A Melbourne bartender has ignited a fierce debate about taxi industry practices after a protracted battle with a cab driver who repeatedly refused to use the meter and attempted to overcharge him for early morning rides home.
The Dispute Over the Meter
The worker, who regularly takes taxis after 12-hour night shifts, said the ordeal began when he booked a 13cabs taxi from Beaconsfield Station at 6am. Upon arriving home, the driver demanded $40 for a trip the bartender said typically costs a maximum of $25 in a taxi. The crucial issue was that the driver had not activated the meter.
"I tell him the trip will be $25 and ask if he turned on the meter," the man recounted on Reddit. "He tried to argue, but didn't have a leg to stand on and begrudgingly takes the money." However, this initial confrontation was only the beginning of a bitter feud.
Escalation and Retaliation
The situation escalated when, on subsequent occasions, the same driver would accept the bartender's bookings only to cancel them repeatedly, effectively blocking him from securing a ride. The bartender reported the incidents to both Safe Transport Victoria and 13cabs but claimed he received no response.
Frustrated, he began to retaliate. "I started fighting fire with fire," he explained. He would book cabs under different names and, if the same driver accepted, he would cancel and send him on 'wild goose chases' with false bookings around the area. This sometimes resulted in the driver calling to verbally abuse him.
On another occasion, the driver again refused to use the meter and tried to negotiate a cash fare. The bartender, exhausted after his long shift and the hour-long train journey, was left feeling agitated and threatened. Ultimately, the taxi company banned him from making further bookings.
Industry Response and Calls for Reform
A 13cabs spokeswoman told the Daily Mail that the company takes allegations of a driver refusing to use the taxi meter "extremely seriously." She stated that if confirmed, the driver would be suspended under strict compliance processes. "Using the meter is not optional. It is a fundamental requirement of operating a taxi and a core consumer protection," she emphasised.
The spokeswoman revealed that 13cabs has been lobbying state governments to outlaw handheld payment terminals not connected to the taxi meter, a practice that allows drivers to bypass meters entirely. To date, only South Australia has implemented this measure. The company is urging Victoria and other states to follow suit.
The Victorian Government is implementing tougher rules, including a two-strikes policy where drivers face losing their accreditation for two serious fare-related offences. Drivers can also face action if multiple misconduct complaints are lodged.
The story resonated online, with dozens sharing their own taxi horror stories. One commenter said dodgy cabbies are "driving themselves out of business," while others pointed to the tracking and transparency of ride-sharing apps like Uber as a preferable alternative. One taxi driver condemned the behaviour as "disgusting," noting that 13cabs had recently removed 67 drivers and sanctioned others for misconduct.
