How do i call a taxi in Preston?

 Preston taxis are licensed under Preston City Council .  There are two types of taxi services you can use in Preston,  Hackney Carriage and Private Hire.  Each of these two types of taxi services have different legal requirements for booking /calling them.

Hackney Carriage Taxis can be hailed on the street, and also are found in Preston Taxi Ranks (more on where to find Preston Taxi Ranks below).  You can also call them, as some have telephone numbers. 

Private Hire Taxis have to be pre booked, by calling a local cab office or using a taxi app.

1. Use a Taxi App: Many local private hire companies have their own taxi apps. But they are generally only useful within Preston and surrounding areas. Unless you plan to use taxi services often there is little point in downloading them.  Other apps are national and once downloaded you can use them anywhere in the UK.    However the national apps like taxicode take a commission for each booking from the private hire company, and so companies often increase their prices to factor in this cost.   
   Uber have their own national fleet of drivers , but have been criticized for their surge pricing. i.e when it is busy they charge more.

2. Call a Local Taxi Company: There are many local private hire companies in Preston, and you can find them by looking in business directories such as yell or thomson. Or you can use search engines such as google or bing.  that will also list local private hire taxis. 
   
   Whether it is a business directory or search engine, the listings will include a telephone number , which you can call and the taxi company operator will answer the phone and take your booking. 
   generally they will add the booking to their computer dispatch system. 
   
   You can book a taxi this way for "now" or for some future date,  whether its in 30 mins time or the next day or week. 
   
   Popular private hire taxi companies in Preston included aaataxispreston or millers  or
   
   All Preston Taxis
   
   
   
   

   
   
   

   Which provides taxis services in Preston and surrounding areas including Ashton on Ribble, Penwortham and Walton Lee Dale.

3. Hail a Taxi: Preston City Council allows the public to hail Hackney Carriage taxis in Preston, the council sets the price tariff  

4. Visit a Taxi Stand/Rank: Preston may have designated taxi stands or ranks where taxis wait for passengers. You can go to one of these stands and wait for the next available taxi. A map of Preston taxi ranks can be found here
   
   
   
   

   

5. Airport or Train Station: If you are at the Preston train station or airport, there are usually taxi ranks or taxi services available on-site. You can simply follow the signs or ask the staff for assistance.

Remember to confirm the fare with the driver or the taxi company before starting your journey, and take note of the taxi's license number for your safety. Additionally, make sure you have a means of payment, as some taxis may accept cash only, while others may accept card payments.

Please note that taxi services and regulations may change over time, so it's a good idea to check for any updated information or local recommendations for taxi services in Preston.