Citizens’ safety and comfort come last for taxi drivers in Bucharest, show a Mystery Shopping study conducted by VBS - Business Solutions, cited by local Hotnews.ro.

Being a taxi driver has become more of a situation than a job, in the absence of another job. The strong smell of cigarette, dirt, the lack of air conditioning, bad music or high volume of the taxi radio transceiver significantly reduce the client's comfort when riding a Bucharest taxi, turning it into an unpleasant experience.

In over half of the cases, taxi drivers failed to ask the client what route he prefers to the destination, and frequently, they didn't give the correct change. Moreover, some clients also received “indecent proposals,” namely taxi rides with a predetermined cost, without putting the meter on, writes Hotnews.ro.

Many of the taxi drivers in Romania’s capital also lack courtesy and professionalism. More invasive than those who don’t communicate with the client during the ride, are those who complain about the system, the country, or their personal problems.

In case of significant delays, the taxi drivers don’t apologize, but make excuses for the delay. The study found that the clients’ safety during the ride should also be significantly improved.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com