Hello Taxi

I wish there were ways to give negative stars! This is THE WORST business ever. For the record I «used» them twice so it wasn’t a one off thing. Both times the operator was extremely rude. The first time I used them it was raining and after a not so pleasant conversation I was told the taxi would be there in 15 minutes. 45 minutes later I’m still waiting, with no update call. But it did finally come at around 50 minutes. The second time exact same thing happened (not raining this time). Only after 30 minutes, the operator calls me and says «there are no cabs available — *click*». WHAT?! Why didn’t you just say that when I called the first time? Why, not say when you think the next one will be available? Absolutely the worst cab company and I will surely never use them again. I would rather walk anywhere rather than give them any of my money.

Please stop yelling at other cab drivers outside the Park Plaza. Thank you

Never use this cab company. My friends and I took it home from a bar in Allston this weekend. We did not have cash so we asked to use the credit card machine. I informed the driver that he has to have a credit card machine in his car, it’s the law. At which point he locked the doors to the cab swore /​screamed threats at three young women in the middle of the night for about 5 minutes. He then allowed one of my friends to exit the car to look for cash in the house, at which time he continued to yell obscenities at my friend and I. Eventually he decided that he did in fact have a credit card machine and let us pay for it that way. Thank god my friend asked for a receipt because we got his full name and called the police the second we got out of the cab. We filled out an incident report with and they have informed us he will likely have his license revoked as it is considered kidnapping to detain someone in your car against their will. I would not put it past this man to get physical or pull a weapon on a customer. Don’t take Hello Taxi if you don’t want to be borderline kidnapped /​assaulted.

Pretty sure my cab driver was drunk or under the influence of something. He was driving 20 mph down Beacon, stopping at green lights, and swerving the entire time. Wish I took down the # so I could have reported him, but I just wanted to get out of the cab ASAP.
I somewhat blame myself as I was apprehensive to begin with since I’ve never used Hello Taxi before and now I know I will never use this cab company ever again. Would give this company zero stars if that were an option.

These guys are the absolute worst — did not want my business and rude on the phone. Stay away, far away from them.

They didn’t want my business so I won’t give it to them. Ever.
I took my grandmother to the optometrist, and we had to take a cab back because the eye doctor’s treatment renders her temporarily blind. My elderly grandmother can’t walk very far and even moreso at the time because she couldn’t see.
We walked up to two cabs sitting outside the Mariott hotel in Brookline. The first cabbie, in a minivan told us to go to the cab behind him. Not a problem, The minivan was too high for my grandmother to get into anyway.
So, we walked back to the cab behind him, which was a standard Crown Vic. The second cabbie said that he wasn’t on duty. So, I told him that the other cabbie told us to go to him.
After that, both cabbies got out of their cabs and had a shouting match which ended up with the second cabbie flipping the first one off and storming into the Mariott hotel. The first cabbie then said he was off duty too and started talking on his phone.
We went back to Beacon street in hopes of hailing a cab. Hello Taxi. Goodbye Taxi. You’re never getting a penny from me. Ever.

Listen up Unilocalers, and listen good: HEED MY WARNING! do not use this company if you need any sort of reliability!
Two weeks ago we ordered them for an airport run; And we almost lost our plane tickets because of them– Our street is common amongst four different Boston towns, so. We verified with dispatch the night before with our location. We gave cross-​reference streets, a major landmark, And again in the morning at the crack of dawn to verify.
Amazingly they still went to the wrong town! And they also said they could not transport children (news to us)!!!
I have heard that they do not pay their drivers well and/​or have some type of a ridiculous percentage they take from drivers –(I can’t verify if that’s urban legend or real) so I feel certain that Morale is probably quite low. Disgruntled drivers do not make for happy, reliable, and safe drivers I suspect.
Regardless of the veracity, i can say for certain: this is NOT a company that is going to take you where you need to go at five in the morning.
Had it not been for the generosity of our neighbors, some folks at Logan airport, and some fellow travelers– we would’ve been really out o’ luck.
Buyer beware!!!

We had a bitterly cold streak in early January, and there were no cabs to be found in Brookline. Then I saw a beat-​up van turn the corner with «Hello Taxi’ written on the side. I was pretty desperate, so I flagged him down.
«Hi, do you take credit cards?»
«Where are you going?»
«Arlington St.»
«Fine.»
As soon as I entered the cab, the driver informed me that he was going to drop me off at the ATM so that I could pay him in cash. This was completely unacceptable for so many reasons. The chances of me letting a creepy stranger follow me to my bank are about zero.
When I told him I would not go to the bank, he immediately pulled over and let me out *on the street*.
I should have just driven or taken the train. Sprinting in heels to catch a train because my cab driver was a jerk wasn’t fun at all.

Terrible. Showed up at wrong address. Late. Unfriendly. Second bad experience with them. Will not call again.

This company stood me up three times in one day. The dispatcher is a liar. Three times. In one day. Unacceptable. Don’t know how they are still in business.

Requested cab the night before for 5AM pickup — cab did not come — dispatcher yelled at me when, 10 minutes after arranged time, I (very politely) tried to ask where the cab was.

So granted, I have never ridden in a Hello Taxi. But, I have had more than my fair share of encounters on the road with them and I can say definitively that of all the really shitty cab drivers around this town, they are the absolute WORST.
Whether it’s weaving around at 13 miles an hour on Comm ave so no one can pass them or careening headlong through a yield sign and almost killing me, Hello Taxi drivers never cease to amaze… and disgust me.
I would never, in my right mind, put myself into the hands of one of their drivers. I don’t think you should either.
Also, if you’re a driver, watch out for these guys. They may just kill you.

Called the dispatch the night before and placed a pick up from brighton to JP for early saturday morning. The cabby arrives early, but says «okay to logan». To which I replied, «no to JP. I’m not bringing any bags, nor am I an air marshall, so I’m not going to logan. «
I explain this to the cabby, he calls his dispatch on speaker phone. The dispatcher calls me a liar. To which I say, «No I’m not, your dispatched messed up». The guy was a bit taken back, but said that the night dispatcher was lazy. Oh well. They took me to the destination, but 1 star due to poor customer service.

Told the dispatcher and driver to drop me off at a hotel downtown, gave him the address and the hotel name. When we arrived I told him this wasn’t the right hotel or address but he assured me it was on the other side of the building. Never calling these guys again.

Me: HI can I get a cab to (insert my home address)
Them: Are you sure that’s the right address? What’s the phone number?
Me:gives number
Them: Are you sure, sounds like you’re guessing.
Me: What? Um, ok, nevermind I’ll call someone else who wants my business
WTF is wrong with this company?

Fail.
When Hello Taxi was new, they were great. Clean cars, excellent excellent service from both dispatch and the drivers.
Now…well…
Let’s just say I’ve gone back to using Bay State and Red Cab.

Recently in Brookline for a dentist appointment, I was having a hard time hailing a cab on Beacon St. In front of the Dunkin Donuts, I finally saw a little line of adorable Scion’s emblazoned with «Hello Taxi» across the side. I hopped in with groceries and told the cab driver that I was going to Somerville — which I’m sure took him a little off-​guard.
My mouth filled with gauze and my lips numb from the dentist, I did my best to give him directions which he repeated back to me until we finally came to an understanding. Though he drove under the speed limit the entire time, he was very nice, a very careful driver and kept one of the cleanest cabs I’ve ever seen. He got me to my house safely, helped me unload my groceries and was very thankful for the tip I gave to show my appreciation.
Thumbs up!

Me: Hey can i get a taxi please.
Them: He’ll be there in 10 mins.
Me: Great thanks.
~ Half hour later ~
Me: Hi its been a half hour since I called for a taxi.
Them: He’s just around the corner.
Me: Hmmm OK.
~ 15 mins later ~
Me: Hey whats the fucking story with my taxi?
Them: Oh theres terrible traffic in Allston today. He’ll be there in 1 min
Me: *Hang Up*

Past experiences with Hello Taxi have taught me that they have absolutely no concept of time. Given a quote of ten minutes, I usually have time to shower, do my hair, obsess over an outfit, re-​do my hair, eat a light snack, change the oil in my car… you get the picture. Occasionally, they just deem you unworthy (or too sober) and just don’t show up at all.
So last night, at about 6:40 I called Hello Taxi expecting they would be at the doorstep… some…time. The dispatcher said ten minutes. I got ready for a wait and started playing with Kristen F’s hair straightener to pass the time while she got ready.
Well imagine my surprise when they show up about three minutes later.
I went downstairs while Kristen scrambled to assemble herself and waited in the cab. The cabbie spent the next two minutes letting out exasperated sighs about having to wait and asked me three times what square I was going to. Kendall. Kendall. Kendall. We had to direct him the whole way. Which was no easy feat as he was blasting this incredibly annoying jungle beat meets techno meets tribal screaming music. Ugh. If your job is to drive around all day, how can you be this unfamiliar with Memorial Drive?
As we were getting out, he pointed vaguely to the east and said «go there». Oh thanks! Now we are Mr. HandywithDirections! I resisted telling him where he could go.
Prepare to wait and have step-​by-​step directions to your destination.

First and foremost, my sister was appalled by the unprofessionalism of the driver and the trainee: under no circumstances should two men be telling a young woman traveling alone how good she smells.
Host of other issues: tipping was addressed in a rude and presumptive manner, the taxi smelled of smoke, trash had been left out.
The taxi showed up quickly, and I’ve had decent experience with them in the past, but this particular experience was terrible.