A Herald story about a $160 taxi fare for a 20-minute trip in Auckland has struck a nerve, with numerous readers saying they were also ripped off – many by the same company.
A 68-year-old woman from Central Otago said she was “fleeced” by a Crown Cabs driver after a late-night trip from Auckland’s CBD to Mt Roskill, for which she paid around $17 per kilometre.
Herald readers said they had also paid exorbitant fares for short trips in metered taxis. Many of them were from outside Auckland and were visiting for the Coldplay concerts and other events, and felt they had been taken advantage of.
One mother said her son was visiting Auckland from Sydney and attended the Coldplay concert at Eden Park on Friday.
He caught a Crown Cabs taxi to the Titirangi village – a distance of 13km – and was charged $170.
“Something should be done about this company,” she said.
Another customer said their husband was visiting Auckland from Dunedin last month. They caught a taxi from Greenlane to Auckland Museum, at a cost of $24 for the 4km journey.
However, the return fare with Crown Cabs was nearly three times higher.
“The driver immediately started driving in the wrong direction and when questioned, my husband was told it was the end of school so the way they were going would be quicker,” the woman said.
“Long story short – the driver then proceeded to charge my husband $63.”
Small Passenger Service Association spokesperson Warren Quirke last month told the Herald he had received “multiple complaints” about Crown Cabs.
He claimed its drivers target international tourists travelling from the city to the airport and do not understand New Zealand’s regulations.
“It’s up to the driver to negotiate the fare prior to the trip taking place, which does not happen.”
One woman said she caught a Cheap Cabs taxi from Eden Park to the central city after the Friday concert.
“I expected the price to be high,” she said. “But as we turned on to the motorway at the zoo, [the] meter said $36, but by the time we got to the offramp [heading] towards the city, it was $86. Then $93.
“The driver was rude and quite frankly just ripped us off. When I told him it wasn’t okay what he was doing, his response was, ‘It’s event night, lady – you should know these things’.”
Another customer said their brother was visiting from the United States and attended a concert at Spark Arena last week.
“He jumped into one of the many cars waiting. He’s ... from New York, so [was] not aware of which cabs to use in Auckland.
“The fare ended up costing $65 – it was from Spark [Arena] to Grey Lynn. Usually at most it would be $11-13.”
The Herald attempted to contact Crown Cabs, but the company had disconnected its phone number.
Other passengers have previously taken to social media reporting price-gouging by the company – along with other allegations about the drivers.
New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi’s advice is for consumers to contact the taxi firm directly in the first place. When people go to the agency with complaints of overcharging, most are referred to the Disputes Tribunal.
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