Yellow Cabs

My cab company allegiances in Brisbane were weak until I discovered the Yellow Cabs Brisbane iPhone app. The thing is a godsend. I don’t catch a lot of cabs, but I downloaded the app when I first stumbled across it almost a year ago, and then its true test came the night of the Brisbane Festival 2011 Riverfire. All the cab phone lines were engaged and I was desperate, when I remembered the app. I plugged in a login (I advise you sign up when you first get the app, to save you a bit of time when you actually need a cab), clicked «iHail», entered a destination… and grinned like a kid with a lollipop when my cab showed up less than five minutes later. I could hardly believe it.
I’ve used the app ever since, every time I’ve needed a cab (including rounding up friends at New Years, another «all phone lines engaged» situation). I’ve also converted a number of friends to it, by using it when I’m with them, basically letting the service sell itself. Cabs show up so quickly every time — you don’t have the luxury of finishing your make-​up or your coffee. Plug your request in and then get out to the footpath. You can also see on a map where your cab is when it accepts your booking, you can view past jobs and duplicate them for new bookings if they’re for the same addresses, and you can find your closest Yellow Cabs ranks.
What’s even better is knowing that the app company, Mobile Tracking and Data Pty Ltd, supports a cab company in almost every capital city (not always Yellow Cabs).

In terms of calling a cab in Brisbane, most people think of our two dominant companies: Yellow Cabs, and Black and White Cabs. For reasons hard to discern, I’ve heard people praise the latter and degrade the former (in terms of driver route knowledge, taxi cleanliness, customer service, fare value and the driver’s communication skills).
My experience is that there is absolutely no difference between Yellow Cabs and Black and White Cabs in terms of quality service. I probably travel more often with Black and White Cabs, but that’s because there seem to be more of them around my area.
As I live in the inner-​city, I can basically get either cab company to send a standard taxi to my door within five minutes of a phone call. Waiting times seem to be the same for ordering maxi taxis (considerable or not too bad, depending on what time of the week and if there’s an event on). Yellow Cabs’ maxis hold up to 11 passengers and there’s an additional $ 11 booking fee.
Yellow’s range of Silver Service cars are pretty nice, and feel pretty luxurious inside. I never both ordering them specifically, but if you’re in the city you can easily flag one down.