For large events, especially at late night, a taxi marshal is a valuable asset to an event team. A few years ago after attending a star studded film premiere I was stranded with not a single cab in sight. It was bucketing down with rain, the venue was on a red route and Uber hadn’t been invented. The end result was that the excitement of the night was washed away. All I remember is getting soaked.
A taxi marshal can’t stop the rain but it will put a plan in place….
What they do
Marshals are usually taxi drivers, who help access licensed black cabs. Using their own contacts and social media they will ensure the cabs are there when you need them. This is particularly useful if your event is in a remote location.
Taxi share scheme
To keep costs down they can arrange a shared cab say for 5-6 people, this can also reduce queuing and is a practice also used at mainline stations.
Cost and billing
Roughly £80 per hour per Marshal. The number of marshals will depend on your numbers and location. Fares can be charged to a main account (so complimentary to guests) or paid by the passengers directly with their cab driver.
Benefits
- Able to cope with large groups
- Shows guests you consider their needs and safety
- Access to a large number of cabs
- Passengers share scheme to save costs
- Reduces waiting time
- Reduces congestion
- Competitive pricing
- Avoids touting by mini cabs
- Knowledge of restrictions e.g. Police, local authorities and local residents