Wait Awhile

There is a real problem in Perth. It stems from the fact that 1 taxi company has the lions share of the cabs and the other has to put it bluntly bugger all. Now I don't have the numbers regarding exactly how many cabs are with each dispatch so I can't quote exact figures and believe me I wish I could but as a rough guide and from what other people have told me its something like a 1200/250 split.

It doesn't take a genius to work out there is a serious imbalance there. The problem comes from the fact that the smaller company lets call them ABC Taxis runs radio and tv ad campaigns to promote their business and uses a nationally recognised phone number and in other states of Australia actually runs a viable taxi service.

So what happens is people especially infrequent taxi users and out of towners here on business ring for a cab not realising the vast difference in size compared to the larger taxi company lets call them Goliath Taxis and they are then kept waiting often ringing back 2 or 3 times for up to an hour. Bear in mind we aren't talking about the known trouble spots of Armadale and Roleystone where it is more often than not going to be a while before you get your cab. The people I am picking up who are telling me these stories are ringing from areas such as Morley only 10kms east of the Perth CBD.

Take tonight for example. A lady who is over here from Melbourne on business rings ABC Taxis to pick her up from the Morley Galleria at approx 17:15 (5:15pm) After waiting an hour and calling back 3 times she tells the ABC Taxi operator to 'Jam your taxi, I don't want it anymore' and hangs up.

She then finds the number for Goliath Taxis and orders a cab thru them. As the telephonist is about to hang up she asks if it is at all possible to get an ETA as she has waited over an hour with ABC Taxis and really just wants to get back to her hotel. Not a problem is the reply the job has been dispatched and a car is on its way already. I was there 5 minutes after she placed the call.

The situation is so bad that ABC Taxis actually tells customers over the phone that they wont be able to get a taxi to them and gives them the phone number of Goliath Taxis!.

I drive for Goliath Taxis and make no bones about telling anyone who asks that ABC Taxis are a complete and total waste of time and there is only 1 company worth calling, then I give them one of our cards of which I carry a large supply.

The point is thou when someone calls for a cab regardless of the company they call and they are kept waiting for over an hour it reflects badly on the industry as a whole. How long are ABC Taxis going to be allowed to continue dragging down the image of taxis in Perth ?? and what is going to be done about it??