Fundamentals:
The complete agreement related to a standard, executive, chauffeur, long journey and airport transfer between the passenger and Taxi Rides is consisted of the following terms and conditions and online booking system. Once any passenger either fills up an online booking form or books any journey on the phone, it confirms that the related passenger or the booker unconditionally accepts the terms and conditions noted in this agreement. Maintaining all related rules and regulations, this website, taxirides.co.uk is an official website for Taxi Rides as noted on the home page of this website. All concerned sectors have been notified about this. Taxi Rides is the sole proprietor of this website unless anything different is specified in course of time. If any passenger books any journey directly with us, all related terms and conditions of our company will be implemented between the customer and us based on acts, errors, omissions, representations, warranties, refund, extra charge or negligence.
1. Booking:
1.1: We are a pre-booking company. So, we accept online booking only three hours before the pick-up time. If you can’t book online for any instant journey just because of short notice, please phone us; we might be able to take your booking based on driver’s availability. There could be difference in pricing. If you’re not ready to be picked up at the booked time, we will not be responsible if you can’t reach the destination on time. Also, if the journey takes more time than expected as a result of traffic, road construction, road closure and road diversion, we will not be responsible for that.
It is very vital to note here that Regulation 9(14) of the Private Hire Vehicles (London) (Operators’ Licences) Regulations 2000 (the 2000 Regulations) provides that:
“The operator shall enter into a contractual obligation as principal with the person making the private hire booking to provide the journey which is the subject of the booking and any such contractual obligation must be consistent with the 1998 Act and these Regulations.”
The above direction clearly clarifies that as a private hire operator, it is our responsibility to successfully complete a journey that is booked by a passenger. The way of providing the passenger with the service must be through a satisfactory and lawful booking, dispatching, telephoning and controlling process instructed by TFL and other concerned sectors in the UK.
Here, we, Taxi Rides, work as principal in the way that we generate the journey from the market through our different types of campaigns (SEO, PPC, GOOGLE BUSINESS, SOCIAL NETWORKING, etc) and confirming the booking from the passenger through a verified online booking process on our website or on the phone. Then we assign this job to the driver through a proper dispatching system and formulate the coordination between the passenger and the driver until the job is successfully done.
We, Taxi Rides, here boldly confirm that we are fully organised in this perspective according to the guidelines by TFL.
1.2: A passenger must book for a suitable car based on the number of passengers and luggage. Taxi Rides is not bound to carry any extra passenger and luggage which the passenger doesn’t mention in the booking. Even if, we can accommodate any extra luggage and passenger, there will be extra charge.
1.3: A child of any age is treated as a passenger according to TFL and a proper seat must be counted for that child, no matter whether the child sits on the lap or not.
1.4: We can provide either low or high car based on the passenger’s request. We would request our passengers to order the car of proper size and necessity.
1.5: Our price includes one-hour free waiting time from the flight landing time. Any airport pick up could be booked in two ways. Either based on the flight landing time or at a specific time. If the booking is based on the flight landing time, our driver will pick up the passenger one hour after the flight lands. In this case, if the passenger takes more time than one hour after the flight lands to clear the immigration and luggage areas, waiting fee of £20 per hour will be charged.
Alternatively, the passenger can book any airport pick up at a specific time. For example, it could be one and half hours or two hours after the flight lands. Our driver will be there at the airport at that specific time. Here, if the customer takes more time than that specific pick-up time, waiting fee of £20 per hour will be charged.
1.6: For any airport pick up, the passenger must provide the correct flight number. If there is not flight number and if we can’t find any flight number after our best effort, the booking time will be treated as the pick-up time. If the customer is not ready at that booking time, waiting fee of £20 per hour will be charged. It is our responsibility to monitor the flight. If the flight delays or lands early, we will send the driver accordingly.
1.7: If any customer books any journey indirectly with us through any third party or online booking platform, the passenger has to follow the terms and conditions of that third party or booking platform. Here, we are the service provider and we follow the terms and conditions of that third party or booking platform. On top of that, the passenger must follow and maintain our terms and conditions. It is fully the passenger’s responsibility to go through our terms and conditions after his/her journey is assigned to us by the company he has booked with.
It is very important to note here that we follow TFL guideline in this perspective and strictly maintain a valid proof; especially, email proof or dash board proof (any third party generates an individual booking dashboard for any partner like us and on that dash board the full booking details are clearly noted including the details of the two parties which are the journey provider (from where we get the job) and the service provider ( Taxi Rides).
1.8: Taxi Rides maintains an updated dispatching system called XOERA. Once any journey is uploaded in this system, the passenger receives the booking confirmation as a text and an email. The passenger is also updated, in course of time, regarding the DOR (Driver is on route), ETA (Estimated time of arrival), DPA (Driver is at pick up address), POB (Passenger is on board), STC (Soon to clear) and job finished including the vehicle details (registration number, make and model) and driver’s details (name and contact number).
2: Prices & Payment:
2.1 All prices noted on the website are calculated in GBP; sometimes excluding and sometimes including (in most cases it is included) local taxes maintaining the rules and regulations of the HM Revenue & Customs, HMRC, UK. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs. Passengers, clients and travel agents who book directly with us are not liable for any taxes as it is already included in the fare noted on our website. All our procedures related to private hire taxi booking are mainly followed by the rules and regulations of TFL [https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/taxis-and-private-hire/], London and then with the legal combination of TFL and any third-party taxi booking platform. We are based in London and consequently, loyal and liable to the terms and conditions of HMRC, UK.
We are not responsible for any tax of any third party booking that is not directly booked with us. In this case, if applicable, there will be some extra charge for taxes. Or, the third party is responsible
Not only that; our direct bookings may also include some taxes if logically and legally applicable. In this case, passengers will be notified in advance to take their decision either to keep or cancel the booking. For cancelling any booking for such reason, passengers will get full refund.
2.2: If any journey is booked, the passenger receives the confirmation email including the full details of the journey. It is the passenger’s responsibility to check all the details are correct or not. If any amendment is needed, it must be notified to us very promptly, surely at least six hours before the pick-up time for any airport pick up or drop off and three hours before any local (East London) jobs. We will not be responsible for anything wrong caused either by the wrong information provided by the passenger or anything wrong by the passenger.
2.3: All airport pick-ups and pick-ups from a long distance must be paid 50% of the fare in advance at least 24 hours before the pick-up time. Instant request for booking depends on availability. Passengers can book online as a cash payment; our staff will contact the passenger to collect 50% of the fare in advance through secured link.
2.4: We accept all major methods of payment including credit cards, debit cards, cash and cheque. If any passenger wants to pay by cheque, payments must be complete 7 days before the journey date.
2.5: There is 50% to 100% extra charge on all journeys between 24th-26th of December, 31st of December and 1st of January.
- The Service:
3.1: Passengers are responsible for their behaviour in the car during the journey. You will be charged £80 to cover cleaning costs in the unlikely event of the vehicle being soiled by any passenger or damaged (depends on the level of damage).
3.2: Eating, drinking and/or smoking in the vehicle are not permitted.
3.3: All children travelling during the journey should be restrained in a manner appropriate to their age, weight and height. Suitable child seats should, wherever possible, be supplied and fitted by the child’s parents. Such seats may be retained by the driver for use on the return journey. On request by the passenger, Taxi Rides will try its best to provide the passengers with required baby/booster seats.
4.4: MRT CARS will not carry any extra passengers than its insurance or licensing allows.
- Cancellations:
If any passenger needs to cancel any booking, he/she needs to contact MRT CARS as soon as possible after the booking is made. If the passenger requests to cancel a booking after the vehicle has been dispatched, then a charge may be incurred; the charge will be based on the distance/time that the allocated driver has travelled/spent prior to the point of cancellation. As a general rule journeys from airports are dispatched up to two to three hours before the flight arrival, journeys within the surrounding area of London are normally dispatched up to thirty to sixty minutes before their due time.
To cancel any airport journey, the passenger must inform us 12 hours before the pick-up time. If there is any cancellation request after that, it will not be granted. In this case the journey will automatically be cancelled but there will be no refund.
If you have made a booking through the Quote/Book/Pay service, and have cause to cancel your booking before a vehicle has been dispatched to you, a charge of 40% will be levied on the original payment made. In this point, the passenger needs to submit the valid proof in favour of his/her cancellation request. If failed to provide such proof, there will be no refund.
It is noted here that for some special occasions (for example; death, serious illness or other major incidents), the passenger will receive full refund based on the valid proof.
- Liability:
5.1: Taxi Rides is a very committed and service-oriented taxi company and consequently, focuses on all reasonable endeavours to get the passengers to their destination on time, but shall not be liable for any loss due to delays caused by road condition, diversion, closure, construction or traffic which is beyond its control on the journey. It is very specified here that under no circumstances shall Taxi Rides be liable (in contract, tort or otherwise) for any loss of profits, business or for any indirect or consequential loss whatever.
5.2: Taxi Rides is not responsible for any luggage carried by the passenger and it is entirely at passenger’s risk. It is not the responsibility of Taxi Rides to check what kind of stuff is being carried in the luggage/suitcase/bags etc by the passenger.
5.3: Taxi Rides has the full authority to cancel any journey and all related services at the eleventh hour based on an instant necessity and urgent emergency; for example, in the event of rough and uncontrollable weather, a declared national emergency, war, fuel shortage, riot, terrorist attack, car break down or other circumstances beyond its control. If the car breaks down during the journey, Taxi Rides will try its level best to arrange an alternative car to complete the journey as soon as practicable. If no alternative car is managed, the passenger has to arrange a different vehicle and Taxi Rides will not be responsible for any extra cost or loss in this sector. If the passenger wants to get full refund, 50% of the fare will be refunded based on the distance already gone through by the driver. If no journey is taken place in this regard, the passenger will get the full refund without any question.
5.4: The passenger will indemnify Taxi Rides against all costs, losses, damages and expenses generating from any act or omission of any passenger in the passenger’s part.
5.5: It is very important to note that neither party excludes or limits its liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, or for wilful default or fraudulent misrepresentation, or otherwise in any manner unenforceable by any applicable law.
Termination:
Taxi Rides has the full right to cancel or refuse any journey with immediate effect if it places the driver or vehicle at risk of any kind of loss, threat, damage, violence or abuse by the any part of the passenger and will request all passengers to vacate the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. In this case, no refunds will be offered if the journey is cancelled part way through the hire.
Miscellaneous:
7.1: Taxi Rides possesses and maintains the professional liability, authority and responsibility of any obligations and booking (both online and on the phone). Taxi Rides mustn’t transfer or handover any of its liability, authority and responsibility to any individual, sector, company or anyone by any means.
According to the guidelines by TPH Notice 22/21, and in the concerned letter dated 10 January 2023, as an operator, when Taxi Rides accepts a booking from a passenger, Taxi Rides enters a contract with that customer.
Here, Taxi Rides is fully responsible for bookings and transport services and must not transfer its responsibility as principal in the contract to drivers or any other parties. It is firmly noted here that Taxi Rides is fully committed to this terms and conditions.
7.2: Taxi Rides has the right to amend or upgrade these terms and conditions at any time by posting amendments online. The passengers are requested to kindly review these terms and conditions on regular basis to ensure that he/she is aware of any changes. It is very important to note here that all existing bookings will be at the same price quoted or applicable rate in effect at the time of booking.
7.3: Taxi Rides has the right to store, process and use all information regarding your personal details in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Data Protection Act 1998. It is also notable here that no personal data will be passed to any third party without the proper concern of the passenger in order to deal with any booking.
7.4: As an important note, this agreement and any accompanying rate/quotation represents the entire agreement between the passenger and Taxi Rides in relation to its subject matter. The terms of this Agreement will prevail, if there is any discrepancy between the quotation and the terms of this Agreement.
7.5: It must be notable here that nothing in this Agreement is expected to deliberate any profit to any third party, whether pursuant to the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 or otherwise, and no third party has the right to enforce any authority under this Agreement except something like this is agreed in writing.
Disputes:
English Law, TFL guidelines and other related English concerns are the bases of this Agreement, and the passenger and Taxi Rides each agrees to submit to the exclusive command of the English Courts in respect of any debate or disagreement or claim generating from or in association with this Agreement.
Conveying of children:
According to the UK law, taxis are exempt from rules and regulations associated with children travelling in a baby/child/booster seat. In regards to this, more elaboration of the legislation can be found here (https://www.gov.uk/seat-belts-law). Taxi Rides is unable to provide the passengers with baby/child/booster seats for Health and Safety reasons. But Taxi Rides will try its best to provide the passenger with this kind of seat on special request by the passenger, and the passenger will be responsible for any kind of Health and Safety issue in this regard. It is also notable here that if the passenger books a return journey and has his/her own child seat, the driver who carries out the first leg of the booking will keep the passenger’s child seat for the return journey. In this point, it is a must to instal the child seat by the passenger. The driver could help on request, but surely without taking any kind of responsibility.
10: Congestion fee:
£15 is applicable for any journey through congestion zone and time.
11: Property lost or stolen:
If any passenger leaves any stuff inside the car, we take this matter very seriously if we are notified by the passenger. We investigate the matter very professionally and update the passenger accordingly. If the passenger isn’t satisfied with our investigation, he/she is advised to follow the law of the concerned sector in the UK.
12: Reporting Changes in Circumstances:
Taxi Rides must notify TfL of any material changes to its operating models that may affect its compliance with the statutory and regulatory framework governing private hire services in London.
**Note: Taxi Rides hold the rights for any changes of the policy**