Your North Coast options: taxis vs e-hailing apps

When your own car is not an option, you are left with only two choices – public transport taxis or a ride-hailing service.

Locally Bolt and Uber are the most popular e-hailing apps, but while they deliver you directly to your door, they are significantly more expensive than catching a traditional taxi.

To use both Uber and Bolt, you need a smartphone and data. You can download their apps and from there you can request a ride to your desired destination.

The apps can be downloaded on Android and iOS. If you have an older, slower device, Uber also offers Uber Lite – which saves on data and storage.

With Uber you can also choose your ride. Uber Go is cheaper and offers hatchbacks, while UberX uses sedans and has space for luggage.

To use a taxi, you must engage your two legs and walk to the nearest rank or risk the ire of other road users by asking a passing taxi to stop for you at any non-designated pick-up point. Using taxis is also said to improve your prayer life by at least 80%.

We compared the costs involved in using these three services.

A single taxi trip to KwaDukuza from Ballito, which is 32.4km via the N2 and 22.3km via the R102, will cost you R22. Bolt will charge around R250, Uber Go is about R222 and UberX will set you back at least R294, in non-peak hours.

A taxi trip to Tongaat from Ballito, a distance of 14.1km via the N2, costs about R20, while you’ll pay around R150 if you use Bolt, R117 for Uber Go and R154 for UberX.

A word of caution though. Commuters report that some Bolt drivers will respond to their requests but charge their own prices which differ from that stated on the app.

I recently used Bolt from Ballito to Hambanathi. The app indicated the trip would cost R113. When the driver arrived, he demanded R200. I showed him the app but he insisted a trip to Tongaat was R200.

“Forget the app, my brother; we have our prices. Ask any driver and he will tell you that Tongaat costs R200.”

This obviously resulted in a small argument, and I eventually told him to leave and that I would put in another request.

The next driver admitted some drivers use the app just to pick up passengers but then add their own fees.

Similarly, on Uber, riders have complained of drivers dropping them after finding out their desired destination.

The app does not tell the driver your requested destination for this very reason, but the driver is able to message or call you and ask.

Basically, if the trip does not make economic sense, there’s a high chance of getting dropped. This could leave you in a pinch when you have a plane to catch.

If your e-hailing service leaves you in a bind, you might find yourself looking roadside for a taxi.

In this case, it is also important to know which association the taxi belongs to.

Locally, we have three associations – KwaDukuza, Isiqalokuhle (Tongaat) and the Dolphin Coast Taxi Association.

This helps you know where to report to if the driver gives you any problems.

How do you see which association a taxi is from? Each vehicle carries a sticker with the name of the association, usually on the back and front.

That sticker has a number that you can call should there be any problems.

You can also go to the taxi rank and ask for a rank manager, provide them with the taxi’s number plate and report your problem there.

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