Public satisfaction with Taxis and PHVs shows slight dip, according to latest national survey

The latest National Highways and Transport Public Satisfaction Survey has revealed that the overall public satisfaction with taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) stood at 60% in 2022. This figure represents a slight dip from the 64% satisfaction rate recorded in 2021 and the 66% recorded in 2020.

The survey, conducted annually between July and August, collects public perspectives on highway and transportation services across over 100 local authorities in England. The aim of the survey is to provide insights to these authorities for performance management and the development of local transport plans.

In terms of overall satisfaction, the survey findings indicated that both regular users of taxis or PHVs (at least once a month) and non-users reported similar levels of satisfaction at 62% and 60% respectively. This marks a departure from previous years when users reported higher satisfaction rates compared to non-users. Notably, satisfaction among users saw a significant decline since 2021, dropping from 69% to 62%.

The reasons behind the drop in satisfaction levels were not explicitly mentioned in the survey report. However, it is important to acknowledge that the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions on travel may have had an impact on the overall passenger experience and perception of taxi and PHV services.