When should the meter start running?

[krazeemann]

I am an ex-veteran tax driver here in Melbourne.
If you have made a time booking, the driver is entitled to turn the meter on at that time,even if you are not in the car.
If he arrives early, he can't turn it on until the time or until you are in the car.

If you ring a cab, he can turn the meter on as soon as he has made contact. But it is up to him.

If you get in at a rank, he can turn it on before loading the car with luggage if you have any.

However, drivers differ on how they do things. Most experienced drivers give customers some leeway and don't turn the meter on until you are in the car, or until the allotted time.

Always remember to be courteous to the driver because we/they do a 12 hour shift for lousy money and courtesy will get you much further than rudeness.

[bc53]

If you ring and book a cab to say 10AM, the driver is entitled to turn the meter on as soon as the cab stop in your driveway unless the cab is early then they must wait till the booking time. If you get into a cab on the rank, then the meter can be switched on as you sit down, if you have luggage then the meter can be switched on before the driver gets out of the cab to put your luggage in the boot.
NOW, I said "can be switched on" but some drivers will give you a little grace and wait until you actually start driving before the meter start running.

[markks]

Why dont you ring and get a quote from several companies?

[trekkie]

Depends on the circumstances. If you've booked a taxi and it's waiting in your driveway, all companies have waiting charges and have the right to start the meter the second they arrive, whether you're waiting to go or not.

As for your local company, I'm from NSW and can't really say but personally it sounds really dodgy from where I'm sitting...

[kiwi2768]

We often use taxis in Perth, when we go down there for a few days. We have noticed that when we get into the taxi to go to the airport the meter is already running. I'm fairly sure that, given that we are ready and waiting, the taxi driver should not switch on the meter until we are in the car. From the time the taxi pulls into the driveway, it would be less than one minute until we are in the taxi.

Also, the local taxi service where we live in north-west WA does not have taxi plates on it, nor any taxi signs. Surely this isn't legal? They charge at least $30 to go to the airport which is about 9km out of town. By my calculations it should cost no more than $23 ($1.50 booking fee, flagfall $3.60, $1.97/km).