“Fixed fare, no surge” is easy to say. This is how it actually works underneath — what the price is calculated from, who carries the risk when traffic is bad, why the model is sustainable rather than a gimmick, and what we give up in exchange.
Key takeaways
- The fare is built from distance, time and vehicle — not from demand.
- The operator carries the traffic risk, because the operator knows the roads.
- It averages out — some journeys run long, some short.
- We give up the upside on chaotic, high-demand nights. That's the trade.
- Predictability is what you're buying, and it's worth something.
01 / INPUTSWhat the price is made of
A fixed fare is calculated from a small number of knowable inputs, decided before you travel:
Distance between your pickup postcode and your destination. Expected journey time for that route under normal conditions. Vehicle class — a saloon, executive car, MPV or eight-seater cost different amounts to run. Passengers and luggage, which determine the vehicle. And tolls and airport charges, which are added into the quote rather than tacked on afterwards.
Notice what's missing: how busy it is, what the weather is doing, whether there's a strike, and what time of night it is. Those affect our costs somewhat — but they are not inputs to your price.
02 / RISKWho carries the traffic risk
Here is the actual difference between a fixed fare and a meter, and it's a question of who bears the uncertainty.
With a meter, you carry the risk. If the M25 is closed, if there's an accident, if you hit the school run — the clock keeps running and you pay for it, despite having no control over any of it and no way to have predicted it.
With a fixed fare, we carry it. If the journey takes ninety minutes instead of fifty, that's our cost. And that's the right place for the risk to sit, for a simple reason: we're the ones who know the roads. We do this route every day; you do it twice a year. Putting the risk on the party with the information is not charity, it's just sane.
03 / SUSTAINWhy it's sustainable and not a gimmick
The obvious question: if you eat the bad journeys, how do you survive?
Because it averages. Some journeys run longer than expected. Some run shorter. Across thousands of transfers, the variance evens out, and the fare is priced against the realistic average, not the best case. That's it. There's no trick. It only breaks if an operator prices against the best case to look cheap — and those operators tend to make it back with waiting charges, toll add-ons and card fees. Which is precisely why you should ask what's included, not just what the headline price is.
04 / GIVEWhat we give up
Honestly? The upside on chaotic nights. When a storm hits or a strike lands and everyone wants a car at once, a surge-priced competitor earns a multiple of their normal fare. We earn our normal fare. That is a real amount of money we choose not to make.
We think it buys something worth more: a customer who books us again, and who recommends us, because we didn't charge them triple on the worst night of their year.
05 / BUYINGWhat you're actually buying
Not just a car — certainty. The ability to book a transfer six weeks out, tied to a flight, and know the exact cost regardless of what the weather, the airline or the roads decide to do. For a business booking it on expenses, or a family budgeting a holiday, that's not a small thing.
Read the full Price Promise, exceptions included.
FAQFrequently asked questions
How is a fixed taxi fare calculated?
From distance, expected journey time, vehicle class, passenger and luggage numbers, and applicable tolls and airport charges — all decided before you travel. Demand, weather and time of day are not inputs to the price.
Who pays if there's heavy traffic on a fixed fare?
We do. With a meter, you carry the risk of a bad journey; with a fixed fare, the operator does. That's the correct place for it, because we're the ones who know the roads — we drive them daily, you don't.
How can a no-surge model be sustainable?
Because it averages out. Some journeys run longer than expected, some shorter, and the fare is priced against the realistic average rather than the best case. Operators who price against the best case tend to claw it back through waiting charges and add-ons.
What does the operator give up by not surging?
The upside on chaotic, high-demand nights, when a surging competitor earns a multiple of their normal fare. That's a real amount of money — the trade is a customer who books again and recommends us.
Why should I ask what's included?
Because a low headline fare can be rebuilt through waiting charges, toll add-ons, parking fees and card surcharges. Compare all-in fixed fares, not headline numbers.
What am I really paying for with a fixed fare?
Certainty. The ability to book weeks ahead, tied to a flight, and know the exact cost regardless of traffic, weather or delays — which matters for expenses, budgets and peace of mind.
Time Matters
See what a fixed fare covers
Fixed fares confirmed before you ride. Local licensed drivers, flight tracking, 24/7 human support — and no surge, ever.