If you still do not know what this “chauffeur at home” or ” car rental with driver” service consists of , discover what Cabify consists of , how it differs from a taxi or another VTC (tourist vehicle with driver) such as Uber, why it is so popular and how you can book a trip for yourself or yours easily from its application. In addition, you will learn interesting information such as its history or what you must do if you want to be a driver for the Spanish company.
What is it
One of the first things we should know is that Cabify is a Spanish app that competes directly with other services such as Uber that provides its customers with the possibility of moving from one place to another in total comfort, since they will have a luxury car with driver at your disposal to make this trip. There are also more accessible cars at cheaper prices.
In addition to the fact that you can request a trip and pay for it comfortably from the application so that a car can pick you up where you want to take you where you need to, this service offers its customers added comfort, greater courtesy and care. You can choose the temperature of the air conditioning, the music or even request that the driver open the vehicle door for you. You will not pay directly, but it will be done from the app itself, knowing the rate in advance.
Its luxury fleet is perfectly distinguished by its black color and its conveniently dressed drivers, in addition to its protocols. One of its main advantages is that you will have at your disposal different types of vehicles, protocols and rates for any trip you request.
History and entry into Spain
The history of Cabify starts from the occurrence of two friends , Juan de Antonio and Sam Lown, the creators of this executive vehicle service that is having success in our country and internationally thanks to its functionality and its particularity of transport in luxury vehicles .
Juan de Antonio had the idea of creating the company after failing one of his projects and considering that it may be interesting to pay for the service instead of the vehicle itself, seeking to change the way people move . With their partner they come up with the name among the available domains. That’s when you decide to develop a global vehicle brand where anyone can access the service through their mobile device.
They started with an initial capital of just over 3,000 euros, in Madrid in 2011, although now it has hundreds of employees in Spain, the country where it all began, and has a presence in other countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay. It obtained investment and as of October 2012, it opened to Chile, Mexico and Peru, later reaching other countries and cities, and later expanding its services.
It was not without controversy, after the complaints of the taxi drivers, however, being a Spanish company that knows the legislation, it has known how to do things well and that is why the justice has agreed with them, something that does not happen in other cases such as its competitors Uber among others.
Difference with taxis
Cabify is a transport service with a driver , also known as VTC, through which one or more people can move from one place of origin to another destination. It may seem that its operation is the same because the end goal is, to go from one place to another.
It differs from the taxi in that the passenger chooses the starting point and the destination . In this, there are usually stops or assigned collection points, although the possibility of calling, hiring through an app or contacting the taxi service to ask to be picked up at a specific place is also offered. These can also be stopped on the street if they are empty. Cabify is more limited in this regard because you have to book the trip before.
Its activity is based on licenses, similar to other services such as limousines or chauffeurs. Its mode of contracting also differs from that of a taxi in that it has a prepaid service and prices that are calculated before contracting the service, after having all the necessary data, while in the taxi the price is known after the trip. Although this can be estimated based on previous similar trips, it can change due to traffic or other circumstances, without knowing the exact price until the end. In them, the driver is paid directly, while in Cabify it is done before by the application.
Difference with Uber
One of the main differences with Uber is that Cabify is a Spanish company that pays its taxes in the country. Uber is headquartered in the Netherlands, so it is not taxed on its actual activity in the country, but on the income it receives from the promotion from the parent company located at the headquarters, paying the necessary taxes in Spain, but paying taxes in another country. This makes the service better acquainted with the operation and Spanish legislation.
But beyond that, the difference is also found in the fact that Uber can easily share expenses between two or more passengers, something that is not available in the Spanish company.
Cabify, when you give the exact price you will find a detailed rate table , while in Uber an estimated price appears and you must enter data so that later it gives you a more exact price taking into account more factors. The Spanish service tends to have slightly cheaper rates, although Uber has discount offers on regular routes.
In case of high traffic, it is usually convenient to book Cabify, although in low traffic hours or valley an Uber may be more interesting. Both are usually cheaper than a taxi as a general rule, but they differ in their prices .
Uber does not limit the distance in trips, although they can end after 4 hours, in which a new trip must be requested. Usually it is with the same driver, but it is necessary to make a reservation again. Cabify considers that more than 80 kilometers is a long journey. Since they count the return trip, if you want to take advantage of it you can pay the waiting amount and return with the same driver.
Cities in which it is available
Cabify is operational in more than 44 cities in the world. In Spain, it offers its services in the cities of A Coruña, Alicante, Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga, Marbella, Murcia, Santander, Seville, Valencia and Zaragoza. Before there were services in 3 cities in Portugal, which are no longer available.
In Latin America, it is offered in different cities of the aforementioned countries, which are Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay.
Specifically, the Latin American cities are:
- Argentina: Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Córdoba and Rosario.
- Brazil: Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Campinas, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, Santos and Sao Paulo.
- Chile: Concepción, Santiago, Iquique and Valparaíso.
- Colombia: Barranquilla, Bogotá, Cali, Cartagena, Medellín and Pasto.
- Ecuador: Guayaquil and Quito.
- Mexico: Guadalajara, Mérida, Mexico City, Monterrey, Puebla, Querétaro.
- Lima Peru.
- Uruguay montevideo.
Vehicles
Cabify’s vehicles are luxury , they have a very elegant appearance and that you are traveling high-end, something that contrasts with the prices slightly lower than other services. In them you will find all the comforts you need and you can ask the driver for the music you want, the temperature that is most comfortable for you and what you request. There are cars and vehicles of all kinds, and their rates are also different.
In the cities where it is available, it has a large fleet, so it is interesting to mention which are the vehicles in which you can enjoy a more comfortable experience while you go home with relatives, go from the airport to your hotel, come back from partying or after a celebration at home or you move from one place to another with total comfort in a car with driver included that takes you and picks you up wherever you want.
Cars
There are different types of car depending on the needs you have, the number of occupants that go, if there are children or the budget you have for the trip, or if you want to create a special environment for a unique person.
The cars that the Cabify fleet has are the following:
- Lite , are vehicles with casually dressed drivers, generally the cheapest.
- Electric , electric vehicles with capacity for 3 occupants and 2 suitcases, without child restraint systems.
- Executive , more luxurious cars that are differentiated by their characteristic black color and tinted windows in which the driver wears a suit.
- Group , which is a 7-seater van or minivan for a maximum of 6 occupants.
- Cabify Baby , cars with a child restraint system so that children can ride in them.
Cab
The adapted taxi service is available at a low meter price . Only people with reduced mobility may request an adapted vehicle.
Taxi service is a category regulated by the City Council, but it has a fixed price that will be determined in the reservation. You will pay the less of the two amounts, the price marked by the meter or the price received by the app when you make the request. You will not be able to make breaks or intermediate stops in this service, nor changes of destination or origin.
To order one , you will have to choose where you want to go and select Taxi or Easy Taxi, if available in your area.
Scooters
You can book a scooter very easily. You just have to go to the driving section and choose the scooter and click to reserve. You can do this by scanning the QR code of the specific scooter. When you start your trip in the app, you will remove the stand or headstand and press the green button on the handlebar. It is not mandatory to carry a scooter.
Motorcycles
Booking a motorcycle is also easy with this service. You have to go to the driving section , choose the motorcycle and confirm the reservation. You can do it with the motorcycle’s QR code . When you start the trip with the application, you remove the stand or kickstand and press the green button to start working. It is mandatory to bring a motorcycle. In its trunk you will find two MOVO helmets, one with a size L and the other with a M. You have to leave them as you found them when you finish the trip.
Shipping
Another service they have is shipping, which can be done by car or motorcycle. You can request immediate, safe and sustainable shipments with Cabify Envíos.
You just have to click Send in your app and it will be sent from anywhere by car or motorcycle. The motorcycle is cheaper and it delivers door to door, but the car has more capacity and is safer.
These services have a specific rate depending on the city, vehicle, kilometers and factors. The maximum dimensions allowed for shipments by car are 85cm x 95cm x 50cm and for shipments by motorcycle they are 70cm x 55cm x 40cm, with a maximum weight of 30 kg. Shipments by car are available 24 hours a day, on motorcycles from 8:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
How does it work
The service is very simple, since once you register on the platform by entering your name, email and telephone number, you will be able to request a service immediately. It is recommended that you download the mobile app because it will be more comfortable and easy to use.
Once you choose the destination and origin address , you indicate when you want to be picked up, with the possibility of reserving a trip, you choose the vehicle and at the specified time at the indicated address they will pick you up to take you to your destination. It is as simple as booking a trip, paying and having a car appear to take you wherever you want. You pay for the application itself, always knowing how much it will cost before booking the trip.
Prices
Cabify, unlike other services, charges by distance instead of time. Once you indicate the pick-up and destination address, it will indicate exactly what you have to pay. Their specific rates depend on the area, service and vehicle, so we cannot give an estimate if you do not ask.
There is a price per specific kilometer that depends on the area and the vehicle . It can cost just over 80 cents up to 1.20 euros per kilometer, although it could be another amount. In addition to the price per kilometer and waiting, they have a minimum reservation fee in certain areas, an immediate minimum rate in different areas and a minimum reservation time. In some cities they do not distinguish by zones. Cancellations are free on reservations if you make them at least one hour in advance. They also include a rate of service, security and sustainability of 4% over the total travel, among other possible tariffs as flag fall.
The rates shown on the web, which you can access here , are the base price in the specific city that you consult (varies according to city and vehicle), which does not include a supplement for high demand, cash payment or other factors. You will know this price before booking the trip, although it may vary depending on changes in the route itself, such as intermediate stops, changes in the route and others.
Payment methods
The payment methods accepted by the service are by PayPal or card . To make the reservation, you first need to have included some payment information. If it is a card, they will ask for your data, with expiration date and CVV. In the case of PayPal, once you add it, they will take you to your account in the online payment system so that you can identify yourself and confirm this payment method to be able to pay your reservations with PayPal whenever you want.
If you already have the updated payment information , you do not have to worry about it, you just have to choose it in your reservation so that they will charge you there the amount you have accepted for the trip. You can also pay in cash, although this has a surcharge.
Applications
You can use this car rental service with driver from the website itself, but it is much more convenient to do it from an application. For this reason, we will tell you about the applications that you can download to your mobile to request a trip.
You can use the Cabify app for Android to request your trips from your mobile. With it you can move around the city with a private car with a driver easily, with trusted drivers and high safety standards. You do not have to pay more to travel and you can move as you want.
DownloadQR-Code
Cabify
Developer: Cabify
You can also access the app on iOs devices to request trips from your Apple mobile device, you can do it easily in a few steps. You can configure the trip according to your needs, without paying more and enjoy a comfortable service for you.
DownloadQR-Code
Cabify
Developer: Maxi Mobility, Inc.
You have the possibility to enter from the web here .
How to order, step by step
The first thing you have to do to enjoy the service is to register. To do this you must start with email to later give your name, password and telephone number.
Once you have entered your data, the panel will appear where you can request a trip, make a shipment, manage trips, users, payment methods, billing and accounts. You will have a map and it will ask you to know your location . Accept the notice if you want to be found more easily and thus request a better trip.
If you give to request a trip , you will see the option of whether it is for a guest, for yourself or for another user . If it is a guest, you must indicate the person’s name, what their telephone number is, where they are going to look for it and where they want to go. When you complete this information you will access more options. This is a very interesting option if you want to request a Cabify for another person you want to invite, or because they cannot pay for it at that moment and you are doing them a favor.
If you access the option for other users, you can request a trip for another person associated with the account. If you do not have other users you can add a new user and thus manage their trips more easily later.
When you order a Cabify for yourself , the first thing it will ask you is where do you want to go, when and should you select a vehicle. It will indicate when it is available and you can send a message to the driver if you want to give him specific instructions, clarify something, say that you are going to take a long trip or indicate your preferences.
You can make a reservation for the same day later or any other specific day at a specific time, thus leaving the trip paid for that day to pick you up and you have to worry about it. You can select a lite, child or group vehicle.
Become a driver
If you want to be a driver, you can register on the page itself to access this possibility. You just have to go to the drivers section and fill in the relevant information.
It is important that you know that the drivers of this Spanish company have certain requirements for those who want to work as drivers with them. First of all, you must have a VTC license, authorization to rent vehicles with driver, which is granted by the city council of the city where you are going to perform the requested service. You will have to pass a personal interview, psychological test and another on the knowledge of the city in which you are going to operate. Also, you cannot have a criminal record.
You will have to be self-employed and receive training courses on the company and the application. If you meet the requirements and are in a position to accept the conditions, you can be a driver of the famous company.
Controversial
There are many controversies that have arisen with respect to companies such as Cabify, with many protests against it despite operating with VTC licenses that allow it to operate legally within Spain. As the licenses are priced significantly lower than taxi licenses , their drivers have protested the large number of licenses granted and that they consider it unfair competition. Not in vain, by having to assume lower initial costs for the license, they can afford to have lower costs than the taxis of a lifetime.
However, Cabify has been one of the main beneficiaries after the taxi strike in Spain on May 30, 2017, which stopped to protest considering it unfair competition. On this day of service stoppage, the company experienced a large increase in passengers who, unable to request conventional transport, opted to resort to other platforms.
Following a decree law approved in 2018 , it is indicated that from 2022 the current licenses of the VTCs will only be able to operate in the interurban area instead of starting and ending a service in the same city. Municipalities and communities may grant VTC licenses, so that there can only be one for every 30 taxis.
