Monthly Archives: February 2015

Insight

4 Services that Universal Taxi Dispatch Provides

When looking for a taxi service to patronize, I always think that it is a good idea to look for one that provides more than just the basic services. After all, I want to be assured that the taxi service I call will be able to serve my needs and make life easier for me. One service in particular has caught my attention: Universal Taxi Dispatch, a taxi application that operates in Chicago.

Universal Taxi Dispatch

Now, the first thing I want to say about this is that I love how easy they are to call. The company came up with an app that allows people to call them and get a taxi to where they need it. I think that’s pretty nifty and this app saves me a lot of time from having to wait by the curb. In fact, it reminds me of one of those rideshare services, only I like this one better than the others since I know they’re professional cabbies regulated by the city.

Think about what you know about cabs – you hail them, let them take you from point A, and pay them after they drop you off at point B. However, this company does so much more than that and I want to share these additional features with you.

  • Airport services – The company services both Midway and O’Hare airports. It is very easy to get in touch with them. All you need to do is pick up your luggage and give them a call so they know where to pick you up. You will also get a taxi number. Now, airports are very busy places so you need to make sure that you keep an eye out for the taxi number that was given to you to make sure you get in the right cab.
  • Package delivery – I was so surprised when I found out that this taxi service actually delivered packages. They have a great team of drivers and different types of vehicles to accommodate packages of all sizes. The best part is that they deliver the packages within the day so it really cuts down on the delivery time.
  • School ride program – For those people who have kids, Universal Taxi Dispatch offers a safe and efficient way for your kids to get to school. They have a dedicated manager for this and you can rest easy knowing that your kids are in the secure hands of experienced drivers that will get them to school on time.
  • Corporate accounts – Corporate workers are busy folks and this is where the company picks up the slack. Their corporate accounts ensure that employees and clients alike are transported into meeting venues and events in a fast and safe manner.

As you can see, these services make this company so much better than the rest. They really know what their clients want and they do their very best to deliver. I must say that this has to be one of the best cab providers in Chicago.

News

Security Issues with Ridesharing Cab Companies

The security of our passengers tops the priority list of Universal Taxi. We acknowledge that every one of us in the company, from the management down to the cab drivers, has a responsibility over the lives of our clients. We take this responsibility seriously and take pride in finding more ways to ensure that every ride is safe and secure.

We aim to help Chicago residents and visitors take care of themselves. So here are three ridesharing security issues that every passenger must pay attention to.

The lack of a call to action for passengers to read the company’s terms and conditions.

This is one of the most common mistakes of consumers. At one point or another, we are all guilty of disregarding the Terms of Conditions of a product or service. But these conditions are there for a reason. It is for consumers to fully understand what they are agreeing to.

We can’t stress enough how important it is for passengers to read the terms and conditions of the ridesharing cab company. It’s important to realize that availing its service is very different from hailing a taxi across the street. When a passenger downloads the ridesharing app, by default, s/he agrees to the host’s terms and conditions. And if an incident happens, depending on the terms and conditions, the ridesharing cab company can be free from its obligation to the passenger.

The use of different cab companies and/or taxi app.

Time has changed.Nowadays, traditional taxi dispatchers have apps and mobile services. At Universal Taxi, we answer to conventional hailing of cabs or scheduling through the telephone. But we also provide a new service, the Universal Taxi App. This is our brand new app that helps us meet the needs of our app-loving clients.

We understand it’s natural for customers to test many service providers first before sticking to one. But changing from one company/app to another can open a huge security hole. This is due to the passenger’s personal data being transmitted to various companies. Once personal details like phone numbers are thrown to the digital world anyone can access the information. This is especially true if the security of the cab company is far from solid. This security risk can be prevented by sticking to one reliable cab company/dispatch.

The scarcity of information on how ridesharing companies get their drivers.

The rise of ridesharing companies and the luxury they bring can easily entice passengers. But there’s also the glaring fact that a passenger doesn’t have any idea how the cab company cross-checked its drivers. This reality is true for both ridesharing companies and taxi dispatchers. However, it’s scarier with ridesharing companies. This is because rideshare drivers usually know pertinent personal details about the passenger. This makes this security issue a privacy dilemma as well.

Yes, ridesharing is the “hot” thing right now. And many passengers choose it over the traditional taxi. But with all the controversies and security issues surrounding it, it’s a lot better to trust the neighborhood taxi dispatcher if you want safety first over anything else.

Insight

Are the Existing Rideshare Service Restrictions in Chicago Enough?

Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft tool Chicago by surprise, creating an avalanche of issues within the city’s transportation system. As these rideshare services continue to take a huge percentage of the city’s commuters away from the cab companies, it was not surprising at all when cabbies decided to take action by filing suits against the city itself.

In response, the city decided to show how important the taxi industry is by coming up with ordinances not only to give cab companies a fair share of the market but to somehow regulate how rideshare services operate. Although you can hear the rideshare companies complain about the ordinance, they are considerably better off with it as compared to their probable state in case the original ordinance, which was drawn by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, was approved. Chicago’s rideshare ordinance is also relatively more lenient as compared to the state bill.

Under the Chicago ordinance, drivers cannot go beyond an average of 20 hours per week which is definitely better that the 18-hour limit that the state has placed. Drivers who want to go beyond the 20-hour cap may also do so, provided that they can find another rideshare driver who can help offset the hours by logging in less hours for the same week.

In terms of issues on passenger safety and security, rideshare services are also required to go through strict driver background checks and vehicle inspections. They are also required to have insurance coverage. This is one aspect that cab companies have always seen as their edge against rideshare services, as there was a time when virtually anybody can become a rideshare driver. This puts the passenger at risk considering that there is no assurance at all about the driver’s capacity to drive other people around.

Of course, given the fact that rideshare services would find this city ordinance to be better than the state bill, the mayor is still receiving a lot of pressure from these services. This is mainly due to the fact that the ordinance is not at all about safety and security. Instead, rideshare services sees it as a way for the city to limit the amount of competition that cab drivers are getting. After all, the 20-hour limit does not prove anything. There is no assurance that the driver would do a better job if they only drove for 20 hours or less.

Because of this, Uber has been dangling the offer of more jobs in front of the city. Interestingly, the rideshare service is not looking for any tax credits for this. They simply want the city council to cease from standing in their way as they promise to bring over 400 new jobs in the city.

With this ordinance combined with the Taxi Driver Fairness Reforms package that was passed in December last year, it is not surprising that rideshare services are calling foul. However, it should also be understood that cab companies have always been part of the city’s transportation system, and it is also unfair for them to be suffering from competition that offers the same kind of service as they do, but without the pressures and restrictions that they have to follow.

Insight

An Overview of Taxi and Limousine Guidelines in Chicago

Within the last several months, the feud going on between taxi and limo services in Chicago versus the new ride-sharing services have gotten really heated and both sides are pulling off the kid gloves.Yes, things are getting quite intense especially with campaigns from consumer advocates joining the fray and making sure that the public knows exactly what is going on in the ride-sharing industry and just how they are putting themselves at risk by agreeing to the terms and conditions put in place by companies like Uber.

In The Spirit of Fairness

It is good to know the guidelines that govern ride-sharing services like Uber but it is also a good idea to know the rules that are set in place for taxis in the Windy City. After all, just as there are dangers and risks in taking ride-share cars, taking cabs also has its fair share of risks. But that is just part of the game and as a consumer, you have to know what rules these cabbies live by so that you can protect your rights as a passenger.

If you want to make sure that your taxi riding experience in the city is as comfortable as possible, know some of the rules and guidelines that govern taxis and limos so you know your rights. It is not just the ride-sharing services that have rules, Taxis and limos have even stricter ones imposed by the city.  For instance, taxi drivers and their cars need to undergo a background check as well as an inspection from designated city officials. They also need to apply for and get approved for their chauffeur licenses. If the cab belongs to a company, that company needs to pay an annual fee of $25,000 for the license fee. Also, these companies carry about $333,000 in commercial liability insurance coverage. Compare that to ride-share services where just about anyone who can drive and has a car can offer their services, and you can see that perhaps riding a cab is the better option.

When it comes to paying, taxis in Chicago accept either cash or credit card. However, do note that there are times when the machine doesn’t work and some drivers are not very happy with customers who pay using plastic. If you choose to use your card, you can do the math and include a tip so that the driver does not feel too aggravated. Also, demand for a receipt; these drivers are instructed by law to give receipts.

Another thing you will want to know about riding authorized taxis and limos in the city is that they are obliged to drop you off in any area of the city. They cannot argue about this and any cab driver who says “no” is breaking the law and should be reported to the authorities. Ride-share drivers can pick who they want and do not want to pick up and can say “no” to passengers because they are not covered by city rules.

Taxis Online

If you like the convenience of ride-sharing but want the expertise of a licensed chauffeur, then Universal Taxi might just have the thing. The Universal Taxi app here http://www.universaltaxidispatch.com/app allows you to look for taxis just like ride-share apps.

 

 

Insight

Why Taxis Still Have the Edge Over Ridesharing Services

We here at Universal Taxi admit that there has been a whole lot of talk over the whole Uber, Lyft, and other ridesharing services thing and how they are taking away business from local cab drivers. However, we are fair and we have done our fair share of work into finding out just why people are going crazy over these services and why local taxi drivers are getting nervous. We admit that the idea of being able to summon a nice –looking car via a mobile phone has its appeal; we understand why people prefer ridesharing services to local taxis but people should also know that despite the growing number of ridesharing enthusiasts, taxis still have an edge.

What is the Edge?

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the matter, it is first a good idea to have a look at exactly what ridesharing services have to offer. For one, they tend to be cheaper than local taxis and another is that they can be summoned with the use of a mobile phone- this is why it has been hailed so many times as godsend to travelers and drunken revelers alike. No more waiting at the curb and waiting for an empty passing cab because when you ping an Uber diver, that car is yours for the duration of the trip. Looking at it that way, you can say that these ridesharing services do spell the doom of local taxis but that isn’t necessarily the case.

These ridesharing services have a darker side to them and they are what ultimately gives the taxis an edge. You see, for taxi drivers to become legit taxi drivers, they have to make sure that they register their rides and get the proper licenses; these drivers are professionals which means they are, or most of them, are pros at driving. On the other hand, you have a ride sharing industry that is basically made up of anyone that has a car and wants to make pennies.

Uber, along with other ridesharing services claim that they are totally safe but face it, they do not give complete control over the people that drive Uber service cars and they have no real responsibility over what happens. This isn’t to say that Uber services and other ridesharing companies are not safe, rather it is a way of saying that there are no guarantees that they will take responsibility for any untoward incidents.

Another plus that gives local taxis an edge is that they have to go to emission testing centers and once they pass a certain limit, they are no longer allowed on the road unless they do something about their emission problem. Ridesharing services on the other hand are not required to undergo any such test and they can pretty much have a whole fleet of idling hummers on the roads just waiting for passengers.

That said, these things still give local taxi drivers an edge over ridesharing services and these should be carefully considered by those that are debating on the benefit of using local taxis vs. ridesharing services. For those that want the convenience of a rideshare service with the benefits of a taxi, you can check out the Universal Taxi app here.