Knowing taxi etiquette can go a long way towards making your taxi ride more enjoyable, not only for yourself but also your driver and any other people who may be trying to hail a taxi as well.

Whether you are ordering a taxi ride to/from airport, a fleet of taxis for a company event or a taxi service for someone who may be blind or disabled, here are some tips for enjoying safe and affordable taxicab service.

First of all, if a taxi driver is running a meter make sure it is set properly and does not have fees registering on it before it is turned on. Otherwise, make sure that price of your trip is negotiated in full with the driver before you set out. You should also negotiate flat fees in the case when if you hire an airport taxi service. Many cab companies will also allow the drivers of an airport taxi to negotiate their own set fees.

Always request a receipt for services from taxi companies and make sure that the taxi driver puts his taxicab driver number on it. This is so you can locate the driver later if you leave any of your belongings behind. This receipt can also be used for a write-off on a business tax return.

You are only obligated to pay charges that show up on the taxi meter. If the taxi driver prefers it he can add charges for doing things like helping you with your bags manually to the meter. Anything that you pay on top of the meter charges constitutes a tip. Most cab drivers expect to be tipped between fifteen and twenty percent. This is true in almost all countries, including United States.

If you are ordering a cab from a taxi company then you might want to consider calling the company first to see approximately how much time it will take you to get to your destination in one of their cabs. You can then schedule the taxi to pick you up ahead of time so you can arrive to your destination on time. If you have not done this and the taxi shows up and does not get you to your destination on time you cannot blame the cab driver. You need to allow the taxi driver enough time to get there, accounting for traffic and other road issues.

If you need to go to more then one destination and have a taxi driver wait for you outside then you might want to consider asking about an hourly rate. This is often cheaper than leaving the meter running.

If you do have a problem with a taxi driver or the quality of service your have received, then you should inform the taxi company right away. If you leave it for too long the complaint may not seem legitimate and may be treated as simply a nuisance by the cab company. When making your complaint make sure you provide the taxi driver’s license number, the name on the license and also include the number of the cab if available. This will help the taxicab service track down the driver even if it is not the usual driver of that particular cab.