Dunedin taxi users more satisfied with service

Dunedin taxi users regard most drivers as professional, and had fewer bad rides than passengers in other centres - but are more likely to take the first cab off the rank.

This is according to a survey by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) of recent taxi users in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.

The results, released yesterday, show only 19% of 800 Dunedin respondents reported a "negative" taxi experience, (compared with 32% of Christchurch passengers), and 53% listed drivers as "very professional", between 11% and 13% higher than respondents in other centres.

While the main reason for bad taxi experiences in other centres was drivers "not knowing routes", 26% of Dunedin respondents said their drivers were rude; about 10% higher than Auckland and Hamilton. A further 26% listed dangerous or inappropriate driver behaviour as reasons for their bad experience.

Dunedin passengers were far less likely to complain to the driver than counterparts in other centres (16%), while Christchurch passengers made most complaints (32%).

Whereas 88% of Dunedin passengers knew a driver could refuse to take heavily intoxicated passengers, 39% of respondents thought they were obliged to take the first taxi on a rank, compared with 27% in Wellington and Auckland, 17% in Christchurch and 22% in Hamilton.

New Zealand Taxi Federation Otago executive member Bill Collie said Otago passengers tended to be "quite happy with service here", and a Dunedin taxi company complaints committee received between 10 and 15 complaints last year.

"We have a lot more longer-term drivers here, and the 19% may have struck newer drivers. A certain percentage just want to get home and don't care about the company or cost but older patrons happy with a company will stick with it, because they like the service."

If surveyed, drivers might complain about "a small percentage" of intoxicated weekend passengers, who attempt to vandalise cars or vomit in taxis, he said.

NZTA commercial road transport manager John Doesburg said while the majority of negative experiences were of a relatively minor nature, it encouraged taxi users to let companies know if they received poor service.

All taxi organisations are required by law to maintain a register of complaints and make it available to the NZTA.

 

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