Houle’s City Cab

Horrible service. Called for a cab over an hour ago and they say it will be here in 25 mins. So about 45 mins go by and I call them back they say 5 more mins. Waited for another half hour before the cab got here. Very politely said something about it to the cab driver and he was plain rude about it. He is not getting a tip and the cab company is getting a very angry call from me.

If i could give it zero stars i would have but 1 is the minimum. My Houles «taxi» experience (s). Called for a ride to work in Taunton one morning from my house in Attleboro. «Be there in 20 minutes» the dispatcher says. Two hours and 10 minutes later, the cab pulls into my driveway. Leaving my driveway after I get in the cab, the driver mows down my mailbox at the end of the driveway. «I was going to tip you something despite being incredibly late, driver. Guess I can save my money for a new mailbox now.» I needed a ride home from Taunton after work, but I walked instead spared myself the aggravation.
Years later, I was a taxi driver myself in the area for about 12 years. Noticed one day that Houles was looking for a day time driver. Found Houles «office» down town and walked inside. No hello’s, no can I help you, just some guy glaring at me from a desk. I asked about the driver job. «Just filled that position this morning». The odor of booze was overpowering, almost knocked me down. I didn’t introduce myself, didn’t want to say another word to this angry drunk I just got out of there asap. Wow. No Houles taxi over the door, no company sign or slogan, just a hole in the wall in downtown Attleboro. This after living in Attleboro more than 30 years, you would still never know the place was there. And why would you want to, Houles seems to begrudge the business like you owe them something for their «professional» service. I wish Yellow cab or some company would move in and buy up this farce of a taxi service.

This taxi service is a joke. The dispatcher is rude, the drivers are inbreds, and the fare unreasonable. Every time, and I mean every time, I call it is always over a half hour wait… but yet I see their cars just sitting in a lot somewhere. Do yourself a favor and call John at City Transportation 774−219−0502…he’s like a local version of Über… reliable trustworthy and prompt and the car is more comfortable than the Houle’s pieces of junk…

Apprehensive after reading all the 1 star reviews. I called, pleasant dispatcher, driver very friendly. I called from train station, took only few minutes to arrive. Knew exactly where we wanted to go. Fare policy easily readable $ 4.25 first mile, 25 cents per tenth of a mile afterwards. Cost us $ 8.25, we threw him a $ 10.
I deducted a star because there was no taxi meter. Rather a Garmin Nuvi tracking the distance. I would use them again.
Clean cab, some Chevy 4 door.

The pick up car was wicked old and beat up. Taxi driver was nice, but the fare was too expensive ($ 17 for less than 5 miles). Unfortunately there are no other taxis in the area. Perhaps someone should start Über in the area ;-)

Grab your beverage and snacks, for this tale is quite the event to read.
A couple weeks ago, I returned from a business trip. My flight landed in Boston just as the commuters were beginning their daily assault on the city. I weaved through the sea of paycheck cattle, managed to take shelter in an outbound commuter rail toward my home town, and felt entirely relieved to be nearing the end of my travels.
Not so fast.
It was apparently naïve of me to give Attleboro the credit of assuming it was the type of place where cabs regularly frequent train stations. They don’t. At least, on this clear sky morning they decided not to. Thus, I was left with cumbersome luggage and underdressed for the colder-​than-​when-​I-​left frostiness. To my brief relief, and may I emphasize the brevity there, I spotted a policeman watching over a minor road repair job. I approached the cop and asked if he knew anyone for me to call or how I might get home.
At first, he said he simply did not know. Preferring not to let my tongue lash at law enforcement, I took a few steps away and had barely relinquished myself to cursing the use of my tax dollars when Mr. Cop had a streak of brilliance, and remarked to me to try Houle’s. As soon as he said the name, I knew I recognized seeing the name around.
The same name around town on the same cars around town since I was birthed, but I digress. To stay chronological…
I called Houle’s and, growing increasingly frozen, managed to stammer out that I needed a ride and was on the street near the train station. The guy on the other end of the line, who I can effortlessly envision resembling Jabba the Hutt, demanded that I tell him where I was going. I guess «home» wasn’t clear enough the first couple times I stated it. Had I not been at his mercy, I might have said, «Well, I took the train to Attleboro to catch a taxi the rest of the way home to Cincinnati actually.»
We rose our voices at each other with every line. The back of my mind was starting to think, «Well, this one is hopeless. Might as well let off some steam.» Surprisingly, he ended our correspondence with, «Ten to fifteen minutes.» *click*
I pondered finding an alternative and leaving Houle’s hanging, if someone was even coming at all. Curiously, a taxi actually did come. It took a few extra minutes, but beggars can’t be choosers I suppose. I hobbled into the taxi, putting my luggage into the rust-​bucket wagon with zero help from Mr. Chauffeur. Also worth noting is that my fair driver had to ask where I was going, entirely negating the necessity of the phone battle I had waged before.
Ok, back to my point above about the cars. Yikes! Ever heard of reinvesting in your company, Houle’s? These things are time capsules in the least exciting way possible. The seats were different colors, not in the «I’m chic and artsy» way but rather in the «Yea Bob? I need a passenger seat. Ya got ‘nething?» way.
It’s 2013. Every half decent taxi offers to take a card for payment. Ones that qualify as good even offer *drum roll* a screen with such novelty info as weather and news. Houle’s? The back of a head and a trip to the ATM for patrons low on the green.
After my ATM pit stop, we did finally get home. I paid (and did tip, for what it’s worth) and zoomed into the comfort of my home with a speed unparalleled since Usain Bolt in London.
My experience with Houle’s was over… and never to resume again.

I had my car in shop and needed a ride from one job to the next, figuring there are no other cabs in town, I’d suck it up and take one. I should start by saying these cabs look horrendous, outdated and in disrepair. I called in the afternoon, 3 hours before I would need to be picked up to make an appointment. It was all downhill from there. I was assured by a tired and angry sounding woman that it was all set. I called again 30 minute prior to remind them since I had made the appointment fairly early (still an hour and a half before I needed to be at work, suspecting I would have issues). 10 minutes til… no one. 10 minutes past… no one. I called at that point where the rude dispatcher said «I just talked to him, he’s on his way.» Okay…30 minutes go by. I call again. «He should be there any moment.» 30 minutes AFTER my shift should have started I called to cancel and one of my coworkers had to leave our store to pick me up. Avoid this company. I would rather walk 10 miles than take one of their cabs. At least walking is free and you will make it to your destination in better time.