The best and worst cities to take a taxi

How safe is it to take a taxi in Namibia? How worthwhile is a minimum fare in Tokyo? Why is Bogota, Colombia the worst city to take a taxi?

If in Colombia there is suspicion of this public service, it is worth considering what other countries stand out for unreasonable charges and, likewise, what cities - despite high prices - provide safety, security and comfort.

Kienyke consulted Todd Romaine, marketing manager for the website IHateTaxis.com, which specializes in offering ground transportation guides for airports, terminals and tourist attractions around the world. The company stresses that it is difficult to generalize about a country, as there are a range of fares, experiences and perceptions that tend to be concentrated in the large cities.

The best countries and cities to take a taxi

The IHateTaxis.com website was created by two Canadian brothers who were scammed by a taxi driver, and decided to face a common problem. Romaine stresses that Canada, the United States, New Zealand, Australia, Japan and much of western Europe have the best taxi service.

Here we take into account several factors, such as distance from the city centre to the airport, taxi availability, surcharges and gratuities, among others.

"Although several countries have high rates, and while taxi drivers hate short trips and controls in the pricing system, 70% of the people who consult our website are satisfied with the service of these countries in general," said Romaine.

Also online company Hotels.com released its annual survey of global taxis, which highlighted four cities that demonstrated the best taxi services.

It took into account five categories: knowledge of the area, cleanliness, safety and security, ride quality and friendliness. London, New York, Tokyo and Shanghai were chosen as the best cities for taxi services by more than 1,600 respondents.

The worst cities to take a taxi

IHateTaxis.com has identified six cities where tourists perceive they are most exposed to taxi scams, such fake surcharges, unwarranted stops, altered taximeters or broken meters.

Bogota is the worst by issues of security, according to 15,777 negative reports by users who complain of constant theft or violent crimes (such as the famous 'Millionaire Walk').

Here's how the "Paseo Millonario" (Millionaire Ride or Express Kidnap) works: Once you are in the taxi, the driver will stop and pick up accomplices (sometimes taking a detour to do so) and together they rob you. But they do not stop there. They will demand that you withdraw cash from your debit card and credit card at ATMs, and they will drive you around until your withdrawal limit is reached. (source: IHateTaxis)

Stockholm, Sweden is unregulated and, according to IHateTaxis.com, drivers have exaggerated rates.

Although the service is convenient, 1,500 respondents have reported earning to IHateTaxis.com that in Bangkok, Thailand many rate-related scams occur. A similar case is presented in Cairo, Egypt and Rome, Italy.

"It is also noteworthy that in India, China and most of Africa the general chaos that occurs as a result of traffic, unsafe areas, and constant haggling, represent a major threat to users".

The most expensive fares

The worst news for a company is when one of its employees returns from Tokyo with a taxi bill for travel expenses. The receipt can reach €300 average, with can be a surprise to superiors.

As a tip, a ticket on the Narita Express train (€28) will be 150% cheaper to travel from the airport to the city centre by taxi.

"The results differ if we look at the cost per mile versus the overall fare. While the ranking of most industry articles is measured by the cost per mile  … what matters to travellers is the total cost, from the airport to the city centre", said Romaine of IHateTaxis.com.

The cities with the cheapest taxi fares

The basic cost for a city centre - airport varies between a price of just over a half euro and the three euros. With the following table you can find the cheapest rates to travel by taxi.

Luxury brands, classic and other models used by taxi drivers

Manganese Bronze Holdings plc is a company specializing in the manufacture of the famous London black taxis. Although it has more than 68 years of experience in the design of the historical models, excessive debt forced its owners to sell the company.

There are three types of available fares for travel in these taxis, which depend on the days and hours when the journeys are made. A journey of 40 minutes can go for about €60 euros.


In a few years, the classic "black cab" will disappear from the streets of
London to make way to less polluting vehicles

The Ford Crown Victoria Taxi is perhaps one of the most recognized brands in the world. While on the streets of the New York City there remain more than 13,000 vehicles in this category, 2011 was the last model year built. If you arrive at John F. Kennedy International Airport and your destination is Manhattan, it will take approximately $52, plus tips, for a taxi ride. 


The mayor of the Big Apple has not yet replaced these models.
It is expected that in four months the company Nissan
will secure the public tender.

Although it may seem exuberant, in Moscow the companies decided to bet on the comfort of its customers with luxury transportation. Only on the streets of the Russian capital can you find a Maybach 62 red. The price of a run from the airport to the city centre can cost €40, relatively high value if you consider that the trip is made in a vehicle that is worth about €300,000. 


German made Mercedes-Benz were positioned as taxis 
several years ago in Russia

By Camilo Hurtado (@cahurtadokyk) for Kienyke

Follow IHateTaxis on Twitter: @IHateTaxis

Read the original version of the story on Kienyke: Las mejores y peores ciudades para tomar taxi

Note that the above is an English translation of the Spanish original.

Las mejores y peores ciudades para tomar taxi

¿Qué tan seguro es tomar un taxi en Namibia? ¿Cuánto vale una carrera mínima en Tokio? ¿Por qué Bogotá tiene el lugar número uno de las peores ciudades a la hora de acceder a un taxi?

Si definitivamente en Colombia se desconfía de este servicio público vale la pena tener en cuenta cuáles son los países que destacan por sus cobros irracionales y así mismo, las naciones o ciudades que a pesar de tener altos precios, ofrecen seguridad, garantía y comodidad.

Kienyke consultó a Todd Romaine, gerente de mercadeo de la página IHateTaxis.com, especializada en ofrecer una guía de transporte terrestre en aeropuertos, terminales y lugares de interés turístico en todo el mundo. [siga leyendo en Kienyke]

Bogota: The world-wide bad reputation of Bogota taxis

Bogota taxi

The creator of the website www.ihatetaxis.com says that Bogota deserves being labelled, by tourists, as the most dangerous city to take a taxi. The businessman Uldarico Rock responds that the most honest cabdrivers are Colombians, especially in the capital. Plus tips for how not to be swindled.

While Bangkok and Cairo are perceived by tourists as the cities where one is most exposed to swindling by cabdrivers, Bogota is seen as the most dangerous place to flag a taxi on the street. At least that's what www.ihatetaxis.com reports, a website that reports on local transportation in different cities around world, based on experiences shared by travellers.

Todd Romaine, one of the Canadian brothers that created the site in 2008 after being swindled by a cabdriver in Bangkok, says that there can be more dangerous places than Bogota to take a taxi, like Afghanistan, Tajikistán or Somalia, but as these places are little visited, there are not many recorded reports on them.

"I would say that, in general, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Madagascar, South Africa and Colombia compete for being the places on the planet with the greatest frequency of robberies directed at taxi users", he says.

The major danger in taking a taxi in Bogota? Being a victim of the "millionaire walk", says Romaine. The perception seems to vary a little with local users.

Here's how the "Paseo Millonario" (Millionaire Ride or Express Kidnap) works: Once you are in the taxi, the driver will stop and pick up accomplices (sometimes taking a detour to do so) and together they rob you. But they do not stop there. They will demand that you withdraw cash from your debit card and credit card at ATMs, and they will drive you around until your withdrawal limit is reached. (source: IHateTaxis)

According to http://www.denunciealtaxista.com/, a website created by citizens and focused in Bogota, of the 15,777 negative reports, the major percentage correspond to the category ‘taximeter altered’ (26.6%) and, in second place, to ‘illegal collection’ (20.3%). The second category refers to collection of a fare higher than the taximeter rate (common when the user does not know how units are used to calculate fares), application of nonexistent surcharges or stops to pick up additional passengers.

In terms of security risks and the likelihood of being swindled, Bogota taxis are not well regarded in communities of users. But according to Uldarico Rock, head of the greater business of taxis, the talk about the insecurity is a lie: "It is not certain. It is like foreigners sell the story that we are thieves. This is the most beautiful country, the most honest cabdrivers are those of Colombia and especially those of Bogota", he emphasizes.

As for the accusations of sobrecargos (the picking up of extra passengers) or altered taximeters, Rock explains that in the Centro Automotriz Carrera (Av. Americas #50-15, tel: 4200209) there are 10 people dedicated exclusively to the attention of the Airport Taxi Radio users (aside of the call centre, the organization has another 280 employees). If it is verified that the taximeter is altered, the business reports it to the Office of the secretary of Traffic.

The master of taxis in Bogota also states that all cabdrivers – there are some 25,000 registered yellow cars - complete a customer service course. "But the media never publish the good reports", regrets. "For example, the cabdriver that delivered a box containing 24 million pesos that been left behind in the trunk. The driver sought out the lady and returned the money to her".

On http://www.denunciealtaxista.com/, there are 14,158 positive reports and a top 10 list of the better cabdrivers.

THE USERS, UNITED, WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED

Due to the fact that taxis are owned by for private enterprises, user complaints should be directed to those organizations. The colonel of Traffic of Bogota, Jhon Jairo Rodriguez, explains that if the person wants to complain about a cabdriver, he or she should phone the contact number posted in each vehicle.

These phone lines are administered by the business that operates the taxi so, to a certain extent, users are at the mercy of the tools that are provided by each taxi company.

In order to detect altered taximeters, the Police of Traffic provides monitoring. If a driver marks more than one unit for each 100 meters travelled, it is because the taximeter is descalibrado (de-calibrated), resulting in immobilization of the taxi and a fine of some 290,000 pesos.

With aid of the social networks and continuing some basic interactions, is more difficult for passengers to be swindled or to be in danger in a Bogota taxi:

• Request your taxi by telephone. Generally, the "millionaire walks" begin with a person hailing a taxi on the street.
• Applications for smartphones, such as Easy Taxi (@easytaxicol) or Tappsi (@TappsiCo), are another option to order taxis quickly and securely.
• Keep in mind that a unit is marked each 100 meters or 30 seconds.
• On www.denunciealtaxista.com you can check the taxi's plate, to see if there are any negative reports about the driver. On Twitter, tweet #taxiseguro followed by the taxi # in a mention to @denuncietaxista.
• The community offers other useful tools to consult: a map of the places where "millionaire walks" are most reported, a guide to how much a taxi should cost from one place to another in the city, and a copy of the official 2013 rate guide.
• Uldarico Rock says the good stories should be of shared.
• www.ihatetaxis.com recommends to you lock the doors, not to accept shortcuts and, in the case of robbery, not to fight with the cabdriver (they may be armed).
• If already swindled, communicate with the business. Taxexpress (4111111), for example, returns the fare in case of taximeter alteration.
• Don't stop sharing your experience with others. If it is negative, you can save another, and if it is good, sharing can help carry all of us to a better reputation in this chaotic city. On Twitter, you can denounce with: @Denuncietaxista #I Denounce, and congratulate with: @Denuncietaxista #buentaxista.

BY MARIA CAMILA HERNÁNDEZ ALONSO

Follow IHateTaxis on Twitter: @IHateTaxis

Read the IHateTaxis transportation guide to Bogota El Nuevo Dorado International Airport (BOG) - or jump directly to the IHateTaxis Bogota Taxi page.

Read the original version of the story on Portafolio: La mala fama de los taxis bogotanos ya es internacional

Note that the above is a revised English translation of the original Spanish original.

Bogotá: La mala fama de los taxis bogotanos ya es internacional

Bogota taxi

El creador de la página www.ihatetaxis.com afirma que Bogotá es calificada por los turistas como la ciudad más peligrosa para tomar un taxi. El empresario Uldarico Peña responde que los taxistas más honestos son los colombianos y especialmente los de la capital. Tips para no dejarse estafar.

Mientras que Las Vegas, Bangkok y El Cairo son percibidas por los turistas como las ciudades en donde están más expuestos a las estafas de los taxistas, Bogotá es vista como la más peligrosa para tomar un taxi en la calle. Al menos así lo reportan los usuarios de www.ihatetaxis.com, una página que informa sobre el transporte local en diferentes ciudades de todo el mundo con base en experiencias que los viajeros comparten.

Todd Romaine, uno de los hermanos canadienses que crearon esta página... [siga leyendo en Portofolio]