Taxi Survey Responses

The following confidential comments were collected by the Albany County Convention & Visitors Bureau

as part of a survey regarding taxi experiences in the Albany area. Some comments have been slightly

edited to remove profanities or to correct spelling and punctuation. The comments below are a sample

of all comments collected, and are organized by their visitor/resident status as indicated on their

response.

Comments – Business Travelers

No receipt one way, other way scrawled on back of list. Driver said we had to leave conference early to

get to station in time but it did not take long so we got to station and had to wait an hour for train. Cost:

we were told only one cab company allowed to pick up from train, so they charge much more than

others.

Drivers are liaisons for area drug dealers. Police action needed

Driver went to another stop and waited for other people and I missed my train.

I frequently have business clients come to Albany and the taxi situation is embarrassing. Cars are in

deplorable condition, filthy, damaged and often wreak of cigarette smoke. Drivers are disheveled and

often drive erratically (speed, go through red lights, etc. and there are so many cabs that appear to be

"rogue" and unregulated (often with just a magnetic sign on the doors). Are such cabs (Mom's, AAA, etc)

legal? Thank you for putting this survey together. Taxi service MUST be improved as we continue to

attract more businesses and visitors to Albany.

This region is in such need of Uber it's shocking. The cabs do not take credit cards and the dispatchers

can't handle a scheduled pickup during a "shift change". UBER is what this area needs, not a bunch of

taxi dinosaurs struggling for relevancy in an age of smart phones and point to point GPS enabled

transportation. Taxi service in the capital region is a joke.

Horrible - They I had to wait for 20 min before the cab left the train station because they wanted to

double up the fair and add another person to the cab. Cost was insane, the services was horrible, and

the car was unsafe (every warning light was on, the brakes screeched when we were trying to stop and

the car was a bio hazard!

The hotel front desk confirmed the cost to travel to the train station, however, the cab driver who was

very surly double the fare on arrival at the train station. We were in Albany for my mother's funeral.

Needless to say, this was not what we needed to deal with.

Comments – Vacation/Leisure Travelers

Cabs in Albany are notorious for their lack of quality. Whenever I go back to visit, I make sure to never

go out unless I can drive myself back and forth. The cab was filthy, there was graffiti INSIDE the cab

itself.

Just wish the driver didn't go too fast on the motorway as I was with someone who isn't as used to cabs

as I am. At least we could get one at the ready like down the river at nights.

No credit cards accepted, awful condition of cars, loudspeaker radios the whole ride, constantly going

out of the way to pack in more passengers for short trips, just awful service compared to other cities!

My trip was fine but the other man who was forced to ride with me to Schenectady was charged $52

(full zone fare) despite the fact that my $26.50 got the taxi halfway there. This is price-gouging. If a taxi

company is allowed to load multiple passengers to different destinations, then they should be legally

compelled to offer reduced fares to compensate for their economy of scale. Incidental observation:

Multiple amber and red warning lights visible on the dashboard of the taxi throughout trip (e.g., Check

Engine, Brake, etc.).

I gave driver address (#state street, Albany) and he took me to State Street in Schenectady. I had never

been to the areas before so I only realized how expensive the cab ride was getting and that he was

taking me to the wrong city when my sister called and asked where I was. When I questioned the driver,

he told me that he was new. He charged me close to $50 for the cab ride. It was a little scary for me too

- I was a young woman, alone, in a cab, at night. In other cities this is fine, but I did not feel safe.

Cab never came.

Comments – Residents

Common Themes:

Do not accept credit cards

Poor conditions

Poor customer service (drivers and dispatchers)

Takes too long for cab to arrive

Prices vary

Drivers make multiple stops and charge just as much as single rider

Alcohol/Drugs

Friends/family of driver in front seat

I take Capital Land Colonie weekly to doctor’s appts through Medical Transportation. I have had great

experiences with them. Through Medical Transportation Capital Land Colonie has taken me to Mass

General Hospital in Massachusetts. Love everyone at Capital Land Colonie.

Business partner from Canada flew in for meetings in Albany. Told to '**** off' when the taxi driver

decided he did not want to accept credit cards after she verified that they were accepted. Her first time

in U.S.

With the exception of a few the drivers either don't talk to you at all or are extremely rude! But not

nearly as rude as the dispatchers! They hang up on you, often if you ask for a cab and they don't want to

pick you up for a small fare they will say no and hang up immediately without explanation or an apology.

There was an incident last year where I left my wallet in the cab after taking it out for the sole purpose

of retrieving the fare, and when I called back literally a minute after I got out of the cab, the dispatcher

radioed the driver who responded saying there was no wallet. The entire business is unbelievably

inconsiderate.

I was a driver - Prices were haphazard taxi conditions varied. Taxi facility putrid –plastic garbage bags -

cigarette butts, etc.

I've also questioned the sobriety of multiple cab drivers.

Mini-van cabs are horrible and difficult to get in and out of. Arrived quickly. When asked for fare, driver

said, "I usually get about $16" as if it was negotiable. I'm charged a different dollar amount each time I

go to and from Amtrak. And when I go from Amtrak, I usually have to wait for 3 or 4 other fares to share

the ride with me, making stops at various hotels. It's a taxi service - not a shuttle. And if it's a shuttle, it

should be a set, posted price for everyone. And they don't take credit cards. Phooey.

I was strongly pushed to share a taxi because the company didn't have enough. I agreed, because the

stop was largely on my way. The taxi driver mocked the first passenger because he was a student and

couldn't tip much. Then, on the way to my place, he made racist comments about being willing to run

over African American young men while they crossed the street against the light. It was pretty dreadful.

Such unprofessional service. Get enough drivers. Train them to not be racists. Pay them a decent wage

so that they don't pressure riders for tips they cannot afford.

Like a trip in a Third World, Mafia run racket. I'm from the Bronx and drove a taxi there and Albany's cab

service is appalling. This is not just based on a single experience, it is the same every time. I would

never recommend visitors or my children to take a taxi in Albany or from the train or airport. It is

unbecoming and long overdue for improvement.

I called as I arrived back to Alb/Renn, and a taxi was waiting for me out front. The driver helped with my

bags and engaged in polite conversation regarding the weather and my travels. I felt like I had my own

personal driver. (Yellow Taxi)

I normally don't like leaving comment but, the way the driver of this company helped me in a middle of

the night after being discharged at Albany Med. Ctr was phenomenal. His act was kindness to help carry

my son, and then waited for me while filing my xcript at the nearby pharmacy without asking for an

extra charge is an indication that we still have some good people out there. (Yellow Cab)

Cab was spotless. Driver was well dressed and courteous. Cab and driver did not smell. Driver spoke and

understood English (Marty’s Transportation)

Rate to the airport was 25 % more than the return trip. Trip to was unmetered; return trip was metered.

All cabs should be metered.

I was a driver - Prices were haphazard taxi conditions varied. Taxi facility putrid -plastic garbage bags -

cigarette butts etc.

Many times there are no cabs waiting when I arrive on a flight. I think that is a company is given a

concession (then they must GUARANTEE) that they will have cabs waiting. If that does not work

economically, than the Airport or Visitors Bureau need to find a solution. It is APPALLING that when I

have business clients coming in from out of town i need to give them a "heads - up" as to what to

expect so we do not waste the first 15 minutes of the meeting discussing the lousy cab service.