13LCAB: Customer Experiences Highlighting Taxi Service Woes

Navigating a Sea of Discontent: The 13LCAB Experience

13LCAB, a taxi service operating out of Belmont, Western Australia, is facing a barrage of overwhelmingly negative reviews. With a dismal rating of just 1.9 out of 5, the experiences recounted by customers paint a truly worrying picture. The recurring themes across these reviews centre on uncleanliness, unprofessional drivers, deceptive fare practices, and a complete disregard for customer satisfaction. It’s clear from the sheer volume of complaints that significant issues plague this service. The company’s address is 1/33 Frederick St, Belmont WA 6104 – a location where very few positive stories seem to originate. The phone number is +61 135222, but potential customers might be best served by avoiding it altogether based on the reports below.

A Pattern of Problematic Driver Behaviour & Fare Disputes

Perhaps the most concerning aspect of the criticism surrounding 13LCAB is the repeated allegations of dishonest and unprofessional driver conduct. Numerous customers have reported feeling actively misled and exploited.

Here’s a breakdown of the key grievances:

• Fare Manipulation: Several accounts detail drivers attempting to inflate fares, despite initial price negotiations or promises to match Uber rates. One customer described the driver literally deleting the correct fare amount from the card reader as they attempted to pay, attempting to swap the outstanding amount before they could pay. This is indicative of a systemic problem, potentially facilitated by lax oversight from the company.
• Aggressive & Rude Demeanour: Multiple reviewers have characterized drivers as rude, impatient, and even confrontational. The story of being presented with a printed fare sheet and being told "read it and don't argue" highlights a dismissive attitude towards customer queries.
• Distraction and Negligence: Drivers have been observed using mobile phones excessively while driving, including extended conversations and personal iPhone use, suggesting a lack of focus and potentially compromising safety.
• GPS Disregard & Route Deviations: One customer specifically mentioned the driver repeatedly ignoring GPS directions, forcing them to repeatedly correct the route, seemingly intentionally adding distance. The driver's turns were late and unusual, attempting to make corrections far from the intended routes.
• Lack of Basic Courtesy: The simple act of greeting a passenger was often absent, with one reviewer noting being met with a curt "Where do you want to go?" as they entered the cab.

These behaviours, tallied together, portray a culture of disrespect and potential fraud within the 13LCAB driver pool requiring immediate intervention.

Questionable Vehicle Condition and Comfort Concerns

Beyond the driver issues, a significant number of complaints focus on the appalling condition of the taxis themselves. Again, this appears a systemic issue, rather than isolated incidents. The depictions are consistently grim:

• Severe Cleanliness Issues: Recurring reports describe taxis with food scraps, paper rubbish, and an overall depressing state of disrepair. The most memorable (and unpleasant) description likened the interior to a “stale fish bin.”
• Malfunctioning Air Conditioning: Numerous customers endured sweltering rides with a broken or non-functional air conditioning system, even during hot weather (up to 28 degrees Celsius). One account suggests the lack of A/C may even be deliberate, designed to make passengers feel uncomfortable and encourage them to accept whatever fare is presented.
• Lack of Ventilation: Even when requesting fresh air, passengers faced resistance, with drivers refusing to allow them to open windows.
• Missing Safety Features: A family booking specifically noted a lack of adequate seatbelts for all passengers, raising serious safety concerns, particularly for children.

Booking Issues & Airport Transfers: A Recurring Source of Frustration

While driver behaviour and vehicle condition dominate the complaints, issues with booking reliability also contribute to the negative perception of 13LCAB.

• Late Arrivals & Cancellations: Multiple reviewers experienced significant delays and last-minute cancellations for pre-booked rides, particularly airport transfers. One customer was initially told a taxi would be 10 minutes late, then another 20, ultimately jeopardising their ability to attend a formal event.
• Poor Communication: The lack of timely updates regarding delays was a consistent complaint.
• Driver Notification Issues: One booking for an airport run was apparently not even notified to the driver until the morning of the appointment, resulting in a 30-minute delay.
• Getting Lost (Airport Runs): Despite directed to the airport and meant to head toward Fremantle, one customer noted that their driver became lost.

The overwhelming consensus among reviewers is that 13LCAB provides a deeply unsatisfactory and, in some cases, potentially exploitative taxi service. The sheer number of consistent complaints concerning driver behaviour, vehicle cleanliness, and booking problems suggest a fundamental dysfunction within the company's operations and a desperate need for significant improvement – or potentially, a cessation of operation.