fixed price just ‘it will be between this and that’ but I needed to make the journey for work so I went for it. Got the invoice. Flat fee of £3.30 then stoppage fee and distance. It seems they are operating their prices similar to how a hackney carriage does their pricing
Not to mention the fact that Uber works in pretty much any major city. Landed in Germany and can't speak German? No problem, just copy in the address to the Uber app, and they'll get you there.
You lads (and lasses) are part of the very fabric of London! NOTHING must ever change in regard to the way you train, drive, and generally conduct yourselves with the public. The black cab ... one of the capitals greatest assets! All the best. :)
I have actively boycotted Uber for a number of years. Anytime I am in London and need a cab I will always support the black cab trade. People that moan about the prices remind of the same types of people that moan about the cost food when they shop at Waitrose. A cab is a luxury and if if for a few extra pounds I am supporting an individual rather than a huge international corporation I will chose the black cab all day.
But if Uber are now 80% of the time now more expensive due to $30 billion in losses, does that still make a London cab a luxury.
Good attitude
Spot on.
Support individuals, not big corporations that want a monopoly 👏🏻
Thanks for your support!
Well said
I don't live in the UK but we have Uber here as well as normal taxis. I would say the biggest advantage for me is to know what the price is going to be ahead of time. You wouldn't buy anything else if you only knew what it cost once you're legally obliged to pay
god forbid there is an accident, or railway crossing lol
How Tom gestures with his head like he’s saying “yes get in” when the taxi driver says “yes” 😂 habit I guess haha
3:18
Tom the Taxi Passenger. Love it! Really shows how consistent and high quality the black cab service is compared to the Uber service.
Some cabbies going round saying...I had that Tom in the back of my cab the other day.
Got in a cab at Holborn today after watching this video. Was the drivers 1st journey after 3 hours of looking. Going to St Pancras, Uber said £18, cab was £11.60. 1000% will get a cab in London now
Bull
Short journeys are always expensive. It's the longer journeys say Kings Road to the West End that black cabs make less sense, especially stuck in traffic. No prices do not change mid-journey. Airport run is also easier to plan the cost. I have compared black cab and it's much more expensive.
Another great video Tom one day I may bump into you in London anyway you take care. Keep the videos coming great work.
Great vid as always, informative. Also loved seeing a pedestrian Tom for a change instead of behind the wheel haha.
I always found I was spending upwards of £20 whenever I used a black cab but with Uber it was only £10 each time
Just shows that UBER are crooks they should be terminated worldwide.
Great video Tom
Very interesting 👍
Excellent as always!
I appreciate these videos
I think that the ‘black cab institute’ is hands down the best.
Just imagine the time (and money) a cabbie has spent doing the knowledge, just imagine the standard cabs with a very suitable layout, the standard pricing…
Not only is a black cab driver excellently trained in going from a to b as quick as possible he also knows details of important landmarks. A no-brainer if you ask me.
They should learn some manners on the road as well
uber quoted me £35 from city road to royal London hospital due to the rain as they said prices have surged while a black cab got us there £17.
Shocking I drive on the ring road quite frequently it's not much of a journey to be fair about 15 minutes drive
That's unbelievable.
Another random example: I was taking a cab at 4pm from Oxford Circus to Paddington because the tube was congested; Uber's price was 11-12 quid while the Black Cab ended up being 14. (15 w/ tip) - I could have saved the 2 pounds, but being in a rush it was great the black cab could wheeze past traffic without any issues
That said for longer durations (ie City - LHR) I'll still prefer Uber as it's cheaper (assuming I can expense either)
Five stops directly on the Bakerloo line. Likely quicker than a taxi and what 12 quid cheaper?
That was the original plan but it was 4pm and there was a queue to enter the station so didn't want to miss the train and then my flight later :)
great video tom the london eye journey is what worries me about black cabs seeing the meter go up but not moving much if uber booking prices are fixed when booked and dont change they are not going to be going away any time soon.
Being a private hire driver that only does fixed price long distance work, I sometimes check Uber prices out of interest,. They are normally higher, sometimes over double.
I was talking to a customer the other day (on a 3 hour drive), he was telling me that he had been trying to use Uber for rides between his hotel and office, only for the jobs to be cancelled a few minutes after booking.
Uber's predatory pricing has had an effect on the London Taxi trade, customers are flocking back to the London taxis.
Millions of people seduced by ride sharing past discounts, would have normally used public transport.
Recent price increases by Uber and availability has seen an exodus of customers returning to other suppliers.
This was an excuse to uber-bash and in reality it showed how the fixed price of app journey can help in situations of heavy traffic. But let's be honest, nobody who cares about money will get either an uber or black cab in Central London for a 5 minute trip.
From my experience, uber and other apps are incredibly useful in the suburbs and especially helpful when getting home at night when there are fewer trains. A good test would be to do a uber vs black cab from central out 10/15 miles without price surges
a black cab would cost alot more most in london zones 1-4 would refuse such a journey anyway
I think it's unfair to say he was Uber bashing. if you've previously watched his videos you would no that's not his intentions it's obvious he's just trying out new video ideas.
You also have to remember that customers are only paying 40% of the fare in an Uber, the other 60% is investors money hence the huge losses by Uber $30billion and counting to entice customers to use Uber.
You are now seeing huge hikes from Uber to appease worried investors and taking an Uber out of London can be staggering and more expensive than a cab.
Uber after raising prices by 80% still cannot show a profit.
I had an issue a month ago where the price they charged wasn't the price I accepted and for reasons beyond me Uber ended up charging me £4 extra. Maybe I didn't read the small print but I was very confused. I tried to find the root of the problem on Uber's website but I couldn't even contest it. Doesn't really fill me with faith to use it again.
My understanding is the fixed price quoted is adjusted for time and distance {time in traffic}.
Had a similar experience, paid more than the quoted price because I was charged for the fact there was traffic.
Yeah Uber is a fixed price within certain time and route assumptions, but if the traffic is particularly heavy such that your journey takes longer than “anticipated”, they charge you an increased amount. It’s never been entirely clear to me exactly how generous the flexibility on the “fixed” price is before you get stung for the extras.
Personally, I very rarely use a Taxi or PHV, and the few times I do use them is usually because I either have bulky luggage, am in a hurry, or have someone with mobility problems with me. In all these cases, being able to just hail an easily accessible cab there and then is far more important than the price (especially since unless you're travelling with multiple passengers, bus or tube would be cheaper than either PHV or Taxi regardless).
I can see the appeal of Uber for people who live in the suburbs though, where you can't rely on the stream of taxis going by you get in central.
Excellent Tom👍👍👍
Amazing video Tom, the issue I have personally that I live in Bromley and if I have a night out a black cab from/near greek street to bromley will be in excess of £70 but a uber around £40-£50 I feel with distance black cabs greatly increase plus they havent wanted to go that far south sometimes
That's provided an Uber will accept to take you there.
I had many customers asking me "Why isn't my Uber picking up?" in tears, as they'd been waiting half hours trying to get someone to accept.
The cost you pay helps the cabbie to cover the cost of dead time, having to come back in town.
Bromley is not really round the corner from central London.
Moreover you could fit 6 passengers in a TX, and share the price
Many Uber still allow only 3 passengers, as you probably know.
for the extra £20 they can tell you where Jack the Ripper was born though, and where the Queen once had a coffee. Black taxi's are a scam, they drive like idiots, and think they can outsmart the newest sat navs. About time they were all made extinct. They say, 'its quicker we can use bus lanes' Really they get stuck behind a bus all the time, making them cut in and out causing countless crashes. 25 years a London driver
Great video, Tom! Bit of an eye opener for me I have to say, black cabs for the win!
I’m not 100% if it’s the same in London but a bit further up north here in Yorkshire, the prince shown on the Uber app is what you pay and sometimes in cities you can actually book a black cab through Uber (did this in Blackpool) which usually gives you a range which you would be charged. This is because Uber sometimes offer to book a taxi with a local company but through them which helps if you’re in an area you don’t know.
It definitely makes things easier for me as a student since I can factor it into my weekly budget and decide whether or not to just walk it. It’s also a lot harder to spontaneously hail a cab on the street here which definitely makes a difference😅
I use Uber all the time in Bristol as my local Taxi firm are unreliable "He's just turning your corner" is thier favourite saying when you call after your ride hasnt turned up after 30 minutes of the time booked.
Urber price gauging can be brutal. I go to Temple Meads station quite a bit, prices can vary from £7 mid morning when the sun is shining to £28 during a rainy rush hour
Urber has never let me down. Fixed prices and prepayment are also massive part of the attraction.
Great video Tom I realy enjoy your channel keep them coming!! 🚕
Great comparison Tom. I'm in my 50s and always though Black Cabs were expensive hence i use Minicabs and Uber. The trouble I have with Uber is their drivers cancelling you whilst your waiting for pickup. it happens a lot! I live in Eltham and my recent Uber trip was to the dogs at Crayford at 18:00, Price was £14.33, good. I pre-booked on the app to be picked up for the return at 22:45, Price quoted £16.00 but with 5 minutes to go Uber Cancelled the pick up advising lack of drivers in the area. absolute rubbish as I went for a live booking and picked up a driver within 5 minutes who took me home and the cost? £14:00. Its the unreliability that gets me. And don't get me started on BOLT with double charging
Have you covered "tipping" in your videos? (I looked, but could not find anything.) I'd be interested to know what the guidance is for Black Cabs and whether that affects their pricing versus Uber and Lyft. I'd be curious what you generally receive, and whether it varies with the nationality of the rider, time of day, getting the rider on time for a train or plane, etc. Thanks. ---Mike
Great video
Interesting video, I think cabs are great for convenience if you can put your arm up and get a ride right on the kerbside but having used a lot of both cabs and uber's it always seems a fair bit cheaper using the Uber app but it does stand to reason.
The whole point behind Uber is to be cheaper than Taxis, make the taxis go bankrupt and then raise prices
This. 100x this. They try it with stuff like Uber eats as well. First it was cheaper and now they take a huge chunk out of a restaurants profit.
Yeah Uber will put prices up. I used one in Bristol once, booked it 12 Hours in Advance as needed to go to a meeting. When it got dispatched it was double price. Never use Uber anywhere now let alone London.
I like this style of video upload more if you can once again thank you for great content 🙏
The only reason the price may go up after booking one is if you the passenger keeps the driver waiting more then 3 minutes i.e you pop to the shop on the way or you get in the car straight away when it turns up. Traffic will NOT affect the price after booking
Black cabs also don’t have to pay congestion charge, this cost hasn’t to be taken into consideration, also bus lane fines etc
Unfortunately we suffer from bad PR....people just see a black cab and think expensive, I did a trip from Camden to Kew Gardens some months ago..£48.00 in a black cab and think Uber were quoting 42.00 for a standard car as we had a pushchair it was easier to take the cab, great video Tom..
I've never seen a price change mid-trip with uber, however, if a surge is about to start soon it is very difficult to book an uber with a non-surge fare. The drivers can see the price before they accept a fare. This has meant on many occasions I've had every driver around reject my non-surge fare because a surge has just begun, and they know not only will everyone else's fare will be higher, but that in 5 minutes they can accept the same journey from me for sometimes double the money
That's smart business by those driver's.
Difference between booking a cab and hailing a cab is a hard comparison to make, think it's all down to what the individual is more comfortable with really.
I booked an Uber 4 days in advance for Heathrow. £28 from mine at 5:30 in the morning.
I get a text 5 mins before pick up. It’s now £42 because ‘increased demand’ because it’s raining.
(They refunded that in the end but a p-take for a pre pre PRE booked cab)
Taxis are not that expensive, and sometimes you need to pay premium for a higher quality.
I use both, but will say that price isn’t the main attraction for me to services like Uber, I think it’s swings and roundabouts on which is cheapest.
The benefits for Uber for me are related to ease of booking and starting the journey. in your example you gave up hailing a cab and took the train instead, with Uber you know how long it will take and can plan accordingly. Being able to schedule journeys at a specific time/location is also a benefit.
Aside from that, Uber receipts linking in automatically with corporate expense systems makes it a very easy process for travelling on business compared to faffing around with paper receipts.
I could have pressed the Uber button but there's plenty of examples where they just cancel jobs because a more attractive one comes up. Not the same reliability of seeing a taxi there and then.
Hi Tom
Do you take private bookings ? I’m going to coldplay in Wembley in august and will need a taxi to and from the gig if you are interested or can you recommend the best form of transport to and from event from central London and would they need pre booking?
I never have taken black cab due to one simple reason - I don`t know what journey will cost me. Compared to Uber, I can get estimated cost upfront which helps me decide if I`m willing to pay that or take public transport etc. With black cabs, you get in, they take you there and then you might get a shock.
Great video! When you were in the back of the cabs, did you ever think "why are you going this way?" or did they all pretty much take the routes you would have?
Only the second route. But as I wasn't working that day I had no idea where the traffic may have been. It's my day off I don't want to have to think haha!
@ Tom the taxi driver - Go steady on Uber, the drivers that work for them are just normal people and want their passengers to get from A to B in the safest way possible, and with every thing in life, things will go wrong on occasion, just like with any part of the taxi industry.
The choice is there for the public to use whichever service suits them at that given moment, and in that specific area of the country. I myself have used Black Cabs and Uber, never had a bad experience, always excellent service.
@@TomtheTaxiDriver well last month your videos saved me from paying eye watering fare on uber. Landed at Heathrow at 930pm looking for a ride to southhal. I needed mpv Coz of the luggage and uber was £64 with bolt at second position at £47.walked to rank got in the cab who took me n my luggage for £33 50 on tarrif 3.👌
@@TomtheTaxiDriver the second route in my opinion was taking the piss? I would have pulled him on that
here in Australia around Ipswich i have had uber fares change dramatically because of weather. trying to get an uber home from work about 8:30 - 9:00 on a weeknight a few times i have had what would normally be a $12 - $14 uber ride jump to around $30 all because it was raining, and after a few minutes when it stopped raining again the price dropped slightly, not back to what it normally was but to around $20
cheap on paper but then you have to tip the driver.I am in Adelaide $11.50 from my Payneham House to Klemzig Station.I could walk that if it's not raining.a cab at most charges me no tips required $9.70.I have yet to compare the prices to the Airport as such as the last couple of years I have taken the bus off peak for $1.02 to $1.05 at most.I can only imagine when the Gawler line was not operating for the last 18 months and people did not want substitute buses or if heading between Mawson Lakes and Smithfield a conventional bus what the prices would have been like.I didn't have the Uber app at the time so I did the stingy thing and opted for close to two hours Panorama to Elizabeth(using either a G40M,W90 or 200 to the city then J1 bus out north and J1 returning to the city).
With a black cab you are getting consistency - safe driving, hygienic seating and guaranteed space for passengers and luggage. Ive been in Ubers that I'm sure have not passed MOT, have had bundles of stuff in the boot meaning luggage has to go on the seat with me and some of the worst driving I've ever seen. Black cabs can be more expensive, but are totally worth it.
Every Private Hire/Hackney Carriage Vehicle has to be inspected by the licensing authority every year, some are inspected twice a year. They have to have an in date MOT at all times, and are regularly inspected by licensing officers at check points in cities in the UK.
All cars driven by Uber drivers, are private hire/hackney carriage vehicles, and the drivers are all licensed as private hire/hackney carriage drivers.
This is the law in the UK.
@@matthewfrancis9830 yea but what if a Uber driver uses another car or shared their Uber credentials with someone else? I’ve seen that happen first case before.
@ Jim Banks - The vehicle registration plate is provided to every passenger on the app and they are encouraged to check it, before getting in the vehicle and report it to Uber if it is not correct, and not to get in the vehicle, as is the licence number of the driver. Also, Uber regularly carry out facial recognition checks on drivers through the app at random intervals, if the driver doesn't match the facial recognition check, the driver is automatically suspended pending further verification checks in person. If they repeatedly fail, they can be deactivated permanently and reported to their licensing authority.
Uber is about as safe as you can get in the taxi industry, and their policies and procedures are second to none.
May be you could do a collab with an Uber driver, with a similar challenge?!
I’ve never used black cabs in my life cause I couldn’t afford them. Uber opened up the opportunity to use them when I need to. The fixed price for me is huge for budgeting with the cost of living crisis.
yes depending on how long a uber sits in traffic etc would also up your price from what your quoted
Private hire drivers also grumble about Uber surge pricing if they don't have meters and quote a fixed fare. This is how it works in Birmingham. Their point is that at the same time Uber is on surge pricing, they are busy too but they can only charge the same fare as normal
I'd be curious to see the difference in routes drivers would take. These were all reasonably short trips, but you've explained before how sometimes you pretty much have to go around the most obvious route just because of traffic. Any chance you could show off some of those in this same style, proving that a taxi driver is really never looking to waste your time (or theirs)?
A taxi driver won't try to take a slower route, but with computers crunching realtime traffic data they can't be as all-knowing as Waze etc. Some places they can use bus lanes so maybe they do work out quicker anyway, and navigation apps don't always have the perfect data, but I'd be shocked if the computer weren't faster on average.
I live just outside of London on a Friday night about 2am I’ve just finished work and was looking to get home it’s about 15 minute journey and I looked at Uber and they were charging £54 this was surged normally it’s about £11 which seems fair so I just booked with the local taxi company which cost me £12.If Uber knows your trying to get home at like 2/3am and they’re busy they massively surge the price because they know you can’t another way home. There app learns your journeys I’ve found out.
My Uncle was a Black cabbie from the 50s to the 90s.
I wouldn’t take an Uber but with a black cab you never know the price when you hail one as you don’t know the traffic. The difference with Uber is you agree the fair and it is set regardless of the traffic.
I emigrated to Sweden and in Stockholm it’s different. The official taxi drivers are also on an app to compete with Uber on the set price. I can hail a taxi which might cost £10 or £20 depending on traffic. If I use the app for the SAME taxi it would be somewhere in the middle, say £15.
Great video Tom, would love to see an update for 2024.
I thought Uber pricing was an approximation depending on time. The actual fare is decided after your journey has stopped.
In Newcastle we do have some taxi companies that offer fixed fairs where its to the city centre or Airport they charge you a fixed rate.
if you have ever heard of bolt then I know that is a fixed fair.
I visit London a couple of times a year. When I do I prefer Uber. I agree the cost upfont and know what I am paying. In a taxi the cost is fluid. It could be anything. Traffic, closed roads etc.. all mean the cost can jus go up and up. I prefer to pay a quid or two extra to to not have to be looking at a meter the entire journey.
I took a black cab from the corner of Tooley st and tower bridge road to Paddington station last week and it was £8 less to take a black cab.
Thanks for this. I'll be making a more conscious decision to support black cab drivers, especially after all the work they have to do to be qualified
I can’t help but think that if I choose a taxi, a significant amount of the profits will stay in the London economy, and if I choose and Uber that money gets distributed to international investors. To me it makes more sense to support local economies. But that’s just me.
I think Uber is a bit like flight websites, the site recognises your IP address so every time you do a search the price rises to make you think there’s a high demand for that service…. 🤔
Fare jacking on Uber has happened to me several times. Usually to increase the fare by about a tenner. Uber has a system in place, you complain and the software has a look at the route and time of your journey and from my experience usually makes a decision in the customers favour to refund the extra charge. It’s a pretty instant refund as a rule.
uber work on a surge system . i know a guy who went from liverpool to birmingham on new years morning . cost £600 . 5x fare . also liverpool to southport £150 . that is about 6x .
On top of uber price will be £1.50 for the congestion charge and now maybe extra 20% VAT
All I can think is maybe customers like to know how much they will be paying in advance, even if the fare does sometimes cost more.
I live in Reading, and Uber service is quite poor here with very few cars so high wait times, not only that it is also often 1.5-2x the price of a black cab or other ride sharing apps, I think Uber is generally quite poor in the UK
I keep getting this bloody Vinted advert when I watch you but I have downloaded and even created account - I still get it.
Great video. Did it feel a bit strange riding a black cab as a passenger instead of driving it?
Uber/pre booked cab is better than taxis from Heathrow for example. I actually had a horrible experience with a black cab from
Heathrow a couple of weeks ago. He misjudged how long it would take to get to ealing and dropped me off in a completely different place so he could get back to the rank at Heathrow. And it was insanely expensive.
The security of a set price is what makes me prefer uber. I dont need to sit there watching the meter is money is tight.
also an added bonus to Uber is if I have a terrible experience with a driver, such as abuse or dangerous driving I almost always get a refund or £5 discount on next ride.
Good vid never used Uber always used black cab when in London
Your a credit to the taxi trade 👏
That second route seemed a bit iffy to be honest, maybe heavy traffic around Pall Mall/Aldwych is all I can think?
Cabs are expensive, but they are a luxury. I have no right to complain if I have other options. If I don't have other options and I'm stranded, the cost is worth it. Happened to me at uni, went to Primrose Hill with some friends, lost them, and couldn't remember how to get back to the bus stop. The tube station was shut and I was wandering around for almost an hour, starting to think I might have to sleep behind a bush. Thank god a cab came along!
10% off the 10% off price is only 19% off total ((p*0.9)*0.9=p*0.81) - if it was 20% off it would be 41p cheaper. It’s a common mistake (and marketing tactic) but makes a significant difference when you get to higher prices 😀
On my last visit in London I took an Uber Ole time , and never again. While it might be cheaper than a black cab, you have to think about that black cab drivers do this everyday for a living and therefore know the best routes and how to navigate the London traffic. The uber ride i went on the driver simply couldn't handle the traffic very well and was stuck in traffic for way to long, resulting in that it took twice as long as it would have with an black cab. The Uber drivers are for the most part not as used to drive and therefore less "aggressive" in traffic and thous using mutch longer getting from A to B. In my opinion
Let’s be honest, nobody who has any regard for prices of things will take a taxi or Uber from Kings Cross to St Paul’s unless the cost isn’t important to them, either due to expenses or wealth, if they’re a tourist and not confident in using the public transport system, or else if they have some reason not to use public transport, such as a disability. So cost isn’t as much of an issue.
Getting back to expenses though, you can see that the trip to St Paul’s has resulted in a hand written docket for expenses claim, whereas an Uber will show much more detail in a clearer format, and may be preferable to some companies as it is less open to abuse.
There’s a lot more than prices which differentiate public transport, Uber and black cab.
I’m amazed that surge pricing is legal. What other businesses are allowed to do that? BTW: from Berkeley Square, there’s a Piccolo not that far away. Plus, at the north side of Berkeley Square and through the alleyway, there’s a great deli.
Hey Tom I’ve got a question for you if you don’t mind answering. More of an observation on my behalf and I’m just wondering how you would go about doing it.
I’ve been delivering all this week to Buckingham Palace for the Queens Jubilee, i’ve noticed that a few taxis have liveries/wraps essentially being used as an advertising board for different companies.
My questions are, Who decides what liveries go on what taxis?
Is it down to the driver? Does the driver gets a salary or rewarded in anyway for having the livery?
Could you have a livery? Like for example Yfood?
Just curious :)
Hope you have a wonderful day mate
Thanks Luke! Sounds like you’ve got a sweet job there, would love to hear about that one!
It’s been requested quite a lot so I think I will have to make it
@@TomtheTaxiDriver I’d like to see that video mate 🤙🏻 nice one.
Yea I’ve done a video on it. I think it’s probably best to upload AFTER the jubilee though as it may be seen as a security risk as I’m behind the scenes
I’m on the fence. I am pretty split 50/50 between my use of black cabs and Ubers and between 7-8 out of 10 times, black cans are more expensive. On the side note, one thing that really draws me toward Uber is knowing exactly how much I’ll pay before I even order the ride whereas black cabs are very on the whim. This means that people with less disposable income or students are less inclined to take them as they never really know how much they’ll pay in the end
I don’t use either in London, but I’ve always been slightly wary of cabs because you don’t know how much a journey is going to cost you whereas the tube is cheap (and has a daily cap). I suppose you could ask the driver before you get in but then I feel like I’m committing to taking the journey by hailing them down
i'm a cabbie in sunderland, spoke to a couple who went out last bank holiday to newcastle. of course it's busy, queue for the hacks at the station to get back home, wife had new shoes on...ear bending ensues, husband whips out the phone and see's through bleary eyes that he could get an uber in about half an hour.... pops into the boozer opposite the station for a quick half and then away home when mr uber turns up. next day, rough as badgers, hubbie checks his phone...so instead of a what would normally be a 42-ish quid fair it tells him that it cost him £184.00 of the queens finest. that's some expensive shoes was my reply 😂
US Citizen here. Traveling to London for the first time in Nov. wondering if taxis accept credit card for payments? Is it frowned upon? Thanks again
Every single London Taxi takes every type of credit card. It's mandatory and drivers expect it. Most of London is credit card by default now.
@@TomtheTaxiDriver much appreciated sir!! :)
Wow didn’t realise how often the Uber price fluctuates, great vid if it’s anywhere near the same price I’m sure most people would prefer a blackie
Is there an app for black cabs or is it just the case of hailing one down?
Love that man black cab all day long
Hi Tom
Love all your videos.
Many Thanks.
Just a question
The other day I took an Uber and I accidentally dropped my wallet when I left the Uber car,
which never happened before in my life.
As soon as I realised and contacted the Uber support and they contacted the driver.
He called me an hour later and we met the same evening at Stratford station and he gave it back to me.
I just gave him a tenner in return which he didn’t accept and said it’s ok.
Nothing was missing from my wallet.
Just out of curiosity if I dropped my wallet or valuables in a black cab.
How will I be able to trace the driver or even get the item back?
The only thing I can see is if the driver is bothered to drop it to TFL lost property.
Thanks, yea usually if it’s a phone, I will get a call from the passenger and meet when convenient. Wallet maybe find the details online, but yea if not Lost property on Pelham Street 👍🏻
Depends on the type of uber as well
Thanks for the vid Tom luckily Uber not reach us fully down here in North Somerset, but as you’ve shown it’s not the answer to everyone’s prayers!!
Can I just also say I have had people in my cab who have used Uber and have booked a Uber for it only not to turn up and be charged!!! What happens there? Is it your word against the driver that you didn’t take the journey? Who do you complain to? Is it a call centre in Botswana? And if you do get this all sorted, how long before you get the refund ?
Better just grab a cab in my opinion ✌️❤️
The driver can only charge a cancellation fee if they arrive at the pick up location, and then wait in the vicinity for five minutes.
All of this is done via GPS, so if a driver has charged a rider, after cancelling the fare, he/she would have waited for five minutes, in the immediate vicinity of the pick up location.
If a passenger cancels on a driver, they are informed of the charge before they go through with the cancellation, which they then accept if they still wish to cancel.
It's very straightforward, and is a very honest and clear process.
I think Uber is best for medium - long journey's out of surge pricing. Especially outside of London. Tbh i used to leave clubs 15 mins before closing to get cheaper uber rates to get home for the cheapest rate.
LEVC need an urgent recall of all Black electric cabs and fix the for hire light which is driving potential customers insane, is it on or is it off? It’s an absolute disgrace.
Another issue lately with Uber is being given the price in both busy and quiet times, clicking accept and then waiting whilst it tries to find you a driver to accept your job. Not sure if it's the drivers refusing to take the jobs or there aren't enough drivers (drivers claim it's the lattern when I have asked). Not all Ubers are bangers, I have been in some very nice luxury cars, without even requesting it. I have found the fare I have been quoted is the fare I have paid, but then I haven't been caught up in lots of traffic. I have also used taxis and find in general they are great, reliable and do offer a level of service and are even better, especially if you can share the fare with some friends, and will often use them. There will always be plus and minus for both, the other day I ordered an Uber and it was with me within 2 mins, wheres as sometimes it looks like I can't see an orange light for ages.
One last gripe about Uber is they seem to take the money when you ask for the job, then when it gets cancelled (can't find a driver for example) they immediately refund your money. Just take teh money once the fare is finished.
You do know London cabbies have apps as well, in fact London cabbies had apps years before Uber. Hail
What if there are more than 3 or 4 people. Does that play into the price for either Taxi or Uber?
now that sparks an interesting debate a tube vs uber vs black cab race across london (i,e Heathrow to City Airport) what would be the best option.
As I understand it, Über will charge more if traffic takes longer than expected, other minicab firms will give you the price quoted on their app regardless.
now it's fixed price model so if more traffic is the same fare
@@fayman1721 Are you sure, because there was a court case on whether they were allowed to calculate the fare in this way. They are, because of a loophole in the laws on taxi meters.
@@katbryce it's fixed price when u request the ride so if u take at the time £10 fare if traffic doesn't matter uber change the model of charging fares. Of cos don't inc the surge charing that different it your choice if u decide to take that high price.
@@fayman1721 I've never used Über, but my understanding from reading the court case is:
It is illegal for anyone other than a licenced Black Cab to install a taxi meter. TfL argued that Über's app functioned as a taxi meter. Über successfully argued that the metering function of the app was in a data centre somewhere else and therefore not installed in the car, and therefore didn't violate the ban.
@@fayman1721 The number of prosecutions of Über drivers for not having a driving licence or insurance is enough to scare me off. I wouldn't use them even if they paid me.
Can four people ride easily in a Black Cab? What about with luggage? Thanks!
Yes. We have luggage compartment up front and additional luggage can fit under flip seats.
Most taxis take up to 6, but dependant on luggage can be a bit tricky