10 Qualities of a Good Taxi Driver That You Should Know

Whether you’re a passenger or the owner of a taxi business, quality taxi service is a must-have in every ride. Thus, having the right taxi driver on your side is essential in achieving that goal.

While it may seem difficult to find a decent taxi driver nowadays – given the controversies and struggle that these workers go through – but it’s definitely not impossible. In fact, there are a lot of nice and caring ones out there who are actually passionate in what they do.

To distinguish excellent from mediocre taxi drivers, we put together a list of desirable qualities that every good taxi driver should possess. Not only will this save you from wasting your time, money, and energy, but you will have a better riding experience in the end.

1. Familiarity with the Location

Taxi drivers are expected to drive their customers to whatever destination they want. Therefore, it is extremely important for them to be well-versed in their area. They should know all the major areas and landmarks, as well as shortcuts and routes to avoid heavy traffic. That way, they will be able to prevent conflicts from arising. After all, no one wants to be late for their meetings just because their drivers got lost during the ride.

2. Punctual and Responsible

Perhaps one of the biggest issue that taxi drivers are being accused of is their tardiness. Therefore, when looking for a taxi driver, pick those who has a reputation for being punctual. Never tolerate tardiness because if they are disciplined enough, they should be able to arrive on time. Apart from that, the taxi driver must also be capable of delivering you to your destination in a timely manner. In conclusion, punctuality is the key to a quality taxicab service.

3. Excellent Communication

Excellent communication between the taxi driver and their passenger is very important. Without it, things will go to complete haywire – or worse, someone could get hurt. Therefore, taxi drivers must communicate properly to their passengers and create a good rapport with them. They should know how to listen to their instructions and be open to any of their suggestions. Also, having small talk with their passengers indicates that they acknowledge your presence instead of just keeping things plain and boring. However, in some cases, passengers would prefer a peaceful and quiet ride. Nevertheless, cab drivers should know how to read people properly and have social intelligence. A taxi driver that knows how to communicate well with their passengers will make the whole ride more comfortable and efficient.

4. High-Level of Driving Skills

No, we’re not talking about Fast and the Furious type of skills. If anything, irresponsible, reckless and bad driving is nowhere near acceptable, especially with taxi drivers. High-level of driving skills refer to the level of expertise that taxi drivers possess on the road. They should know how to deal with traffic jams and disturbing weather condition. They understand the value of time for the customer but besides that, they never compromise their safety.

Most importantly, a good, responsible skilled taxi driver is one that doesn’t break the law – no matter the circumstances.

5. Tidy and Presentable

Another quality of a good taxi driver is being neat and clean, which should also be applied to the taxicab itself. Taxi drivers are considered professionals and their cabs are their offices. Therefore, if you take a ride in a smelly vehicle with lots of trash and a haggard driver, then you’re most likely riding with an irresponsible driver. After all, the customer’s comfort – along with their safety – should always be the driver’s priority.

6. Honest

Whenever you ride a taxi, there’s always a possibility of you getting scammed, tricked, and fooled. That’s what sets the good drivers from the bad ones: their honesty. Bad taxi drivers will use every card up their sleeve to cheat on their passengers. Meanwhile, a good taxi driver will never take advantage of you or do you harm. Instead, they will be honest with you and do what’s best for you. They will tell you which routes are better, quicker, and cheaper without overstepping your right on making a decision.

7. Hospitable

One of the main duties of taxi drivers involves meeting different kinds of people on a daily basis. Hence, having a positive and hospitable attitude is highly encouraged. Good taxi drivers give out polite greetings, help their passengers with their luggage, and assist them when boarding in and out of the vehicle. Most importantly, they should be attentive to their customer’s needs and offer specialties such as candies, gums, tissue, etc. Passengers are paying for the driver’s service, so they must be treated with respect.

8. Problem-solving Skills

In one way or another, taxi drivers will be affected by either road-related accidents or events. They could be responsible for a car crash, or they could get stuck in traffic due to a rally down the streets. That is why it is essential for them to have excellent problem-solving skills to resolve any conflict that could impact their business. For instance, if they are stuck in a traffic jam and their customer needs to go somewhere urgently, they need to come up with an alternative route immediately. Otherwise, they will earn themselves an unhappy customer.

9. Patient and Understanding

Cab drivers meet different kinds of people: from well-mannered professionals to drunk troublemakers. But, no matter what their social status is, a taxi driver should always treat them with the highest level of respect and stay tolerant of their behaviors. A good and disciplined taxi driver will be able to handle even the most difficult of customers without getting angry or unpleasant.

Also, they should be open to their customer’s reasonable requests such as turning off the AC, slowing down/speeding up, take another route, etc. All customers should be treated equally with top-notch customer service.

10. Clean Records

A cab driver is responsible for ensuring the safety of all passengers – and that begins with a clean driving record. Thus, trust only those who are free from any criminal record or have yet been involved in a major road-related accident. This will give you a peaceful state of mind knowing that you’re in safer hands.

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