Yellow Cab Wheel Chair Taxi April 2013
My 33 daughter resides in an extended care facility, is wheelchair bound and is on stomach tube feed and has trouble communicating. She now averages one outing per month due to health and transportation challenges. We tried two outings for the weekend of April 20th, 2013 and we tried to make it more efficient by using wheelchair taxi.
I phoned Edmonton Taxi Service Group (780 462-3456 Yellow Cab Wheel Chair taxi) on April 17th for pick-ups (p/u) as follows (I would attend both trips):
1. April 20th, 2013 at 11:15am at Care facility to see a movie that starts at 12:10pm and theatre was 15 minutes away. Theatre p/u was to be at 2:10pm for return to Care facility.
2. April 21st, 2013 at 5:15pm at Care facility to see an Oiler hockey that starts at 6:30pm and Rexall Place was 15 minutes away. P/U at Rexall was to be at 8:45pm for return to Care facility.
Here is a chronology of events:
1. On April 20th, after several phone calls to Yellow Cab a taxi finally showed up at 12:30pm and after loading the wheelchair and driving to the theatre we arrived after 1pm for a movie that started at 12:10pm. Another daughter had purchased tickets in advance and we went directly to the movie. After the abbreviated movie, we waited for a taxi and after a phone call they showed up at 3pm (total wait time was over 2 hours).
2. On April 21st, a Yellow Cab electronic phone message received by me at 5:36pm (we were waiting in foyer for a 5:15pm p/u) advised that a taxi was not in the area and asked whether I wanted to cancel the booking, of course, I said no.
3. After my additional calls a cab arrived at 6:15pm. The driver took 15 minutes to hook up the wheelchair in the cab—he was not efficient. We drove down 82 Street but did not turn on Yellowhead to go to Rexall, instead we continued down 82 Street to behind Northlands and then fought with traffic as the car show was closing down at Northlands. I asked why we did not go down Yellowhead like DATS would always do and he said this was faster. He had a man bang on his taxi window as we fought through the car show traffic.
4. So we arrived late at Rexall and missed ½ the first period.
5. I received a call from a yellow taxi driver at 8:15pm and said he was out front for my 8:15pm p/u. I said the p/u was for 8:45pm. He said no and if I wanted 8:45pm to re-book with Yellow Cab and hung up. I had to find a quiet place in Rexall to phone him back and then phone Yellow Cab who said they would have someone there within 45 minutes of 8:45pm and could not understand why the driver would suggest an 8:15pm p/u. They said they would look into this (never did). The cab eventually came around 9:15pm and he had trouble explaining where to meet us and became argumentative, etc.
I have the following comments:
1. Your clients are either elderly and/or handicapped and are usually not able to communicate or register their displeasure to your company’s poor service. Your drivers take advantage of this, provide poor customer service and don’t care.
2. Most of these clients seldom leave their extended care facility. It is either for medical appointments or the occasion pleasure outings. Your company destroys the pleasure by being materially late (60 to 85 minutes). We try to be ready 10-15 minutes in advance so that adds to the amount of total wait time. These clients then get tired, do want to go out or just do not enjoy the outing.
3. Your tardiness adds to the expense of an outing. Our hockey tickets exceeded $200 and then taxi fares plus the stress on everyone just to arrive ½ way though the first period and receive pre-mature phone calls about pick-ups which took 10-12 minutes to clarify. We pay full money to watch part of a game/movie not knowing if we will be under duress waiting for a ride back to the facility.
4. In addition to the inefficiencies, I would suggest the overall rudeness and arrogance of drivers and dispatchers is appalling. They are willing to blame someone else for tardiness and tell you to contact someone else if complaining.
5. If your company can not ensure a pick up with-in 30 minutes of a given time then do not accept the reservation or no longer participate in this business.
6. DATS is usually within 30 minutes and only charges $3.20 versus your +$20.00 taxi fee. Their drivers are friendly and more helpful.
I waited a day to forward this message to reconsider your company’s service but my opinion did not change. I also copied this to my contact at the Edmonton Journal who recently published articles about improper treatment of the disabled and elderly.
Someone has to speak out to protect the vulnerable.
PL
My 33 daughter resides in an extended care facility, is wheelchair bound and is on stomach tube feed and has trouble communicating. She now averages one outing per month due to health and transportation challenges. We tried two outings for the weekend of April 20th, 2013 and we tried to make it more efficient by using wheelchair taxi.
I phoned Edmonton Taxi Service Group (780 462-3456 Yellow Cab Wheel Chair taxi) on April 17th for pick-ups (p/u) as follows (I would attend both trips):
1. April 20th, 2013 at 11:15am at Care facility to see a movie that starts at 12:10pm and theatre was 15 minutes away. Theatre p/u was to be at 2:10pm for return to Care facility.
2. April 21st, 2013 at 5:15pm at Care facility to see an Oiler hockey that starts at 6:30pm and Rexall Place was 15 minutes away. P/U at Rexall was to be at 8:45pm for return to Care facility.
Here is a chronology of events:
1. On April 20th, after several phone calls to Yellow Cab a...