Why hire a limo over choosing a rideshare app?

Posted on 20th Aug, 2019 by Jackie Jolliffe

We’re officially living in the future. While regular taxis have been around for decades, today we’re all capable of summoning a vehicle with the touch of a button, capable of taking us more or less anywhere we want to go. Brands like Uber and Lyft are now universally recognisable names, especially so in the States where they both originated.

So in this world of rideshare apps, does this mean that nobody will ever hire a limo anymore? Far from it! You can call us biased – and let’s be honest, we definitely are – but still, a reputable limo hire will always be able to offer things that, right now, most rideshare apps don’t seem quite capable of doing. Here are some of the most important!

Trained, professional drivers

Uber and Lyft drivers often hold down part-time or even full-time jobs, and use their driving to make a little extra cash on the side. Ride sharing companies use this to their full advantage, classing them as independent contractors rather than full-time employees, with all the corporate convenience that entails. This means vetting processes are quicker and less stringent, and the quality of service you can get between individual drivers can vary. When you hire a limo from a company like Limo-Scene, though, you can count on a highly trained driver who has thoroughly researched the route in advance, and delivers a consistently high standard of service wherever you’re going, and whatever you’re using the limo for.

Consistent and transparent pricing

Pricing surges are an infamous and widely-known aspect of rideshare apps, and they can easily take a moderately expensive ride into an eye-wateringly expensive one, depending on where and when you travel. Travelling during peak hours can be particularly costly. However, when you hire a limo, whether for business travel or personal use, you can rely on set prices that remain steady no matter the time, date or event you’re planning on travelling for. This can often give you much better value (and a better experience to boot!).

Accountability and a reliable point of contact

As a local business, we’ve always made sure that we provide top quality customer service, and that customers always have a way to voice any questions or concerns to us. However, when you use a rideshare app, you’re almost entirely beholden to the individual driver, so it’s harder to get in contact with a central point of contact. Most of the time this may not be a problem, but on occasion this is inconvenient at best, and can be frustrating or even actually risky, depending on the situation at hand. Speaking of which…

Safety

Rideshare apps make their profits mainly through volume, both in terms of their drivers and their customers. That means that the checks their drivers go through (both in terms of their driving history and their general background) are a bit more cursory, so that their drivers can get out on the road and earning as fast as possible. Ride sharing services also sometimes have trouble keeping track of the status of already active drivers, which means if they’re involved in an incident like drink driving or road rage, it can sometimes take a while for the employer to catch on (especially since, as we touched on above, drivers are classed as independent contractors rather than employees).

Drivers for Limo-Scene, as with any limo hire company, undergo much more stringent checks to ensure that they’re capable of providing the high level of service we guarantee our customers! No driver is allowed out on the roads until we can be certain they’ll reach these standards. Our limos are subject to similarly strict inspections, both in terms of safety and general condition (unlike the personal vehicles of ride sharing drivers).

Limo hire is all about the experience

Most importantly, drivers for rideshare apps are committed to getting the maximum amount of money, which means it’s in their interests to get you to your destination as quickly as possible so that they can move on to the next fare. There’s nothing wrong with this as such – it’s the business model after all, and it may actually even be what you’re looking for most of the time.

But for those special occasions, like weddings, anniversaries or birthday parties, you might not care that much about getting there as quickly as possible. What limo hire offers here is a complete experience. We want you to love travelling in our limos, not simply counting down the miles to your destination, and we do everything we can to make your experience one that provides wonderful memories for years to come.

Our Hummer Limos (such as our 18-seater Hummerzine) are some of the most popular for parties and nights out, whereas our Black Chrysler limo is a popular choice for making a truly stunning first impression. You can book them right here on our website, or give us a call on our booking hotline: 07812 102 051!

View All News

← 4 fantastic summertime celebrations that are perfect for limo hire Will we ever have self driving limos? →