At the end of March and beginning of April 2019, the Consumer Forum has held the third year of comparative taxi and transportation platform rides in Prague. Uber POP is the fastest service, Bolt is the cheapest (until recently knwon as Taxify). The cheapest classic taxis can be cost-competitive at night but at the cost of much longer waiting time for a car to arrive.
The test has focused on six services in concurrent rides, which allows comparison in the same traffic situation and demand. Uber POP, Bolt (Taxify), Liftago, AAA Taxi Prague, Profi Taxi and Nejlevnejší Taxi were tested. In total, four routes were made, both during the afternoon rush hour and at the time of the demand for a taxi service during the night time after the metro was closed.
In addition to comparing the price and speed arrival to the required location, the tests also examined other quality parameters of the service. Uber and Bolt (Taxify) transport platforms came out as the only trouble-free in car quality tests and driver behavior. Better results for transport platform drivers can be caused, among other things, by a “self-selecting mechanism” in the form of user performance evaluation.
More serious shortcomings have occurred with classic taxis.
More serious shortcomings in driver behavior occurred on two journeys with classic taxi drivers. On one ride with Profi taxi, we noticed inappropriately and grossly harassing driver notes directed to the testing female passenger, a paying customer for his transportation service.
On one ride with AAA Taxi Prague, the driver’s vulgar remarks were directed to the address of the other traffic participants and there was an unpleasant exceeding of the speed limit for the paying passenger. For taxi drivers usually issue a receipt only at the expressed request of the passenger.
“Classical taxis and transportation platforms can work side by side and increased competition in the individual transportation market in Prague is for the benefit of consumers. Since the advent of platforms, the price has remained lower without compromising the speed of arrival or quality parameters,” said Kryštof Kruliš, Chairman of the Consumer Forum’s Board of Directors.
“The pressure on quality is also influenced by the customer driver evaluation, which has proven to be a very useful tool for ensuring the standard of individual transport services. There is also a gradual market structuring. For example, by setting a low price per kilometer in the night hours, some classic taxis can compete with other cheaper transport platforms, even if it is at the cost of much longer waiting for the car to arrive, ”added Krulis.
At the end of March and beginning of April 2019, the Consumer Forum held the third year of comparative taxi and transportation platform rides in Prague. Uber POP is the fastest service, Bolt is the cheapest (until recently known as Taxify). The cheapest classic taxis can be cost-competitive at night but at the cost of a much longer waiting time for a car to arrive. With classic taxis there are also higher risks of being overcharged if taking taxis from the street.
The test focused on six services in concurrent rides, which allows comparison in the same traffic situation and demand. Uber POP, Bolt (Taxify), Liftago, AAA Taxi Prague, Profi Taxi and Nejlevnejší Taxi were tested. In total, four routes were made, both during the afternoon rush hour and at the time of the demand for a taxi service during the night time, after the metro was closed.
In addition to comparing the price and speed of arrival at the required location, the tests also examined other quality parameters of the service. Uber and Bolt (Taxify) transport platforms came out as the only trouble-free in car quality tests and driver behavior. Better results for transport platform drivers can be caused, among other things, by a “self-selecting mechanism” in the form of user performance evaluation.
More serious shortcomings have occurred with classic taxis
More serious shortcomings in driver behavior occurred on two journeys with classic taxi drivers. On one ride with Profi taxi, we noticed inappropriate and grossly harassing comments from the driver directed at the female test passenger, a paying customer for his transportation service.
On one ride with AAA Taxi Prague, the driver’s vulgar remarks were directed at other traffic, and there was an unpleasant exceeding of the speed limit for the paying passenger. Taxi drivers usually issue a receipt only at the expressed request of the passenger.
“Classical taxis and transportation platforms can work side by side and increased competition in the individual transportation market in Prague is for the benefit of consumers. Since the advent of platforms, the price has remained lower without compromising the speed of arrival or quality parameters,” said Kryštof Kruliš, Chairman of the Consumer Forum’s Board of Directors.
“The pressure on quality is also influenced by the customer driver evaluation, which has proven to be a very useful tool for ensuring the standard of individual transport services. There is also a gradual market structuring. For example, by setting a low price per kilometer in the night hours, some classic taxis can compete with other cheaper transport platforms, even if it is at the cost of much longer waiting for the car to arrive,” added Krulis.
“It is always a good idea to pre-book your transport from the airport or train station to avoid waiting or risk being overcharged.”
