Students have informed Impact that some taxi drivers have been charging students £2 per head on nights out, regardless of journey length. This pricing policy has been used instead of paying by the meter or by the fixed prices that the University of Nottingham (UoN) has arranged with some firms.
Second year Product Design student Lucy Williams told Impact that “the last time I went out we were charged £2 per head to go to Ocean in a 4-seater taxi”.
Nottingham Cars and D&G are two firms that have both stated to Impact that charging a set amount per person is not a policy that they are aware of.
A representative from Nottingham Cars said: “Our policy has always been either a fixed fare or fares based on the meter”. These are set student rates applicable for all times of the day. For example, their fixed price is £6.50 per car from University Park Campus to the City centre.
However, Cam Tobin, a second year Politics student, stated that he had asked Nottingham Cars to pay on the meter over the phone but that once he got in the car the taxi driver asked the group for £2 per head. “We were able to pay on the meter eventually, but it was ridiculous that we had to argue about it”.
In response to claims that some 4-seater cars are charging a price per head, Nottingham Cars told Impact that students should get in touch with them to resolve the issue.
“If you believe a driver has overcharged you please contact us by email stating the registration of the vehicle and plate number, which you will see at either end of the vehicle and on the inside of the wind screen top left hand side”, Nottingham Cars stated.
Similarly, D&G referred to their fixed price policy, as stated on their website, which show fixed prices from student areas such as University Park Campus, Jubilee Campus and Sutton Bonington. These show the prices per car size, such as £7 per 4-seater and £12 per 7/8-seater to ‘Ocean’.
Further to this D&G stated that their “fixed prices and meter prices are regardless of how many people are in the taxi and paying per person is not something we do, especially for 4-seaters”.
Worth noting is that a fixed price of £10 for a 5/6 seat taxi does equate to £2 per head.
Anastasia Yapp
Image: Michiel Jelijs via flickr
DG’s fixed price list is a load of crap, I never once had a driver who stuck to it when I used to use them. The taxi companies in Nottingham are more than happy to take advantage of students in my experience.
so?