Are Taxis Safe?

Much has been made of how some on-demand transportation is not well vetted. Some drivers for on-demand ride companies aren’t necessarily checked out well, and some have committed crimes that resulted in assaults, rapes, and death.

The process for an on-demand driver isn’t very rigorous, unfortunately. A person applies to the website, sends them a driver’s license and insurance information, and have their vehicle inspected. Then they’re on the road and able to pick up passengers.

This CNN report highlights sexual assaults that have been committed by these part-time drivers: https://money.cnn.com/2018/04/30/technology/uber-driver-sexual-assault/index.html

The issue is that they have no more invested in the business than just the car that they already owned.

Don’t get us wrong, the vast majority of private hire drivers are just people trying to make a couple of extra bucks from their side hustle. Unfortunately, like the driver how went around Kalamazoo, Michigan, shooting people, there are some bad apples that get into that batch.

The problem is that most of these drivers are not vetted well.

In truth, the companies are looking for a way to make the process more rigorous, but the business model that they choose is simply not conducive to looking very closely at their drivers.

Yes. There are some very good reasons why taxi drivers are more likely to treat a customer with respect or at least not assault them.

1. They are licensed – Taxi drivers, nearly everywhere, are licensed by a local government entity. This can be a long and arduous process.
2. Many pay for the privilege – Taxi medallions, especially in places like New York City, are the license that allows a driver to legally pick up customers. These medallions can cost drivers tens of thousands of dollars, before they get a car or carry their first passenger.
3. Special vehicles – Taxi drivers almost always have a special vehicle for taking rides. Rather than using the family car, they have to purchase a special car or van.
4. Drivers go through background checks – Drivers will often have to go through complete background checks before they can drive.
5. Drivers are given health exams – In most places, professional drivers are required to take a health exam. While rare, a heart attack or stroke during a drive can be deadly.
6. Drivers are fingerprinted, etc. – Drivers are usually fingerprinted so that their biometrics are on file with the government.

Because the investment is massive in many cases, and they’ve been very thoroughly checked out by local authorities, taxi drivers are far less likely to commit a crime.

It’s also like being in an office versus working from home; the inside of a cab is a work-only space, unlike a private hire driver’s personal car.

Yes, there have been incidents involving cabbies. We can’t lie about that, but there’s a huge difference between a part-time driver and a professional who spends 40 to 60 hours a week on the roads. The number of incidents involving cabbies are very few and far between and often resulted from an altercation with a passenger where the “blame” is difficult to place.

In a word, convenience. If you’re on the streets of London, you can look around and hail a cab almost anywhere. If you live in the suburbs, you don’t have that luxury. You rarely see a taxi in suburbs.

Because you can order a private hire car by calling the cab office or pre booking through an app and though it takes a little while for them to get there, it’s much more convenient.

The best way to get the convenience of private hire car with the safety of a professional taxi driver is LynkCity, a new app that allows you to hail a Taxi through a smartphone app.

It offers all the same things as a private hire company, with the safety of knowing that you’re hiring a professional driver on demand.

• Real-time tracking – See where your cab is at all the time and how long it will be until it gets to you.
• Driver ratings – You and other passengers can rate drivers on their performance. You’ll know if you have a great driver even before you order them.
• The nearest taxi – The app will find you the nearest professional taxi and order them right to your doorstep.
• In-app payment – Get the convenience of in-app payment with a professional driver. Easy and quick payment, including the tip.
• Social login – Use Facebook to create an account and login. No new password to remember.

Professional taxi drivers have a lot more on the line. They have more than a part-time investment. They’ve put their entire livelihood in their taxis which means they are far less likely to risk it with unprofessional behavior.

The reason that private hire vehicles have become so ubiquitous is the convenience, but with LinkCity, that convenience is right there. The difference is that the drivers are licensed professionals.

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