Taxis still reign over rideshares in some places. Here are 6 safety tips for taking taxis when you travel.

Making the most of a taxi is usually a fast and easy option to get round, however are taxis protected? Are they safer than Uber
UBER,
-1.39%
or different peer-to-peer trip hailing companies? 

Listed here are six fast security suggestions for navigating your taxi scenario whereas touring so that you’ll by no means really feel uneasy within the again seat. 

1. Have it professionally organized

There are nonetheless areas the place taxis reign supreme over rideshares and public transit. On this case, you’ll wish to do your finest to have a taxi organized for you. Locals to a rustic usually tend to know the trusted taxi corporations, and companies comparable to in-airport taxi companies may also help you discover a driver with ease. 

The identical could be mentioned for lodges; many instances, entrance desk brokers are in a position to name for rides with their pre-arranged cab corporations. Some higher-end lodges present their very own automobile service, an amenity that may be included or added later to your lodge folio. 

Learn: 4 tips for staying healthy while traveling during this ‘tripledemic’ cold and flu season

2. Use the meter

When you’re hopping inside a taxi, the simplest option to just remember to gained’t be overpaying is by asking to make use of the meter. The sort of scenario can be extremely location-dependent. Some international locations have rules that set a set worth for sure rides (comparable to these from the airport to the town heart), whereas others depart it as much as the drivers, which is the case for Paris taxis, for instance. 

Earlier than you are taking off, ask the driving force to activate the meter so that you simply aren’t hit with an unexpectedly giant invoice on the finish. 

3. Negotiate a worth 

If the meter is damaged or you possibly can’t in any other case use it, the next step is to barter a worth. As we talked about above, some cities will regulate the quantity you’ll pay to your vacation spot, particularly when leaving from the airport. Nevertheless, when this isn’t the case, you’ll first wish to speak to the driving force about your vacation spot and the price that they plan on charging you.

It’s a good suggestion to look up average taxi costs before you travel so you recognize the ranges to count on; if the value appears slightly excessive, see if you happen to two can negotiate on a compromise. Once more, do that earlier than the trip begins.

Whether or not you’re paying a set price or utilizing the taximeter to your trip, you’ll wish to use a card that’ll shield you. Bank cards have client protections that gained’t depart you answerable for fraud — plus completely different journey bank cards can help you earn elevated bonus factors for journey purchases.

If you should pay money, you’ll want to carry alongside a card that’ll waive your ATM charges and gained’t cost any worldwide transaction charges. 

You’ll want to learn: These are the airlines with the most delays and cancellations

4. Solely use official taxis

Do you know that in Almaty, Kazakhstan, everybody within the metropolis is an impromptu cab driver? You merely hail a passing automobile on the street, allow them to know the place you’re going and hand them a couple of bucks if you step out. 

Though this may be an environment friendly option to get the place you’re going, the reality of it’s that it’s not an particularly protected option to journey. Official taxi drivers are topic to strict rules; their vehicles should meet a sure customary and so they’re half of a bigger group. Sticking with a majority of these drivers, particularly when flagging one down on the road, is a a lot safer possibility. 

You’ll usually discover extra official taxi drivers in bigger cities, comparable to Cancun, Paris and New York, and generally in smaller and extra midsize areas, too. 

Don’t miss: ‘This is one of the coolest places I’ve ever seen’: Splurge on a stayover — or grab a cocktail during a layover — at this nostalgic airport hotel

5. Go for women-centric choices, if relevant

In some cities, you may even discover taxi companies geared towards ladies. An October 2019 survey of 500 ladies performed by Alarms.org, the web site of the Nationwide Council for Residence Security and Safety — a nationwide commerce affiliation — discovered that 45% of riders choose feminine drivers. And a number of other corporations are answering the decision, as there are actually particular taxi choices out there for solo female travelers that you simply may take into account reserving.

Pink Cab, for instance, is an Egyptian taxi app devoted solely to ladies. Its drivers are feminine and it’ll solely decide up feminine passengers. Charlotte-based Simply Her Rideshare is one other women-only rideshare firm that targets its companies towards ladies riders and drivers.

Dubai additionally has a women-only taxi service named Girls and Households Taxi. Whereas all of its drivers are feminine, these specialty cabs will decide up each ladies and people touring with households. 

Do your due diligence earlier than touring to see if there are any specialty taxis out there the place you’re going, particularly if you happen to’re involved about your security. 

Additionally learn: This couple’s honeymoon plans fell apart when a hurricane hit, but the alternative turned out even better

6. Think about using a rideshare app as an alternative

Uber revolutionized the rideshare trade when it launched in early 2009. Previous to its inception, taxis held sway over nearly all of non-public transportation — until you have been utilizing a shuttle or renting a automobile. Since then, quite a lot of opponents have come alongside to shake up the market, together with Lyft
LYFT,
-1.13%
(within the U.S.) and different worldwide choices. 

Together with simpler entry, rideshare apps present a a lot easier expertise for riders, particularly those that aren’t completely comfy whereas touring. Options you possibly can look forward to finding embody the power to share your trip with others, to maintain a saved cost technique on file and to enter a vacation spot immediately into the app. 

Not solely do these apps eliminate the need for cash, they’ll additionally be certain that riders aren’t taken “the good distance” round and supply proof of the place you’ve traveled. 

Some apps, together with Uber, additionally provide extra security options, comparable to an in-app panic button, the power to report unsafe drivers and even the power to file audio throughout your trip. 

That mentioned, ridesharing experiences aren’t with out incidents. A security report from Uber launched in June 2022 asserts that greater than 99.9% of journeys in 2019-2020 have been accomplished with none security report in any respect; even nonetheless, that very same report states the overall variety of sexual assault reviews was 3,824.

Given all the knowledge out there, although they’re not crime-proof, rideshare apps are seemingly the simplest and most secure option to hail a trip.

Additionally see: Uber and Lyft’s fight with California takes on bigger question of voters’ sway

If you wish to get round in a taxi safely

Are taxis protected? For probably the most half, sure. Taxis have a protracted historical past, and you’ll typically depend upon official ones to take you the place you should go.

For one more possibility, take into account rideshare apps, which might provide an entire suite of security options devoted to creating certain your journey goes easily. In any other case, reap the benefits of the following tips to make sure your subsequent cab trip is as protected as could be. 

Extra From NerdWallet

Carissa Rawson writes for NerdWallet. E-mail: articles@nerdwallet.com.