Before you automatically rent a car for your travels to (or within) remote locales, stop and think about whether hiring local taxis might make more sense -- because sometimes it does. Here are four advantages you'll enjoy when you're a taxi cab passenger instead of a rental car driver.
1. The Driver Knows How to Get There
You might think you can follow a map or listen to GPS instructions as well as anyone, but if you're in an unfamiliar city, you could wind up humiliated, tired, and late for an important meeting or event. Both printed maps and GPS-based information can fall out of date as new roadways are constructed or old routes discontinued, causing you to drive yourself right into a dead end. If you're in a country where you don't speak the language, you don't even have the option of pulling into a local shop and asking directions.
You won't have to worry about getting where you intend to go when you're driven by a competent driver for an established taxi service. These skilled professionals know their town so well that they couldn't get lost or confused if they tried. Even when confronted by an accident scene or roadway damage, your driver will be able to figure out a sensible detour. Of course modern taxi cabs also come equipped with GPS services and radio communications devices, just in case.
2. You Pay Only for What You Need
Most car rental companies bill you by the day -- but what if you only plan on making a single trip? Sure, there are services that allow you to rent a car for short jaunts with the swipe of a credit card, but they aren't widely available outside of major metropolitan areas. Traditional rental car rates can also vary wildly depending on the season or weather. The time-honored method of paying for private transportation on an as-needed basis is to hire a taxi, and it's still the simplest solution for single-use one-way trips. Most medium-size towns boast a taxi service that can easily be reached online or by consulting the phone book. In larger cities, having a reliable taxi service's phone number on hand means you don't have to puzzle out where the nearest single-use self-drive hired car can be found, or where you need to take it once you're done with it.
3. No Parking Hassles
Calling a cab eliminates another potentially major headache for you when you're driving a rented vehicle in an unfamiliar area -- the issue of parking. Even if the parking zones and spaces are clearly marked at your hotel, for instance, you may still find yourself cruising the entire lot looking an open space -- which may turn out to be quite a hike from your room. If you're traveling to various places in a strange city, you may find yourself paying numerous parking fees or possibly not finding any available parking spots at all.
When you travel in a taxi, parking the vehicle is the driver's concern, not yours. You'll be let out right in front of your door, or as close as legally possible, so you can proceed to your next activity without the frustrating, expensive, time-wasting process of parking the car.
4. Assistance with Luggage
If you and your loved ones are traveling with a full complement of luggage and/or carrying an assistive device such as a folding wheelchair, you'll be grateful for the kindly assistance provided by a taxi driver. While these individuals are not porters by profession, they will be happy to pack your heavy belongings into and out of the trunk. (If you're really carrying your house on your back, ask for a larger vehicle such as a minivan when placing your order with the taxi service.) Assistance with luggage is particularly valuable for elderly, ailing, or physically challenged passengers. Just remember that it's considered correct to give the driver an extra tip for this service.
Instead of putting yourself on the hook for potential navigational problems, daily rental fees, parking hassles, and a hernia from lifting heavy luggage by yourself, simply hail a cab or contact a local taxi service, such as White Top Cab Company. You'll be glad you did!
Share28 May 2015
Typically, my husband and I ask our neighbor to give us a ride to the airport when we are going on a trip. In return, we drive her when she needs a ride there. However, we were going out of town soon and she was feeling under the weather, so I decided to go about seeking other arrangements. I was surprised to learn just how many ways one could get to the airport. You could take a limo, town car, taxi or ride share. I created this website to give information about each of these options and answer some of the questions you may have about each option.