Taxi drivers in Brussels are not friendly - Tripadvisor

[Passenger]

Some details from a recent Tripadvisor international publication (20th May 2014):

Friendliest taxi drivers - Top performers:
1. Dubrovnik (most friendly taxi drivers)
2. Tokyo
3. Singapore

Friendliest taxi drivers – Low rankers:
3. Brussels
2. Bejing
1. Moscow (most unfriendly taxi drivers)

If we assume that international tourists regard taxi drivers at Brussels Airport as Brussels taxi drivers, it seems that Brussels Airport needs to strenghten the rules and conditions.

I don't need taxi drivers at BRU myself - but are there people here who use them?

Source:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/PressCenter- ... eases.html

[luchtzak]

People don't forget that easily: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=44873

[Stij]

One word: Uber.

Once you used them, you don't want any taxi anymore!

Cheers,

Stij

[sn26567]

One word: Uber.

Pity that, thanks to the taxi-drivers lobby, Uber has become illegal in Belgium (and also in other places like Berlin). Cars have been seized, drivers fined.

[theeuropean]

The worst is also the taxi cartels as non-zaventem cabs can only drop off clients and go back empty and zaventem taxis cannot pick up people in certain brussels communes...hence also the prices are ridiculously high

[Squelsh]

For the none Belgians: Because Brussels Airport is not located in Brussels, taxi's from Brussels can only drop of pax at the airport and vice versa, so all the taxi's driving between the airport and the city centre drive 50% of the time empty. This is the reason, the fares are so high and why (some) taxi drivers still try to get a get a client for the empty loss-making trip back.

In times of 'go green', 'reduce emissions', 'energy saving', 'wasting resources' etc.. this is just ridiculous kafka bazaar that needs to be adressed urgently. Very Belgian again.

About Brussels making the list: after having seen 'scam city: Amsterdam' and the practice of some taxi drivers there, I had at least expected them higher in the list than Brussels. . Same goes for Mumbai.

[Air Key West]

If we assume that international tourists regard taxi drivers at Brussels Airport as Brussels taxi drivers

I think this is a wrong assumption. International tourists may arrive at Brussels-Midi/Zuid by train or take the train from Zaventem into Brussels and take a taxi at, for instance, Brussels Central station, or take taxis during their stay. I don't think the results apply to taxis at BRU only.

Generally speaking, I find taxis in Brussels or taken at BRU pretty bad (often unfriendly, not always clean especially in Brussels). Without wanting to make free publicity, Autolux is definitely the best to/from BRU and at BRU you may choose to take an Autolux taxi even if this is not the first taxi cab in the queue).

I agree with Squelsh that Amsterdam is pretty bad, too, and I have serious doubts as to the accuracy of the Survey since London is not in the top ranking. OK, for Tokyo. The Japanese are always polite and the taxis are probably the cleanest in the world, but it is adviseable to have a business card in Japanese to indicate where you want to go, since the Tokyo taxi drivers' English is often close to non existant.

[Passenger]

Tripadvisor has two seperate scores for taxi's:

1. Best taxi services:
Top performers:
1. Tokyo (best taxi services)
2. Singapore
3. Dublin
Low rankers:
3. Moscow
2. Bejing
1. Kuala Lumpur (worst taxi services)

2. Friendliest taxi drivers
Top performers:
1. Dubrovnik (most friendly taxi drivers)
2. Tokyo
3. Singapore
Low rankers:
3. Brussels
2. Bejing
1. Moscow (most unfriendly taxi drivers)

The bad ranking of Brussels taxis is only for “Friendliest taxi drivers” and not for "Best/worst taxi services" in which the tariff is probably counted for.

Friendliness is just an attitude problem: it's being friendly, polite and helpful (i.e. with Luggage). And Tripadvisor is quite ferm here: Brussels taxi's fail, so Brussels Airport has an image problem here.

[regi]

The Brussels taxi problem has been well described.
While Uber has "immediately been banned", any action by offcials such as police, social /labour inspection to stop illegal taxis provokes violent actions by the taxi mob.
With the existance of the "Kruispuntbank" , a computer system which shows details if somebody enjoys unemployment benefits, but is caught driving a taxi , those illegal activites can be put to a hold pretty easely.
These checks happen here in the provinces very well coordinated against black labour. ( social inspection + customs checking the diesel + police to provide protection and enforcement )
Why not in Brussels?
If a Bulgarian national who has been summoned to leave Belgian already 3 times, is accidentally caught by police driving a taxi, it is probably accepted in the maffia enclave of Brussels that the police has done something unacceptable and that the poor illegal/criminal has to be released and his taxi ( his taxi ???) be returned.

[ExSabena]

I can confirmed. Last week I had a customer at check-in. Taxi driver drove her to Charleroi for a flight to .... Washington .... Once she was in Charleroi, he said ... "Oh but for Washington it's Brussels Airport Zaventem". Return to Zaventem, he charged her full price and ... she missed the flight of course ! She told me he was really unrully when she complained ...

[regi]

I can confirmed. Last week I had a customer at check-in. Taxi driver drove her to Charleroi for a flight to .... Washington .... Once she was in Charleroi, he said ... "Oh but for Washington it's Brussels Airport Zaventem". Return to Zaventem, he charged her full price and ... she missed the flight of course ! She told me he was really unrully when she complained ...

simple solution if you are sure that you are too late anyway: stay sit in the taxi and don't pay. Let police show up and deal with it.
I wonder which story the taxi driver will have to convince the police.

[Stij]

@ Regi, did it once:

Took a taxi from Brussels South Station to a restaurant in Brussels. He refused to switch on the meter and upon arrival asked 75€. I pointed out the meter read 0€ and that I considered this my fare and if he wasn't happy, he could call the police. He wasn't happy, but didn't call the police...

Again: stop this oligopoly and allow Uber: each time there's a ride, you rate the driver and the driver rates you: if any of these gets to much negative reviews, the driver or the pax will be banned. Simple and fair.

Cheers,

Stij

[b720]

I agree, don't pay..and call the cops!

[shogan1977]

I have lived in Brussels for 15 years and as someone who travels extensively I find the majority (but not all) Brussels taxi drivers and vehicles to rank as some of the worst in the "developed" world - ranging from indifference to rude to aggressive to criminal!!! I actually dred having to use a taxi in Brussels. A certain well known branded taxi company operating out of Zaventem is an exception (but not really a Brussels taxi company). The city authorities should be ashamed