What would your reaction be if, when you arrived at your destination, the Cabbie added a fuel surcharge to the normal fare?

12 months ago, I was paying $1.25 per litre for diesel.

I am now paying $1.77 per litre.

Vomit in the glovebox?

I was out drinking a few weekends ago when the pub shut, so we decided to head to another nearby one. I flagged a cab heading back into the city. The driver asked where we were going to. I said it was the next pub down the road, in the direction he was heading. He drove off without us. Why would he do that? It was towards the city. He would get the flagfall and a few extra dollars for a route he was going to take anyway. Next time I should lie and say I'm heading into the city, then change my mind once I get in.

freediver wrote on Jun 9^th, 2008 at 9:42pm:


Could it have been the vomit down your front?

No it wasn't that, my jeans were on backwards.

mantra wrote on Jun 10^th, 2008 at 7:30am:


Mantra, there's actually no under supply, and I'll explain why. There's an oversupply on week nights, where cabbies sit on ranks scratching their balls (excuse my, er, crudity), but on weekend nights the demand is very high. This is where the "under supply" occurs. But if more cabs were put on, it would make weeknights worthless for any cabbie to work. If more cabs were put on during weeknights, it would not be worth working as a cabbie, because you'd be working to feed the chooks. And you can't just magically get 50 more cabbies to work weekend nights. So the fact of life is, on weeknights the customer benefits, and on weekend nights the cabbie benefits. He can be selective in who he picks up, which he can't do on week nights. And he can refuse ridiculous fares offered by LAZY people who only have to walk two blocks to get home, when the cabbie could be getting $50-$100 fares from people who really need a cab. It's really simple business maths. If you can earn $50, why settle for $5, and drunk time-wasters too lazy to walk around the block?

Aussie wrote on Jun 9^th, 2008 at 8:49pm:


Aren't you on LGP yet, Aussie? But the point is still taken. Too often I have people say that cabbies are excessively rich, and don't even deserve tips. That's if you don't mind putting in 80 hour weeks, or trusting drivers to bring your car back in one piece so you can have a break, and paying driver insurance on top of all other expenses. Does anyone here know what a green slip costs cabbies? Base fees? Lease fees? Eftpos fees? Computer upgrade fees? Maintenance fees to keep the car roadworthy for regular inspections, far more than the average driver? How long can you survive with some minor damage to your car? Every 12 months cabbies have to repair even minor damage to keep the car roadworthy, and pass tests an ordinary Joe wouldn't dream of. You think it's nice having to work 80-hour weeks? Then have lazy Centerlink drunkards tell you that you "earn too much"? Do they think cabbies have money-trees, and only have to plant the seeds and sit back and watch them grow?

Personally, I'd like to see ONE Saturday night with no cabs on the road, and no way for the drunks to get home. When left with court fees, or a lifelong criminal record, then lets see them complain about cab fares.

Good points Ray about the availability of cabs - but it is annoying to see what they charge teenagers (who are nuisances at times) in the early hours of Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Cash jobs are charged at between $30 and $60 for an approximate distance of 15 kms when the roads are empty and the cabs have a clear run.  There are no tolls.

Is this because they can do it and get away with it, or is it because they hate drunk, young people?  In this particular area - there are hundreds of youth looking for cabs.

It would be hard work depending on your customers.

freediver wrote on Jun 10^th, 2008 at 8:44pm:


It's now legal in Melbourne. But a cab driver had to be stabbed before it became so.

mantra wrote on Jun 10^th, 2008 at 8:27pm:


It's all fare-metered, Mantra. $30-35 sounds like a reasonable price for 15 klms. The fare meters don't run only on time, but mainly distance. If you drive at 100 kph, or 60 kph, the charge will be the same, depending on how much waiting time you have at traffic lights. If you drive fast, the meter goes fast. If you drive slow, the meter goes slow. Waiting time at lights makes a difference. Cabbies don't set the fares, the meter does.

freediver wrote on Jun 10^th, 2008 at 8:44pm:


No, perfectly legal, well, in Qld anyway.

Ray, I run on diesel.