Gold Coast cabs catching up to Uber as passengers complain about soaring surges and cancelled rides

It’s been a rough ride for cab drivers, with disruptive rideshare apps changing transport – but taxis are starting to trend again as Uber surges out of control.

It’s been a rough ride for Coast cab drivers, but taxis are trending again as users make a U-turn from Uber.

Meanwhile, taxi sources told the Bulletin last year that drivers have been driven to despair after seeing their income slashed by up to 80 per cent.

Well, here’s a blast from the past: The humble Gold Coast taxicab is making a comeback.

For Gold Coasters of a certain vintage, nothing bonds us quite like recalling the trials and tribulations of the Surfers Paradise taxi rank.

Cabs are finally catching up with the times...

Tales of quiet vomits in the gutter while waiting in the line that stretched around the block, demanding your boyfriend of the time go fetch you that day-old slice of pizza frying beneath the heat lamp of the 24-hour shop across the road, instant friendships formed through the sharing of maxi-taxis, or the threat of violence as someone sneakily steals your ride.

Ever since the introduction of apps like Uber, the private transport industry has been revolutionised.

No longer are we doomed to wait on hold for 43 minutes to the cab operator, only to be told we’ll be waiting another hour at least for our ride to arrive. Instead, we can see our plans literally mapped out to the minute in the palm of our hands.

Since my very first Uber ride, I don’t think I’ve caught a single cab. And apparently, I’m not alone.

Uber has established itself as the market leader in recent years, with a 2019 Roy Morgan report finding it had become the most popular private transport option.

Meanwhile, taxi sources told the Bulletin last year that drivers have been driven to despair after seeing their income slashed by up to 80 per cent.

One driver told the Bulletin that the situation had led to suicides within the industry.

“They can’t afford to keep the cars on the road. It’s quite expensive to keep a taxi,” the driver said.

The driver said Gold Coast cabbies were dependent on tourists and business travellers, who were more likely to use a taxi than locals.

“Locals tend to use Uber whereas tourists tend to play it safe and use a taxi. A lot of the tourists and business people have CabCharge.

“I’ve gone from when it was happy days, I could make about $2400 a week, I’m lucky if I’m pulling in $450 now.”

But now, the tide is turning. And honestly, it’s not difficult to see why.

Cancelled fares and skyrocketing surcharges are leading many to rethink whether Uber is the right ride.

I know I have. Recently ordering a car from Mermaid Waters to a suburb further south, it was $40.90 on the way there … a few hours later, it was $109.55 for the return trip.

Not to mention that with both orders, multiple cars were cancelled after they had been confirmed. And I have a 4.9 rating (probs not after this, though).

Now, I understand the theory behind surge, or ‘dynamic’, pricing – when demand rises or supply falls, prices go up.

But it’s pretty frustrating when you’ve locked in a reasonable price, only for your ride to be cancelled and a surge suddenly applied to your next booking.

It’s part of the reason that the taxi industry is beginning to see an acceleration in business.

Because while their response to the tech-based ride-share companies was slow off the mark, the cabs are catching up.

The 13Cabs app allows users to call for a taxi and provides a fixed rate quote for the ride with no price surging.

Cab companies are now locking in prices with riders, giving them one up on the popular rideshare app. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Geraghty

According to 13Cabs chief operating officer Stuart Overall, their app has seen a 40 per cent jump in new users since December, compared to the previous year.

“We’re seeing a great resurgence in the return to cabs,” he told Channel 9.

And over on social media, comments from Gold Coast passengers back up his statements – taxis are truly trending.

But that’s not to say that this new version of traditional cabs is perfect.

Users have reported being unable to secure a cab, with cabbies claiming the fares offered by the app are too low and instead choosing to try their luck at a higher fare by being hailed down on the street.

But the good news here is that in this fight of old versus new in the ride-share industry, it’s the passengers who are set to be the winners.

At long last, we’re in the driver’s seat.