Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about XTaxi24

For Passengers

How do I book a ride with XTaxi24?

Booking a ride is simple:

  • Download the app from the App Store or Google Play
  • Create an account with your phone number and email
  • Enter your pickup location and destination
  • See the upfront fare before confirming
  • Confirm your booking and track your driver in real-time

No phone calls needed – everything is done through the app!

What areas do you cover?

We provide comprehensive coverage across the Mid Sussex District, including:

  • Haywards Heath (our main hub)
  • Burgess Hill
  • Cuckfield & Lindfield
  • Plus: Hassocks, Hurstpierpoint, Balcombe, Ardingly, and many more villages

Check our Service Areas page for the complete list or use our postcode checker.

Can I book in advance?

Yes! You can book rides in advance through the app. This is perfect for:

  • Airport pickups
  • Early morning trips
  • Important appointments
  • Event transportation

Simply select your desired pickup date and time when booking.

How do I track my driver?

Once a driver accepts your booking, you'll see:

  • Live GPS tracking of your driver's location on the map
  • Driver's name, photo, and vehicle details
  • Estimated arrival time (updates automatically)
  • Ability to contact driver via in-app chat

You'll receive notifications when your driver is nearby.

Can I cancel a booking?

Yes, you can cancel through the app. Our cancellation policy:

  • Free cancellation: Before driver accepts the booking
  • Free cancellation: Within 2 minutes after driver accepts
  • After 2 minutes: Cancellation fee may apply (typically £2-£3)
  • After driver arrives: Full fare may be charged

We aim to be fair to both passengers and drivers.

Do you have wheelchair accessible vehicles?

Yes! We have wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) available. When booking:

  • Select "Wheelchair Accessible" as your vehicle type
  • Our system will match you with a suitable driver
  • Same pricing as standard vehicles
  • Professional drivers trained in accessibility assistance

For regular accessibility needs, we recommend booking in advance to ensure availability.

For Drivers

What do I need to become an XTaxi24 driver?

Essential requirements:

  • Valid private hire or hackney carriage licence from Mid Sussex District Council
  • Licensed vehicle with valid MOT and private hire insurance
  • Current Enhanced DBS check
  • Smartphone (Android 8.0+ or iOS 13+)
  • Clean driving record with no major convictions

See our Become a Driver page for full details including licensing timeline.

How much can I earn?

Earnings depend on several factors:

  • Commission rate: Competitive rate (typically 20%)
  • Hours worked: Full-time, part-time, or flexible schedule
  • Peak times: Evenings and weekends generally busier
  • Service area: Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill have high demand

You keep 80% of the metered fare (minus booking fee). Track your earnings in real-time through the driver app.

When and how do I get paid?

Payment schedule:

  • Weekly payouts every Monday via Stripe Connect
  • Direct bank transfer to your nominated account
  • Transparent breakdown showing all trips and earnings
  • No minimum threshold - get paid regardless of amount

Payment typically arrives within 1-2 business days of the weekly payout.

Can I accept or reject jobs?

Yes! You have full control:

  • See all details before accepting (pickup, destination, fare amount, distance)
  • Accept or reject based on your preference
  • No penalties for reasonable rejection rates
  • Set availability - go online/offline anytime

However, maintaining a good acceptance rate helps you receive more bookings.

How long does it take to get started if I'm already licensed?

If you already have your Mid Sussex private hire or hackney carriage licence:

  • Application submission: 1 day
  • Document verification: 2-3 days
  • App training & orientation: 1 day
  • Start earning: Within 1-2 weeks

Need a licence? The full MSDC licensing process takes 3-6 months. See our Drivers page for complete details.

Payments & Pricing

How are fares calculated?

We use official Mid Sussex District Council approved tariffs. Standard daytime rates:

  • Initial fare: £4.40
  • Distance rate: £0.20 per 130 meters
  • Time rate: £0.20 per 40 seconds (when waiting/slow traffic)
  • Booking fee: £0.50
  • Minimum fare: £2.60

Premium rates apply: Nights (00:00-06:00), Sundays, and Bank Holidays (approximately 50% higher).

The app shows you the exact fare before you book. Use our Fare Calculator with live rates to estimate your journey.

What payment methods do you accept?

We accept multiple payment methods:

  • Credit/Debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) - stored securely in app
  • Digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay)
  • Cash (pay driver directly at end of trip - subject to location restrictions)

Card payments are processed through Stripe with bank-level security. Your card details are never shared with drivers.

Important: Cash payment is only available for pickups within our main service area. Card payment is required for remote pickups (see below).

Why can't I pay cash for my booking?

Card payment is required for pickups more than 5 miles from our nearest base (Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill, Cuckfield, etc.).

Why? This protects our drivers from wasting significant time and fuel on long-distance pickups that may result in no-shows. When a driver must travel 12+ miles to collect you, and you don't show up, they've lost substantial earnings and incurred costs.

Locations requiring card payment include:

  • Remote villages: West Hoathly, Turners Hill, Ardingly, Balcombe
  • Airports: Heathrow, Gatwick (even if returning to local area)
  • Any location more than 5 miles from our service bases

Cash is always accepted for: Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill, Cuckfield, Lindfield, Hassocks, Hurstpierpoint, Brighton, Crawley, Horsham (when within 5 miles of our bases).

Your card is only charged after your journey is completed successfully.

Why does my fare seem high for a short journey?

If you're located outside our main service area (e.g., West Hoathly, Turners Hill, Ardingly), your fare includes a call-out component to cover the distance our driver travels to reach you.

Example: A 1-mile journey from West Hoathly may cost £28 because:

  • Journey distance: 1 mile (£8)
  • Call-out distance: 12 miles from Haywards Heath (£20)

The app shows a clear explanation when this applies, so you always know what you're paying for. This pricing reflects the actual distance our driver must travel, not just your journey distance.

For local pickups (Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill, etc.), no call-out fee applies and prices are based only on journey distance.

I don't have a credit card. Can I still book?

Yes! You can use:

  • Debit cards (any Visa or Mastercard debit card)
  • Apple Pay or Google Pay
  • Prepaid cards (must support online payments)

Your card details are stored securely by Stripe (our PCI-DSS compliant payment processor) and never stored on our servers.

For local pickups (Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill, and surrounding areas), cash payment is always available - no card needed!

Are there any hidden fees or surge pricing?

No hidden fees! The fare you see is what you pay. This includes:

  • All metered charges (distance + time)
  • Booking fee (£0.50)
  • Any applicable premium tariffs

No surge pricing: We use regulated council tariffs, not dynamic pricing. During busy times (New Year's Eve, Christmas), the council-approved premium tariff applies, which is clearly shown before you book.

Do I get a receipt?

Yes! After every trip, you'll receive:

  • Digital receipt in the app
  • Email receipt (optional)
  • Complete breakdown showing pickup, destination, distance, time, and fare
  • Driver and vehicle details
  • Trip date and time

All receipts are stored in your trip history for easy expense tracking.

How much does a typical journey cost?

Sample fares (using standard daytime tariff):

  • 1 mile / 5 minutes: Approximately £6-£7
  • 3 miles / 10 minutes: Approximately £11-£13
  • 5 miles / 15 minutes: Approximately £16-£18
  • 10 miles / 25 minutes: Approximately £28-£32

Use our Fare Calculator to estimate your specific journey. Actual fare depends on route, traffic, and time of day.

Safety & Support

How are drivers vetted?

All XTaxi24 drivers must pass rigorous checks:

  • Mid Sussex District Council licensing - full private hire or hackney carriage licence
  • Enhanced DBS check - comprehensive criminal background check
  • DVLA driving record check - must have clean driving history
  • Medical fitness certificate - DVLA Group 2 standard
  • Vehicle inspection - safety and roadworthiness checks
  • Insurance verification - proper private hire coverage

We only work with fully licensed, professional drivers.

What safety features does the app have?

We prioritize your safety with multiple features:

  • Live GPS tracking - your journey is tracked in real-time
  • Share trip status - send live location to friends/family
  • Driver details - see photo, name, license, vehicle, and rating before getting in
  • Two-way ratings - drivers and passengers rate each other
  • In-app chat - communicate without sharing phone numbers
  • 24/7 support - emergency support available anytime
What if I leave something in the vehicle?

If you've left an item behind:

  • Contact driver directly through the app (if still active)
  • Report lost item through the app's help section
  • We'll contact the driver on your behalf
  • Drivers will make reasonable efforts to return items

Report lost items as soon as possible. Drivers check vehicles after each trip, but the sooner you report, the better the chance of recovery.

How do I report a problem or complaint?

We take all concerns seriously. To report an issue:

  • In the app: Go to trip history → Select the trip → Report Issue
  • Email: support@xtaxi24.com
  • Contact form: Visit our contact page

Include your trip ID and details. We investigate all reports within 24 hours and take appropriate action.

Is my personal data safe?

Yes! We're fully GDPR compliant and take data security seriously:

  • Data encryption - all data encrypted in transit and at rest
  • Secure servers - hosted on Firebase (Google Cloud) in Europe
  • Limited driver access - drivers only see necessary info (pickup location, first name)
  • Payment security - handled by Stripe (PCI DSS compliant)
  • No data selling - we never sell your data to third parties

Read our Privacy Policy and Data Safety pages for full details.

Still have questions?

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