Questions to Ask your Taxi Cab Provider

1. Is your company licensed?
The City of Memphis code (as most municipalities) requires all passenger carriers for hire to be licensed. Proper licensing assures you that you are dealing with a reputable transportation provider who carries adequate levels of auto insurance, protecting you and your guests or customers.

2. What licenses/permits do you require of your drivers?
All of our company drivers are licensed by the City of Memphis Permits Department. Any driver for hire should have the proper license in his possession, and he should be able to produce that license on demand. These permits are your assurance that the driver has had his criminal background and motor vehicle record checked and certain drug and alcohol testing has been done. Drug and alcohol screenings vary by jurisdiction.

3. How are your drivers trained?
We provide both classroom and on–the–road training for our drivers. Our trainers are certified by the State of Tennessee Department of Safety and the Tennessee Safety Council. Safety training includes the Smith System driver training program, the Commentary Driver program of Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and the National Safety Council Defensive Driving Course.

Our taxi driver training includes special training in map reading, familiarization with city streets, customer service training and how to make a good living driving a taxi. Yellow Cab and Checker Cab utilize the most up to date computerized dispatching equipment, including GPS tracking and dispatching, and we have specific training on that system for our drivers.

4. Are you insured?
Any motor carrier for hire should be able to produce the required certificate of insurance. Any customer entering into a long term agreement with a passenger carrier for hire should ask to be a "certificate holder" on the carrier's policy. Yellow Cab and Checker Cab carry automobile liability insurance limits that exceed the requirements of the City of Memphis.

5. What do you do if a vehicle "breaks down"?
Our first response is to be sure your guests are in a safe, climate controlled environment. We are a 24/7/365 business: we never close. Your driver will immediately notify his supervisor on duty. That supervisor will send a backup driver and vehicle. This is usually fairly immediate for our cab customers.

6. Do you have a routine maintenance program for your vehicles?
We have a full maintenance department located just south of Downtown Memphis. All of our vehicles are on a scheduled maintenance program based on mileage. As a control procedure, each vehicle history is checked monthly to be sure it has not fallen through the cracks. Also, each vehicle is checked under the hood daily for fluid levels and a visual inspection. Scheduled maintenance includes oil and filter changes, a visual check of all safety items [brakes, suspension, front end parts, tire pressure and wear, etc.] and a check to insure that all lights and gauges are working properly.

7. Are driver tips included in the charges?
The taxi meter does not include any gratuities. It is common to add 10–15% of the metered fare as a tip. Shorter trips or extra requests [a lot of luggage, the driver assisting you to the door, perhaps he was extra personable or had useful info] are reasons to consider tipping a little extra.

8. Are there any surcharges or taxes added to your rates?
Taxi rates include all taxes, and the rates are posted on the inside and outside of each cab. There may be tolls and surcharges that apply to different circumstances. Trips leaving Memphis International Airport have special surcharges and minimums that are posted in airport permitted cabs. You can also consult with the Taxi Starter at the airport taxi stand to verify the surcharges and fees.

Trips that begin or end outside of the city limits may be subject to additional charges. Yellow Cab and Checker Cab extend the Memphis rates to include Germantown and Bartlett, and the unincorporated area between Wolfchase and Germantown. Outside of those areas the driver may charge a $5.00 surcharge or a $10.00 minimum. As city limits change, so does the area covered by this policy. So, be sure to ask our Customer Service Representatives when you call if you are unsure whether these charges might apply to you.

9. What is your cancellation policy?
With taxis, if you cancel before the cab arrives, then there is no charge. However, it is very much appreciated if you can give the driver a "no show" fee if you cancel just before he gets to you. [Our staff can let you know how far away the driver is when you cancel.] $3.00 – $5.00 is a nice amount.

10. Are you a Memphis International Airport approved concessionaire?
All licensed passenger carriers for hire are allowed to pick up at the airport on an occasional basis. However, if you pickup more than 3 times per month, you are required to have a concession agreement with the airport. To avoid any embarrassment of your staff or guests, you should only do business with licensed concessionaires of Memphis International Airport. Yellow Cab and Checker are both permitted as such.

11. Do you double–book or cancel trips if you get a better booking?
Taxis are scheduled as exclusive service. However, with the original customer's permission, we may pick up other customers going the same direction when special circumstances [extreme weather, downtown festivals] have resulted in extraordinary demand. In such events, the driver should discount his services to the original customer who has agreed to share his/her cab.

12. How much does it cost?
Prices may vary by trip but please use our Cab Fare Estimator.

Questions to Ask your Ground Transportation Provider

1. Is your company licensed?
Premier Transportation is licensed with the City of Memphis Permits Department. The City of Memphis code requires all passenger carriers for hire to have this licensing. Additionally, Premier Transportation is certified by both the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Administration. Proper licensing assures you that you are dealing with a reputable transportation provider who carries adequate levels of auto insurance, protecting you and your guests or customers.

2. What licenses/permits do you require of your drivers?
All of our company drivers are licensed by the City of Memphis Permits Department. Bus drivers are licensed by the Federal Motor Carrier Administration with what is commonly known as a "D.O.T. card." Any driver for hire should have the proper license in his possession, and he should be able to produce that license on demand. These permits are your assurance that the driver has had his criminal background and motor vehicle record checked and certain drug and alcohol testing has been done. Drug and alcohol screenings vary by jurisdiction.

3. How are your drivers trained?
We provide both classroom and on–the–road training. Our trainers are certified by the State of Tennessee Department of Safety and the Tennessee Safety Council. Safety training includes the Smith System driver training program, the Commentary Driver program of Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and the National Safety Council Defensive Driving Course. Additionally, our drivers receive special training on area sites and are updated regarding special events.

4. Are you insured?
Premier Transportation has automobile liability insurance coverage for the levels required by the State of Tennessee and the Federal Motor Carrier Administration. Different classes and sizes of vehicles require different levels of coverage. Any motor carrier for hire should be able to produce the required certificate of insurance. Any customer entering into a long term agreement with a passenger carrier for hire should ask to be a "certificate holder" on the carrier's policy. All of our companies have at minimum the mandated levels of general liability and workers compensation insurance.

5. What do you do if a vehicle "breaks down" while my guests are on it?
Our first response is to be sure your guests are in a safe, climate controlled environment. We are a 24/7/365 business: we never close. Your driver will immediately notify his supervisor on duty. That supervisor will send a backup driver and vehicle. In an emergency or time–critical situation, our sister companies, Yellow Cab and Checker Cab can be dispatched to the location and transport your guests, at no additional cost to you.

6. Do you have a routine maintenance program for your vehicles?
We have a full maintenance department located in the "SoFo" area just south of Downtown Memphis. All of our vehicles are on a scheduled maintenance program based on mileage. As a control procedure, each vehicle history is checked monthly to be sure it has not fallen through the cracks. Also, each vehicle is checked under the hood daily for fluid levels and a visual inspection. Scheduled maintenance includes oil and filter changes, a visual check of all safety items [brakes, suspension, front end parts, tire pressure and wear, etc.] and a check to insure that all lights and gauges are working properly.

7. Are driver tips included in the charges?
All Premier price quotes include a gratuity for the driver. For exceptional service, the customer is free to add a little something extra, but it is by no means required.

8. Are there any surcharges or taxes added to your rates?
All Premier rates include taxes. Occasionally there are fees or tolls for which the customer will be asked to reimburse us. Our staff will do their best to anticipate these charges, and we will itemize them before you confirm your reservation. However, circumstances may dictate that these charges are unknown until the charter is underway.

9. What is your cancellation policy?
If the customer cancels with more than 24 hours notice, then there is no charge. With less notice, there is a $100 no–show charge or cancellation fee.

10. Is eating/drinking allowed on your vehicles?
Eating and drinking is allowed, but cleanup fees may be charged for excessive spills or damages resulting from those spills.

11. Are you a Memphis International Airport approved concessionaire?
All licensed passenger carriers for hire are allowed to pick up at the airport on an occasional basis. However, if you pickup more than 3 times per month, you are required to have a concession agreement with the airport.

12. If I arrange for five hours and end up only needing 4 hours, what happens?
Any unused time, beyond the 3 hour minimum, will be refunded to the customer by check or by credit issued to your credit card, depending on how you initially paid for the services.

13. If I arrange for four hours and end up needing five hours, what happens?
Premier will charge the customers credit card, or bill their account, for any additional hours.

14. Do you double–book or cancel trips if you get a better booking?
Premier never double–books or cancels confirmed reservations. We caution customers to ask this question when researching transportation providers as it does occur and it can be difficult to rebook at the last minute.