FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are my Payment Options?

  • Eftpos - All our Cabs are equipped with CabCharge EFTPOS unit, these accept all cards and credit cards. There is a 5 % Service Fee that is charged on all EFTPOS transactions. 
  • Cash - Paying with Cash attracts no surcharge on top of the metered fare.
  • Corporate Account - Corporate accounts are available for approved customers. Application forms can be downloaded from the ‘Corporate Account’ menu option on our website. 
  • Fixed Fare - Pay online at time of booking with your Debit or Credit card and you will be securely charged via Eway with no transaction fees. Any variation to route or change of destination may incur additional charges from the driver.
  • ACT Taxi Subsidy Scheme (TSS Card) - Accepted within the ACT region only, more information can be found at Assistance.act.gov.au under Transport and Registration.
  • CabCharge Card - Applications and FAQ can be found at Cabcharge.com.au

What If I am travelling with an Animal?

Our Drivers all undergo training with ACT/NSW Guide Dogs to enable them to better assist people with vision impairment and to understand the important role that guide dogs provide to their handlers.

Refusal to carry an assistance animal by any driver is against the law. Transport of any non-assistance animals is at the drivers’ discretion, animals should be securely restrained whilst travelling, for more Information visit guidedogs.com.au 

How to use Canberra Elite Book and Track?

There are a number of ways to start using our Book & Track web app, if you are on your smartphone simply save our website to your home screen and it will work just like an app. Register if you are a first-time user or you can sign-in using an email address, booking a taxi has never been so easy. 

The web app offers great features to complement your positive experience with us. If you book online with us, you can choose to pay pre-pay a fixed fare if you enter your destination or pay the driver at the end of the fare. You don’t need to have a pre-existing account with us, it is now possible to pre-pay as a guest and you can choose to sign up later. If you don’t want to pre-pay you can still get a fare estimate to make planning your trip easier.

Watch as your booking gets dispatched and track your taxi as it makes its way to your location. Our My favourites function allows you to view and edit your favourite pick-up points and destinations for future bookings and if it is a regular trip you take, save it for quick and easy bookings in the future.

If you need to modify your account settings, you can do this through the Profile function where you are able to save or modify your contact details required for your bookings. If you wish to register a different mobile phone number to your account, please do this through your profile option. Remember to share your experience with us after every trip by selecting the booking you would like to rate. Good or bad, we would like to hear from you as we strive to serve you better

There are a few simple steps to making a taxi booking using Book & Track.

  • Step 1 – Visit Web App: Visit www.canberraelite.com.au on your smartphone.
  • Step 2 - Register: For existing Canberra Elite customers, proceed to sign in with your current credentials. For new users select ‘Create New Account’ and fill in the requested information. An SMS will be sent with a verification code to the number you have registered with; this is a one-off step process.
  • Step 3 – Save: If visiting the site from your iPhone, you will be prompted to ‘save to home screen’. For android and Windows, it needs to be manually selected from your web options, once you’ve saved to your home screen it works just like an app.
  • Step 4 – Book: You will see a pin drop of your current location (based off your GPS, so this must be enabled) If this is correct, then select your desired destination. If the pin drop is not correct or you want to make an advanced booking for a different pickup location, you can move the pin or alternatively enter the address in manually.

After you have selected the passenger amount and pickup time and you have provided a destination, you will be given a price for the trip. Please note that if you aren’t pre-paying this amount it is only an estimate and you will need to pay whatever is on the meter at your destination.

Once you’ve confirmed your trip details you will be given your payment options. You can sign in and Pre-pay from the card registered to your account, Pre-pay as a guest user or alternatively pay with Cash/Eftpos at your destination. 

Once your booking has been completed you will be able to track your booking on the map. From this screen, you can also view your booking details.

Once your booking status is assigned, the taxi and its TX number will appear on the GPS map. You will be able to see the taxis progress on its way to you. Please ensure you get into the taxi with the TX number that is assigned to you. These numbers are displayed on the front and rear number plate of the taxi and on the side wheel guards at the front of the car.

Status of the bookings are:

    • Dispatching: You will be able to modify or cancel your booking at this point from the track page. For bookings made through ‘Make a Booking’ you will be able to modify the booking up to 15 mins before the scheduled pickup time.
    • TX #: A taxi in your area has accepted the job and will commence heading to your location. The taxi number will display in the status. You will not be able to modify the booking. You will still be able to cancel the booking through the web app. 

Pre-Payment: This option is only available if you have entered a destination and require standard taxi(s). If you book a Maxi, Fixed payment is not currently available. 

Maxi Bookings: When making a booking for a maxi, you will have the option of choosing multiple standard cars or a Maxi. Maxis’ however are a limited fleet and must give priority to any wheelchair bookings that are given to them and at times may face large delays. Maxis are only available for groups of 5 or more.

 

Who Do I Contact If I Have a Problem with My Booking?

Contact 132227 to speak to an Agent on the Enquiry line at any time, if possible have your booking number on hand to provide to the agent or the location you booked your pickup from.  

If I Book Ahead of Time Does That Guarantee That I Will Receive My Taxi on Time?

Your booking will be made available to the drivers (dispatch) a certain period before your selected booking time. Pre-booking enables a driver to see there is work available for them in your area and allows them to position themselves to be available to receive your job if they are free. If there is no one available in your area the system will widen its search. Bookings are not pre-assigned to drivers as to be as fair to all drivers within the network.  

Can I Modify or Cancel a Booking Made Online?

To cancel or modify a booking just log on to your account either through mobile booker or the website and find ‘my bookings’ in your side menu options, select the booking you wish to amend and you will have the option of cancelling or modifying from this screen.

Alternatively, if it is an immediate booking and you are still on the tracking screen you now have the ability to cancel directly from that screen.

How Does Taxi Subsidy Scheme (TSS) Work?

Our Cabs use a contactless Smartcard reader that calculates the subsidy and the balance left to pay on the final fare amount, if the driver is having issues with the Smartcard reader the amount will need to be calculated manually from the metered fare and the driver must fill out a docket. It is important you advise the driver or the booking agent that you will have a TSS card as not all Cabs in our fleet can accept.  For more information visit Assistance.act.gov.au

What Do I Do If I Have Left My Valuables in A Taxi?

In our Contact us section, fill out the required fields and select Lost Property as your reason for enquiry. Please provide as much detail as possible about your lost item and the taxi you were in. If you have a booking number or receipt on hand or the Taxi number and time of the job would this would assist, if no receipt was obtained please provide pickup and drop-off details.

Do you have Wheelchair Accessible Taxis (WATS)

Our fleet has vehicles that can cater to those travelling in a foldable wheelchair and can transfer with assistance. Canberra Elite no longer provide the booking service for the non-transferrable wheelchair accessible Cab, it is now centralised to one department. Bookings for wheelchair accessible Cabs or enquiries about existing bookings, can be made by using the WATS centralised booking service on 13 92 87. For more information visit Assistance.act.gov.au under ‘Transport and registration’

How can a Taxi customer use CabSpot?

When you want to book a Cab, go to the nearest Cab Spot sign, use this unique number as your pick-up point when making a booking and wait next to the sign for your Cab to arrive.

Where are CabSpot signs being placed?

Cab Spot signs are being installed at private business addresses, generally with multiple entrances that cause confusion for passengers and taxi drivers. E.g. Shopping centres with multiple entrances will be offered Cab Spot signs - each with its unique identification number for each entrance. The Cab Spot sign will be fixed to a building wall or similar prominent place, adjacent to the roadside kerb, in easy sight of an arriving Taxi. We suggest that you use Cab Spot in conjunction with ETA messaging

How Do I Know My Credit Card Details Are Safe?

Payments are processed directly from the browser to EWAY’s secure payment gateway which has the highest level of encryption available. To find out how your details are kept safe visit eway.com.au

For more details, please view our privacy policy.

Can my taxi driver contact me directly?

Drivers of the Canberra Elite Taxi fleet are now able to make call their customer while a booking is active. Some of the benefits of this service include helping drivers to locate their customers and also letting customers know that they are waiting. Please be aware that the personal contact details of taxi drivers and customers are kept private and not shared with either driver or customer when phone contact is made. This is made possible through the our contact centre technology.

 *Strict customer service rules apply to this driver privilege.

What are my rights & responsibilities as a customer in a taxi?

 Taxi customers have the right to:

  • A driver who is licensed and accredited;
  • See the taxi identification number;
  • Choose a preferred route;
  • See the metered fare;
  • Travel in a clean, tidy, smoke free, and well-maintained and roadworthy cab;
  • Have the air conditioning turned on or off;
  • Have the music system turned on or off;
  • Be accompanied by a guide dog;
  • Refuse a multiple hiring;
  • Use an EFTPOS facility where available;
  • Use valid credit or debit cards as displayed in the cab;
  • Be given a receipt or tax invoice for their trip.

Taxi customers have the responsibility to:

  • Pay the estimated fare if requested prior to commencing the hiring;
  • Pay the correct fare, including any regulated tolls or booking fees;
  • Not eat, drink or smoke in the taxi;
  • Not swear or act in an offensive way;
  • Wear a seatbelt;
  • Ensure any children under 14 are secured in an approved child restraint or seatbelt;
  • Not request the driver to exceed the number of passengers permitted to be carried in the taxi. 

What are the drivers’ rights and responsibilities?

Taxi Drivers have the right to:

  • Ask for proof of ability to pay or request payment of the estimated fare, prior to commencing the hiring;
  • Refuse to take passengers or terminate a hiring if they are violent, noisy, misbehaving, filthy or offensive.

Taxi Drivers have a responsibility to:

  • Be courteous and helpful;
  • Know and obey all traffic laws;
  • Be clean, neat and tidy;
  • Be wearing an approved uniform;
  • Not refuse a fare (other than for the reasons outlined above) 
  • Know major routes and destinations;
  • Take the most direct, practicable route;
  • Assist passengers where reasonable;
  • Be understanding of people with special needs.