7 Tips to understand Chauffeured Transport rates

When booking Chauffeur Transfer Services you should take into consideration that the final price can vary considerably from the initial quote received. This is due to the wide variety of additional charges applied to the base rate. In most cases these charges are known in advance, but if they are not taken into account, it can cause an unexpected negative surprise on the final invoice.

Many times this can be double the base fare.

Here are 7 examples of these additional costs that may apply to any given service Worldwide:

1. VAT or Local Taxes: depending on local regulations, Taxes may vary between 10% and 21% on top of base rate.
2. Airport Surcharge:a Tax must be applied when a transfer starts or ends at certain airports. May be a fixed cost from $3 to $20.
3. Extra milage: Hourly services rates usually include an average of 10 to 25 miles per hour, depending on the city. Make sure about the cost per extra mile should you need to be driven out of the city. Depending on the operator and type of vehicle, this charge might ascend anywhere from $1,5 to $3 per mile.
4. Gratuity/Tip: Regardless of the tipping culture, a 15% to 20% charge on top of the base rate can be applied. Make sure you know whether the gratuity is included in the initial quote.
5. Airport Parking: Chauffeurs can’t usually wait at the airport curbside. Airport Pickups are affected by a parking fee. Other VIP parking can also significantly affect the overall cost of the service. Airport Pickups should include this fee during the first hour such as a courtesy waiting time.
6. Night Surcharge: Some chauffeurs may charge additional fee or apply special rates when services are provided between 10pm to 6am. The costs of service thus can increase by 10% to 20%.
7. Garage to Garage:Chauffeured Transport regulations differ from Taxi and BlackCab services by not being allowed them to be hailed. Chauffeurs must wait at their base for the reservation, and this is why Chauffeur Services will incorporate into their price the costs from and to their garage. This can be one of the reasons why many fleets keep garages near main airports. Make sure your quote includes this cost.