Looking for some advice as to whether I've been overcharged by Bolt.
I took a taxi from home [D5] to the airport last Thursday morning. As usual, the estimated fare range was very wide, but I've taken taxis via apps on this route many times, so I expect it to be somewhere in the €25-€30 range. As it was early, around 4am, there was no traffic; the taxi meter should have charged me the appropriate night time rate. The meter fare when I was getting out, although he hadn't stopped the meter yet, was about €23, plus about 3 or 4 euros for extras [I guess for bags]. I would expect Bolt to charge me that fare, plus their €2 technology fee. So about €30 in total.
I was charged €44.80. Bolt receipt showed €8.40 base fare, €23.40 distance, €11.00 time, €2.00 technology fee.
I queried this with Bolt. They said that the fare was 60c higher than the high end of the fare guesstimate, so offered me that as a refund. I did not accept. My expectation, is that if there is an innocent explanation, perhaps the driver entered 42 instead of 24. I asked for follow-up with the driver - they said they contacted him and he said the fare was correct. They said I should have asked for a fare receipt from the driver - I have never done this, as I always use the Bolt receipt where required for expenses. They've said that there's nothing more they can do about this because I don't have a receipt; not particularly satisfactory.
This isn't a huge amount of money, but I always pay what I owe for services; overcharging, whatever the amount, really grates on me. I want this to be resolved without me having a new company that I consider an enemy, and will never use again! To get home from the airport, I used the new Tap a Taxi app, and the fare was €27 - around what I'd expect it to be.
Questions:
- Do Bolt charge more for trips at night? My back and forth with their chat system would imply no, and that the driver had entered €42.80 as the fare.
- Does the pattern of charges for identical trips count as evidence as to what the cost should be?
- Since Bolt have refused to resolve this any further, is there anything I can do? What would be proportionate for the sum involved? Report to taxi regulator, credit card chargeback?
I took a taxi from home [D5] to the airport last Thursday morning. As usual, the estimated fare range was very wide, but I've taken taxis via apps on this route many times, so I expect it to be somewhere in the €25-€30 range. As it was early, around 4am, there was no traffic; the taxi meter should have charged me the appropriate night time rate. The meter fare when I was getting out, although he hadn't stopped the meter yet, was about €23, plus about 3 or 4 euros for extras [I guess for bags]. I would expect Bolt to charge me that fare, plus their €2 technology fee. So about €30 in total.
I was charged €44.80. Bolt receipt showed €8.40 base fare, €23.40 distance, €11.00 time, €2.00 technology fee.
I queried this with Bolt. They said that the fare was 60c higher than the high end of the fare guesstimate, so offered me that as a refund. I did not accept. My expectation, is that if there is an innocent explanation, perhaps the driver entered 42 instead of 24. I asked for follow-up with the driver - they said they contacted him and he said the fare was correct. They said I should have asked for a fare receipt from the driver - I have never done this, as I always use the Bolt receipt where required for expenses. They've said that there's nothing more they can do about this because I don't have a receipt; not particularly satisfactory.
This isn't a huge amount of money, but I always pay what I owe for services; overcharging, whatever the amount, really grates on me. I want this to be resolved without me having a new company that I consider an enemy, and will never use again! To get home from the airport, I used the new Tap a Taxi app, and the fare was €27 - around what I'd expect it to be.
Questions:
- Do Bolt charge more for trips at night? My back and forth with their chat system would imply no, and that the driver had entered €42.80 as the fare.
- Does the pattern of charges for identical trips count as evidence as to what the cost should be?
- Since Bolt have refused to resolve this any further, is there anything I can do? What would be proportionate for the sum involved? Report to taxi regulator, credit card chargeback?
