Universal Taxi

I’m very disappointed with your company and will never use this service. I scheduled a ride at 9:30pm on 2−29−16, received a phone call from dispatcher to make sure I was I time. I informed him that my flight had landed early and I will be ready early. He instructed me to call when I was leaving baggage claim. I called, at 9:14 and he informed me taxi will be right there. I waited for 15 minutes, still no taxi, and checked map on my app that I downloaded and taxi was heading in opposite direction of me. I called company and was spoken to very rudely and the dispatcher had no clue why the driver was not there and heading in another direction. We hung up, I called 3 minutes later and asked again where was taxi, he said 15 minutes away. I then asked if I could have a ride sooner, he said no this taxi was assigned to me (if they were assigned to me, why weren’t they there and why were they driving in opposite direction?!) This was now passed my scheduled 9:30 pickup. I hung up and found another service that could meet my needs with no problem. Absolutely the worst service.

The universal cab. Co. Works for district 205 which means that they take students who are out of district to schools. This company is very negligent! The cab company is responsible to take special education student from point A to point B (safely). They abandoned the student at the incorrect address at a industrial area. The company did not take responsibility nor did they care. Luckily a good Samaritan helped out the student by chasing down the cab down and insisting the cab driver correct his mistake! The cab driver with hesitation called his dispatch and got the nonverbal student to his destination.

I had an unacceptable experience with Universal Taxi. I booked a taxi on January 1, 2016 at 12:57am. At 1:30am I received a call from dispatch telling me the cab was at my location, although the cab was not at my location, and I called the phone number provided for my driver. She figured out she was lost and tried to find the address. After talking to her on my phone for 26 minutes outside in 25 degree weather she finally showed up at 2am. My destination was the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place. That trip is 6 miles and should have taken approximately 15 – 20 minutes and cost around $ 20. Again the driver got lost, on the way to a major Chicago landmark, and took an extra 20 minutes to get to my destination and my fare was over $ 33. While the driver did apologize for getting lost both times, that experience was unacceptable.

I was flying into Midway and unfortunately Über doesn’t pick up there yet. I was really worried about taking Universal because of all the terrible reviews, but the price was the best quoted for the flat rate fair. I made my reservation a couple of days ahead.
I called the morning of to confirm my reservation. They told me when I arrived and had my luggage to call them again. That evening, I called, and a minute later they gave me my cab number, told me exactly where to stand, and that it would be about 5 minutes due to the line of taxis.
Sure enough 5 minutes later my cab was there. I had the absolute nicest driver. I meant to write this review earlier because of course I forgot my driver’s name. My receipt says #5651 cab number 309. He had just recently been hired in November. We had a great conversation and I hope he stays as nice in an industry with not so nice drivers!
Thanks Universal Taxi.

Driver arrived at Midway and immediately gestured to us something we didn’t understand. He finally got out and told us the back was open. Made no gesture to open the back of the van or help us with our bags at all. Then he slammed the door on my boyfriend’s head giving him an immediate headache. He then kept laughing as I tried in vain to put the broken seat belt on. Most of them didn’t work. We ended up sitting in the very back and the rattling was so bad I thought the car was going to break apart, and it gave me a headache. It is not a road safe vehicle. When we got home, he again made no attempt to help with bags. First time I’ve never tipped a driver in my life.
Medallion #160, Driver #647

I called Universal from Metra for a pick up last night. While commuting, I received a text that the cab was on the way. When I arrived at the Metra station, no cab was in site. I called Universal to find out where the cab was and again, Corey (dispatcher), told me that the cab was 2 blocks away. Another 10 minutes roll by, and nothing. In the interim, I spotted a Universal Taxi that I flagged thinking it was for me. The driver indicated that she was on another run and she was so sorry about my complaint. She was nice enough to give me a ride home since I worked late and could have caught the ending of the Hawks win but thanks to Universal, that never happened. I have been stranded many times by Universal with up to 30 minutes wait. Corey, the dispatcher is a big fat liar! If you want to get pissed off after a 12 hour day, just call Universal Taxi, they will not disappoint.

Can I give it 0 stars? This is the 2^nd time they haven’t come to pick me up. Worst cab company ever

This is the worst cab company! Took the longest way. An 8 mile trip took 35 minutes and 20 miles. Return trip took us to the wrong place and charged us! Not friendly!

This place sucks, clearly manned by morons. *started this review in 2012* Just saw the thing saying i didnt finish. *JANUARY 2014* I am going to submit it because cab service sucks in the suburbs, and until they change their business models this will not change. In Chicago I can grab a cab to my apartment in the Western suburbs for a reasonable price. However I cannot EVER get a cab TO THE CITY one a weekend night after 3 PM.
The dumbest part is that the cabs would make double if they helped us get to FUCKING CHICAGO because we would arrange our ride home or call our great cabbie when we wanted to get home, knowing they would arrive. But that is not the case. Because if you cant hail a cab from the street because you are already in Chicago, don’t expect to ever see a cab. Use über instead.

Terrible service. During contract with school district to take my child to and from school at least once or twice a week they did not show up. They always had an excuse. It was enough and we stopped using the service. Terrible customer service. Terrible dispatch coordination. Terrible drivers.

I don’t use taxis because of places like this. I just saw the driver of cab 100 at Speedway gas station on Calumet Avenue in Hammond Indiana smoking weed while fueling his cab. When I was calling to report what I saw, I found out, due to the company’s phone directory, that this company also does school transport. Shame on you.

Took this cab #166 on return from the Masala Indian restaurant in downers grove IL back to my hotel the doubletree by Hilton. I did not have the exact address and told the driver that I was staying at this hotel and it was less than 5 minutes from the restaurant. My phone was dead so I could not look up the address. This guy had a smartphone and a GPS and tells me «I don’t know where the address is I am new here». Turned out the we’re two double trees and he took me to the second one that was farther. Of course after reaching there I found out it was the wrong one and then he took me to the one I had said was closer to the restaurant. It cost me 50 $ for the trip with tolls and tip. This compared to 8 $ for the trip from the hotel to the restaurant. I would not recommend this cab company to anyone their driver does not even know the way around town and asks me how to get there!

Horrible. Rip off do not use! They are never on time and have no customer service skills. Highly unrecommend them. Worst cab company out there.
Funny the person below me gave them a 5 star rating because she probably works there… Otherwise there is no way anyone could give this company that high of a rating. The wait time is horrible and their customer service there is even worse.

TERRIBLE!!! DO NOT USE!!! Was told my wait would be 10 minutes minimum, 20 minutes maximum. I waited 1 hour for a ride to the airport! The dispatchers would NOT let me speak with a manager, they kept switching me to other people, told me that they can’t get me a printed receipt and it wasn’t their fault and that they can’t do anything for me it was between «me and the driver.» I still can’t speak with a manager but they responded to my question «why should I use your service again?» With «you don’t have to!» NO REGARD FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE! THEY LIE! Even the hotel managers told me that they give their clients ALL THE TIME! Do NOT use! American Taxi at least told me over the phone it would be at least 30 – 40 minutes before I could be picked up!

Ordered a cab the night before to go to O’hare. The next morning they were ten minutes late so I called for an update. After I was on hold another 5 minutes I was told there was no cab in the area and I would have to wait at least 20 minutes. What’s the point of a reservation to something as time sensitive as a airport if you can’t fulfill it or even bother to call to let me know so I can make other arrangements? I will never use this company again and have made it my mission to tell people not to ever use them.

20 minute wait at Midway. Scuzzy old van marked Morton cab shows up. I confirm the price to my destination and that he takes credit cards. He tries the old line that I will be charged more for use of credit, so I start to drag my bag out of the vehicle, saying I’ll take a different cab. Note: no helping load bags here! He changes his tune fast. I wish I would have followed through and waited for another company– read on. Guess the driver was out of windshield wiper fluid so he’s peering the whole time through a salt glaze at night. Final kicker: after wondering why I see his head bobbing and the van drifting– is he falling asleep at the wheel? I notice he is texting or doing something on his PHONE! I insist that he not use his phone while driving! Man! Unsafe company. Can hardly recommend.

You order will be taken quickly and there is a 10 to 20 minute wait.