From 1 July 2009, the Department for Planning and Infrastructure became the Department of Planning and the Department of Transport. State Land Services and Pastoral Leases became part of the Department of Regional Development and Lands.

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DOT Home | Taxi and charter vehicles home | Passenger information | How to catch a taxi

How to catch a taxi

  1. Call a taxi company
  2. Go to a taxi rank
  3. Hail a cab
  4. Contact a taxi driver directly

1. Call a taxi company

Use the Yellow Pages to search for your nearest taxi company.

When calling a taxi company, you can either request the next available taxi or that a taxi collects you at a particular time.

When requesting a taxi to collect you at a particular time, note that most taxi companies release the request to drivers 15 minutes before the time nominated and do not guarantee that a taxi will arrive at the nominated time.

Be sure to advise the operator if you have any special requirements (for example, wheelchair access, child restraints, a five-seat taxi, assistance with luggage, a qualified tour guide taxi driver).

Two companies offer wheelchair-accessible (or multi-purpose) taxi services:

Taxi Company Phone
Black and White Taxis 13 10 08
Swan Taxis 13 13 30

2. Go to a taxi rank

2.1 Need to know how to catch a taxi?
2.2 Stay safe and comfortable
Security personnel staff taxi ranks on Friday and Saturday nights at:
  • Northbridge: Milligan Street (alongside Rosie O'Grady's): midnight to 4am (Fri/Sat) and 5am (Sat/Sun)
  • Northbridge: William Street (between Francis and James Street): midnight to 4am.
  • Fremantle: South Terrace (near the Fremantle Markets): 11pm to 5am.
  Security personnel will also staff these taxi ranks on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve:
   
  • Christmas Eve: Midnight to 4am
  • New Year's Eve: Midnight to 6am
  There are also taxi ranks located at:
   
  • Claremont (Club Bay View and The Claremont)
  • Fremantle (High Street, Mews Road - Harbourside Nightclub)
  • Hillarys Marina (near Bar 120)
  • Leederville (Leederville Hotel)
  • Northbridge (Black Betty's Night Club)
  • Scarborough (behind the Rendezvous Observation City Hotel)
  • Subiaco (Subiaco Hotel)
2.3 Below are a few simple rules to make catching a taxi a safe and enjoyable experience for you and your driver.
  Be;  
   
  • presentable and reasonable;
  • courteous - respect your driver and other taxi customers;
  • patient - there will be delays at peak periods due to high demand;
  • in a well-lit and populated area wherever possible if you're waiting on the street
  • sure to program taxi phone numbers into your mobile phone; and be
  • prepared to pay the appropriate fare.
2.4 Share a cab with friends
  If your friends are travelling in the same direction, share a taxi to save time and money.
2.5 Taxi fares
  Some surcharges do apply during ultra-peak periods. Visit our taxi fares and surcharges section for further details.

In 2009-10 the Department is introducing co-funding to Local Governments to help provide security personnel and security infrastructure at other suburban night-time taxi ranks on a 1-year trial basis.

3. Hail a cab

You can signal to a driver of a passing taxi - if their taxi roof light is on, it means they are free.
However, if they don't stop, it could be that they are on their way to pick up a passenger that has called through the taxi company.

4. Contact a taxi driver directly

If you have a taxi driver's contact number, you can call them directly. Many taxi drivers operate their own taxi and will provide you with their number or business card on request. This is at the discretion of each driver so don't be offended if they don't offer a direct service.


Department of Transport