Here are 6 little known things about taxis that you may not have known, but you should.
Vehicle Maintenance
According to the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, each Taxi in Los Angeles must undergo strict preventative maintenance every 5,000 miles by a city approved repair facility.
This can vary according to the city that the taxi is servicing, but for the most part each city has very strict standards for the Taxis it chooses to let operate there.
The inspection checklist is very thorough as well, to insure that each Taxi is in top of the line working condition.
Here is that checklist, courtesy of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.
When a Taxi Driver fails to provide maintenance records, that driver will lose his/her taxi permit.
No Surge Pricing
The rates are set by the city… not the Taxi company!
This means no surge pricing.
Taxi riders’ never have to worry about getting marked up fees based on the time of day.
Thats more money saved by taking a Taxi.
Taxi Permit
Each Taxi Driver must get a permit by the city to operate a Taxi.
In order for a Taxi Driver to get a permit the following has to be done for the DMV.
1.) Obtain a (clean) 10 year driving history report, also known as an H6.
2.) Pass the written Taxi Test from the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.
3.) Pass a Federal Fingerprint Background Check, which accesses the drivers complete criminal history. This digs far deeper than the Social Security Background Checks that Rideshare companies perform.
4.) California Drivers License
5.) Pass a drug test
6.) Proof of right to work
24/7 Phone Assistance
Having someone to call when you need assistance may seem like a weird feature nowadays, but Taxi Companies have call centers that are open 24 hours a day!
There is always someone you can reach when you need assistance.
Sometimes it is nice to talk to a person instead of emailing a general company support email…
Payment Options
A very big misconception people have about Taxi Companies is that they only take cash.
However, you are able to pay with cash or card in a taxi. Also on the RideYellow app you can pay on a stored credit card just like Uber or Lyft.
Now the majority of taxis’ are equipped with Verifone payment technology. Verifone is the largest electronic payment solution provider in the United States.
The bottom line is that Taxis’ actually provide more options to pay!
Video Surveillance
Perhaps one of the most unknown fact on this list is that all Taxis’ are equipped with 24/7 video surveillance.
This provides an extra level of safety and security for our drivers and are customers.
Whenever there is a dispute or incident the video is pulled and reviewed.
To sum it all up
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