Reliable Taxi Recommendation

Carole

Well-Known Forumite
We need to get a taxi from Bednall to Aston Marina and then home again at the end of the evening
(Wine tasting and tapas :munch:: )

So, are we best getting the same taxi company both ways, or using a Stafford company one way and a Stone company for the return?

And which ones are reliable and turn up on time?
I actually can’t remember the last time we used a taxi or which company we used.

Thanks in advance.
 

The Hawk

Well-Known Forumite
I suspect you will get quite a few different views and just about every firm will have, at one time or another, let someone down.

Personally, I go with the ones I can book via an app. That way I can see from the tracker that they are on the way. So, on that basis, the two in Stafford I use are Kaminski's and Smart Cars. I have used Kaminski's for many years, probably amounting to over 1,000 journeys, I've had one or two minor issues with them, but nothing major. Since Smart Cars started, I've used them quite a number of times (probably a few dozen) without any problems.

If it were me I'd use one of them for both journeys.
 

Glam

Mad Cat Woman
Personally I would avoid Kaminskis like the plague. Never been forgiven for leaving me stood outside the Spittal Brook one Wednesday evening, when I rang them I got told, ''He's on his way, be with you in 5 minutes.'' That 5 minutes turned into 20 minutes or more. Eventually rang Westside, who were nothing but lovely and got me home safe.
 

Carole

Well-Known Forumite
Is there a sober teen in the village who'd be glad of fifty quid?

All of the sober teens in the village that can drive are all at university.

And anyway there are four of us so we wouldn’t all fit in their starter cars.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
All of the sober teens in the village that can drive are all at university.

And anyway there are four of us so we wouldn’t all fit in their starter cars.
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Trumpet

Well-Known Forumite
Sorry to complicate things but when I lived in Stafford Kaminskis were always my 'go to' taxi firm and never let me down.
 

Perrier

Banned
Westside without hesitation.
When my dog needed urgent medical attention they drove me to castle donnington , waited and got me back home at short notice.

I Wouldn't use anyone else.
 

Carole

Well-Known Forumite
Thanks everyone.

I think it was Westside that we’ve used before so we’ll probably book with them.

We were toying with the idea of going in my car, because I’m not sure if it’s wine glugging or wine sipping.
Didn’t want to pay for a taxi if I’m only sipping the wine and totally sober to drive home.
Thought we could keep the options open by driving there and perhaps get a taxi home.

All getting complicated about how to pick up my car the next day.

Anyway my son, who has paid for the evening for all of us, said that the tickets weren’t cheap and he’d be really offended if we didn’t drink everything on offer.

So a taxi both ways it is.

What a lovely treat.
 

Thehooperman

Well-Known Forumite
I've posted this before in another thread and have used them a few times since and had the same excellent service.

"I used a new Stafford taxi firm last night called Sky taxis 01785 526000. It's a hard working, family run business based on the Lichfield road (if I remember correctly what the driver told me).

Arrived spot on time, text to advise arrival so I didn't have to wait in the cold, friendly driver and reasonable fare."
 

Carole

Well-Known Forumite
We went out with Westside and the driver suggested going through Sandon to get to Aston Marina. We said that we go from Junction 13 to 14 on the M6 and then up the A34 to Stone, thus avoiding Stafford town centre.
He didn’t know the way, thought that we wanted to go to Stoke and then turn around. We had to give him directions.
The car smelt of smoke and he charged us £27. (Before a tip)

We used smart cars for the return and the same journey back cost £20 (before a tip).
 

The Hawk

Well-Known Forumite
We went out with Westside and the driver suggested going through Sandon to get to Aston Marina. We said that we go from Junction 13 to 14 on the M6 and then up the A34 to Stone, thus avoiding Stafford town centre.
He didn’t know the way, thought that we wanted to go to Stoke and then turn around. We had to give him directions.
The car smelt of smoke and he charged us £27. (Before a tip)

We used smart cars for the return and the same journey back cost £20 (before a tip).
If you use the Smart Cars (or Kaminski) apps, you are told what the price (before tip) should be before the taxi arrives.
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
All taxi firms, everywhere are universally crap. You may get the odd decent ride but eventually the crapness will return.

London black cabs are a slight exception because at least the driver will almost always entertain you to a comical display of bigotry during your ride.
 
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