Is it legal for taxi drivers to charge double at Christmas?

[Andy Boz]

One of those silly questions I know, but plays on my mind. Last year the wife and I wanted to go out on Christmas Eve, and due to a few drinks went for to get a taxi. I was told double fare tonight, it's Christmas.
This was from a gent who APPEARED to be of a non Christian type faith.
So is it legal to be charged 2x by a taxi driver, because we are celebrating something that he may not be, or is it just a way of being shafted?

Please do not get into a racial slanging match, I have chosen my words carefullly, please follow suit.

[bob57]

ermm excuse me but you did say xmas. would you expect to work during the festive period for straight time I dont think you would and neither would a proper taxi driver

that being said and done was the taxi registered, was there a meter, was there a badge saying he was a proper taxi driver if none of those were visible then I think he was a fake driver

next time prebook a taxi through a proper taxi firm if the driver comes with no I/D badge then refuse to use him until a proper driver comes

I've been in the taxi trade myself and it is no fun taking drunks and rowdy people home with the threat of being attacked

[dannydingbat]

No racism - just facts. You do not say where you live but that may be important. You also do not say whether this was a hackney carriage or a private hire vehicle. The plate on the back will give you the type of vehicle and the licence number of the car. The law is different in each case.

1. Hackney Carriage - these are vehicles which have taxi signs on the roof and ply for hire in the street. They either drive around waiting to be flagged down or sit on a rank waiting to be hired. You probably had one of these. Your local licensing authority (the Council) can impose a maximum tariff if they want to. They do not have to but most do. If they do not (very rare) the driver can charge what he wants. If the re is a tariff set down, that means that the drivers of hackneys cannot charge more that the maximum although they may give discounts. They will have a meter in the car calibrated to that tariff. As well as measuring distance and time, there is the provision for him to add "extras", such as extra passengers, pick up charges. etc. Most areas have an extra tariff which the meter automatically multiplies up the fare by a given percentage for Sundays, public holidays and unsocial hours. In this area it is 40%, in others 40p. extra.

Broadly, the tariff can be obtained from your Council taxi licensing department and should be on display in the vehicle. If you are not happy with what is being charged, you can ask for a receipt and then go to your council and complain if he has overcharged you. It is an offence. Just remember, do not tip him if you do not agree with the charge. Its the worst thing you can do if you want to complain. Drivers are not used to being challenged as most of their customers are p!ssed out of their heads and don't know or care.

[dannydingbat]

Continued

2. Private Hire Vehicles cannot ply for hire in the street and must be booked by phone or office ahead of time. They cannot have a maximum tariff imposed on them by the Council and can charge what they like by agreement with the passenger. They do not have to have meters although, if they do, they must be tested and calibrated by the Council. If no fare is agreed beforehand, they can charge what they like at the end of the journey. Its a contract matter between the two of you. On public holidays it is a matter of supply and demand. If you cannot, when you book, agree a fee which suits you, go somewhere else.

If in any doubt about the fares, ask a few taxi drivers on the street, they are only too willing to bad mouth a dodgy colleague.

Best wishes,

Danny (Council lawyer and lecturer in taxi law)

[NORMANTHEDOG]

prices for christmas and new year vary from city to city all over the country and are usually set for these times by the council,in london fares are set by the pco for black cabs,the private hire industry,ie minicabs,are set by themselves,to reflect that time of year,my company charge one and a half for most of the holidays,and certain periods double,if i dident charge that i would have no drivers working. we are all licenced and regulated in our industry now and our costs for christmas is extra for staff,so as long as you get home safely,surely its worth it.

[Andy Boz]

OK, I will rephrase it.
Perhaps illegal was the wrong word.
Would it be unethical for a Muslim type taxi driver to charge double? Now I Know I am very much opening a can of worms here, but to me it's wrong. If he was a christian driver , yes, but non christian just making extra out of people.
I am in Birmingham.
Thanks for the education on black and private hire.

[Ethel]

Can you imagine what would happen if you could phone your local private hire firm up on Christmas Eve and specify you want a non-Christian looking driver because he won't charge extra?

If he were a white, European looking driver you could ask him if he practiced a Christian religion before getting in the car to make sure you wasn't charged double rate.

And where would it end? You could be charged double during Ramadam, just because the driver happened to be Muslim.

You've made me laugh anyway.

[Andy Boz]

I thought it was a sensible question.

Ok we'll put it another way. Would a Muslim complain if a Christian driver charged him double during Ramadan?

[Buenchico]

If, as I suspect, it was a private hire company which provided transport for your journey, the reason for charging extra has nothing to do with whether the driver (or the owner of the company) celebrates Christmas. It simply comes down to 'supply and demand'. The firm knows that the number of people requiring cabs on Christmas Eve usually vastly exceeds the availability of cars in the area. They therefore 'cash in' on the opportunity by exercising their legal right to charge higher fares. (This is no different to hotels charging far more for accommodation in August than they do in February). The same scale of fares will apply whether the driver is a lay preacher (with a priest as his passenger) or a Muslim (with a rabbi as his passenger). It sounds to me as if you want to enjoy all of the benefts of living in a capitalist society (where airfares,, or prices in supermarkets, are forced down by competition) without accepting the downside that a business has (with very few exceptions) the absolute right to determine the prices it will charge at any time

I've often worked behind a bar on Christmas Day. According to your strange logic, I shouldn't have been paid any extra because I'm an atheist!

Chris

[Rock'n'Roll]

This is the first thing I came up with,not sure if it applies to every council,I imagine it does. http://www.kettering.gov.uk/site/scripts/docum ents_info.php?categoryID=1337&documentID=348 Haven't read it too deeply,but the indications I got,are that it's double time at christmas. I know if I had to work,I'd want at least double time. Personally,I can't see the problem,I'd be glad to pay it to get home safely,or visit relatives on Christmas day if I was over the limit.

[RATTER15]

As an ex taxi driver, yes they can, generally they can charge double after 11.00/1200 pm depending where you live until 06.00 and bank holidays and Christmas and new years eve.
These times and rules do vary depending on the council who set the the tariffs, and also a lot of taxi companies will not implement some of these charges.

[sabs]

Here we go again!!

This is a Christian country, Christmas is officially a holiday period - many people who work on this pay get at least double, people who use services such as taxis charge at least double.

What does it matter what background the driver had - he still had the right to charge you a higher fare becuase it was that time of year.

[sabs]

Also - Ramadan is not a holiday, it's a religious time of year - therefore you wouldn't be charged more for a taxi ride

[BenDToy]

I bet Andy would expect (and get) more pay if he worked on a Sunday compared to say Monday. Regardless of whether he is a practising Christian.

[dannydingbat]

Incidentally, Birmingham is the 17th most expensive council for a 2 mile journey.

Check out the league table at:-

www.phtm.co.uk/media/1160038620.pdf

[gerry]

If it was a Black Hackney you got into then surely it's the company that makes the decision if to double the fares over the Christmas/New year period.It will not be down to the driver nor does it matter if he/she celebrates christmas to charge you double.

I know the Black Hackneys here in Glasgow usually put up a notice in their cabs stating how much extra the fares will be over the Christmas & New Year period.

[JRB]

If you are informed of the price rise BEFORE you start on your journey you have the choice of accepting it or looking for an alternative form of transport. You should not be informed AFTER you have arrived home. Taxis where I live charge extra after midnight any day of the week .

[peachy51]

I agree , with regardless to what race the taxi driver , every council has set tarriffs for set times of the year, yes the fares do go up but i wouldnt work the xmas period for normal pay .....would you?

[munchie63]

bottom line is, if you don't want to pay, don't get in the cab.
i think the race or religion of the driver is irrelevant.
I've got cabs on xmas eve, and been charged double, and in some cases triple fare, but always been told before the journey starts.
I don't remember any of the drivers complaining that they'd be tired at church in the morning.
Yes, it's a rip-off.
But...would you want to drive drunks around all night on xmas eve for a flat rate ?

[joko]

most people in this country celebrate xmas for many reasons - and a huge majority has no religious intent - it is certainly not a religious thing for me - just one long party.

[Booboo84]

I live in Birmingham the taxi i use from by my moms charge normal fare over xmas and new year but the local taxi company to my flat charge just £1 extra at xmas and new year you could try uber as they are generally cheaper than private hire taxi companies but the only downside is you have to book and pay online with a debit/credit card