Red Cab

After an hour of waiting for a taxi. They offered to call 303 Taxi company. Thank goodness I was able to get a ride from someone else.

Totally ruined my vacation tonight. Tried to give them a second chance. Last time I called them they promised a cab and showed up 30 min late. I ended up having to drive myself.
This time I called them at 5:07 and asked how long for a cab. They told me 10 – 15 minutes. At 5:37 I called and asked where my cab was. They told me it would be another 10 – 20 minutes. Once again forcing me to get to the airport on my own.
DO NOT TAKE THIS CAB COMPANY IF YOU NEED TO BE THERE ON TIME.

My son called for a ride from Lake and Harlem area and after 20 min he called to find out it would be another 20 min. 40 min is unreasonably long time for short ride across town from center of Oak Park. Also, dispatchers unpleasant, as usual.
We’ll call a different company next time!

I’m only giving this place 2 stars because it’s local and faster than calling a Chicago cab service. As others have mentioned, they can be late, the cab drivers can be very rude and pushy about cash. Almost every time I get picked up they start off by telling me their machine is broken («see, the screen is blank and the buttons do nothing» they say) and ask if they can take me to the nearby gas station to pull out cash. Um — no. This lie is one of my biggest pet peeves of cab drivers that I’ve been hearing for the past 13 years! I always politely decline and tell them that’ll I just get an Über instead and suddenly the machine works perfectly.
Another issue I have is that if you are going anywhere in Chicago except for the airports, they have no clue how to get there and must stop to input it into the GPS. Given that GPS signals in the city are not as reliable, there have been many a times where they’ve gotten lost going to the Sears Tower. I would not recommend them unless you live in Oak Park and need to go to one of the airports.
And remember, and this goes for all cabs — don’t let them play you! The credit card machine ALWAYS works! There is no need to go somewhere to get them cash, you are in control of the situation! Threaten to get out and all the sudden it will work.

I will not be using this company again. Used them for an airport run early in a.m. once and got a text msg to go outside only to find no one there. After waiting 10 min I called dispatch and the driver claimed he was there. 5 min later he sped around the corner. Despite the obvious lie and, since it was a relatively cheap rate, and to support my neighborhood taxi service, I decided to give them another chance a few months later and let them drive me home from the airport. I called and made a reservation two days in advance and then I called while I was at the airport on my way home to let them know the flight was delayed. I gave them the flight number and airline. When I got my bag I called and they acted like they had no idea I was being picked up. They made all kinds of excuses and said they would be sending somebody right away. That person never ever came so I took a regular cab home and called Red Cab in the car on the way to inform them and they never even bothered to to pick up the phone! Fool me once shame on you fool me twice shame on me! Never again Red Cab!

I used to think this company was reliable and used them all the time. Make 15 – 20 trips per year. However, lately the drivers are rarely on time. One of my more recent trips, dispatch sent the driver to O’Hare even though Midway was given as the pickup. Sometimes the drivers pester you to use cash instead of credit card, though that hasn’t happened as much recently. Really, the only good thing is the flat rate. Otherwise they’re unreliable.

First time I used the service and scheduled a pick up from the airport I was waiting almost 30 minutes for the driver to show up just so he can excuse it that he was working all night and then fall a sleep at the parking lot of O’hare.
Second time I scheduled the company to pick me up to the airport, I ordered 2 weeks ahead of time a van. Then I called a day earlier to verify that van will arrive as scheduled, just to be surprised that when no one showed up (I was almost late to the flight) I called and learned that they had no vans and they «left me a voice message» (needless to say they never did).
I would never use them again and I wouldn’t recommend anyone to do so if he needs to catch a flight on time

Called night before to order. Called in morning at time cab was scheduled to arrive and was told he was en route. After 15 minutes, called again and was told earliest a cab could be there was another 15 min! Used Über and car was there in 5 min. Not sure how they expect to compete with such shoddy service.

What a complete joke! Don’t bother using this company — the reason I didn’t Über was because I liked the «comfort» of being able to make an advanced reservation. That’s a mistake I won’t make again. I called the dispatcher 10 minutes prior to my expected time and he said the car was on its way. 2 minutes after my taxi was meant to arrive, I again called and he said he was one mile away. After 10 minutes, I called again and he then informed me that no taxi was on its way and that he’d send someone now but it would be 15 minutes. As I was taking a cab to catch a flight and it ended up being nearly 30 mins late, this caused me a GREAT DEAL of unnecessary stress. The lesson learned: Über won’t let you down but Red Cab will.

I haven’t taken one of OP’s local cabs in many years. Used to be Blue Cab was the best then along came Red Cab and neither impressed, cabs dirty and looking very distressed. I had to get to a close by suburb the other day and tired of paying big bucks for a car service I opted to give Red Cab a try. I allowed an hour for what should be a 30 minute trip. I called in morning and ordered cab. Noon came along and no cab, call number #1. I was told cab was outside but they couldn’t call me because my # was erased in system. I go downstairs and not a cab in sight. Call #2 found out cab on wrong street. Told will be there is 2 minutes. After waiting over 5 minutes and getting ready to call again up pulls the cab.
Now I was pretty surprised at how sparkling clean this car was outside and inside. We all know the state of cabs these days, usually dirty and smelly. My driver was very nice, neat and professional and I told her how to get to my destination. Off we went, she had a good sense of the area and where we were going.
Happily even though it was a bumpy start to this trip (so many phone calls) I made my doctors appointment on time. All in all I was happy with the trip once the car arrived. My suggestion would be to allow 15 – 30 minutes extra time for pick up. Yes I’d try the service again and hope for the best.

DONT TRUST THIS COMPANY! I made an advance reservation and even talked to them right when I landed and they never bothered to call me to tell me they decided not to pick me up. I was stranded several hours at airport trying to figure out if they were coming or not and then had to find an alternate ride. Very unprofessional.

Told me the cab would be there in 10 – 20 minutes. Called after 45. Dispatcher said they’d find out where car was and call me back. 20 minutes later no call and no cab.

The service is hit or miss. I’ve had great cabbies who are very good at getting you where you need to go, and I have had some terrible ones where they demand being paid cash only (despite the fact that Red Cab takes CC). I have had the second type of cabbie one time too many. The final straw for me was last week, when I was given the one cabbie I did not want to ride with and had the experience I had come to expect from this guy. I needed to travel for work and he picked me late, in a cab with less than a ¼ of tank of gas. He immediately ask for cash and expressed concern about whether we would even make it to the airport. I told him like I always tell him, I only pay with a credit card. So we rode to the airport on a day where the temperature was in the teens with no heat. In addition, I missed my plane screwing around with this guy that day, so I was livid.
I had this same guy 2 weeks prior, at the end of that ride he had a fit because I wouldn’t pay him cash and refused to get my luggage out of the trunk. After that experience, I spoke to the dispatcher and let him know that I never wanted to ride with that cabbie again. So to see the same guy on my very next cab ride and have the exact experience I have come to expect from him was too much too soon. I can no longer use Red Cab, at least not until they decide to clean house and get ride of guys like the one I have had to deal with.

I’m with Amy M on this — have always had good luck with Red Cab. I call the night before to schedule my pickup at home to get to ORD and they have ALWAYS been at my house either 10 mins before the scheduled time — or at latest — a few minutes BEFORE that.
Also the drivers and friendly, get you there quickly, and the cars are clean, in good shape, and odor-​free. I had used Blue Cab in the past and wouldn’t be able to recommend them based on my experiences. Oh let me add that I have used a Car Service to get to the airport a number of times and TWICE they got lost going there and I barely made my flight in time. All the car svcs I used were late to pick me up from the airport as well, sometimes an hour late. Grrr! RedCab tho — always right on time. A++++++

I can’t say that every single time has been bad with us and Red Cab. We have had times when it was fine but we had one driver tonight who was just awful.
We ordered a cab to pick us up at Midway and drive us back to Lombard. The driver (Cab #26) was mostly on time. When we flagged him down he popped open his trunk and didn’t even get out of his cab to help us. We got in and both said, «Hi» and he didn’t even say hi back, just «where are you going and how do I get there.»
We told him Lombard and then he called the company to see what the rate for Lombard was — I guess he didn’t know… I could’ve told him because we’ve taken them before. Anyway, he asks us how to get there then argues with us when we make a suggestion that we think would be faster. He told us our suggestion wouldn’t work for him.
Because he went about 10 miles out of his way to go the route he wanted, he had to stop for gas before he got us home. So we waited even longer. We finally got to our place and when we pulled out a card he said, «oh you can’t help me with cash» and we said we were sorry but we only had a card (all of those cabs take cards by the way).
At the end, again, we said thank you just to be polite and he grunted something back and popped his trunk again. Didn’t even ask if we needed help getting our bags out of the trunk.
Again, not all cabs we’ve gotten have been this bad but CAB #26 is AWFUL and RUDE.

This is the first review I wish I could give zero stars. Or negative. This company is THAT bad.
Bottom line– they are slow and then yell at their customers when asked to be picked up at the actual address they give them.
We called for a cab at 7:30 on a Saturday night from Oak Park to Forest Park (a quick, local route). The dispatch woman quoted at 30 – 35 minute wait — long in my opinion for a local route, but okay. After patiently waiting 45 minutes, we get a call back from dispatch saying our cab would be there in 5 – 10 minutes (now 50 – 55 minutes after our first call). After waiting ten more minutes, the dispatch calls to say our cab is outside. NO cab outside. I call her back and ask where our cab is (now 55 minutes after our first call) and she says it is two blocks south of where we asked to be picked up. She did not know why the cab didn’t come to actually pick us up, but oh so graciously offered to call our cab and have us actually pick us up at our location, PLUS she yelled at us for calling back and expecting our cab to pick us up at our actual location. Now a full hour after we first called, we finally get a cab.
DO NOT TRUST THIS COMPANY.

I ordered a cab to pick up my wife at the train station in Oak Park at 6:00pm. I ordered it a full two hours before that time and was assured a cabbie would be waiting when she arrived. Since this was January in Chicago, I didn’t want her standing around in an ice-​cold train station waiting for a ride.
At 6:10 she called to tell me there wasn’t any cab waiting for her. I called Red Cab and dispatch said the driver was delayed. I asked why they didn’t bother calling to let my wife know and dispatch said, and I quote: «We don’t know when the trains arrive.»
I asked them if they plan on trains being late. I also told him that I ordered the taxi at 6pm because the train she takes arrives at 5:50 — 5:55 like clockwork so that she wouldn’t leave the cabbie waiting. I asked the ETA for the cabbie and dispatch said «5 minutes or less.» After another 20 minutes of waiting and no cab, my wife decided to walk home (over a mile) in slush and snow.
I tried calling dispatch three times after the first call and they never answered the phone. As a result I couldn’t even tell them that we were cancelling the cab.
I understand that in inclement weather cabs might be late. However, it’s my expectation that if they’re running late they take the time to call the customer and let them know. It’s also my expectation that dispatch answer their phone, and that if they’re having trouble delivering the service they’ve agreed to offer that they at least be apologetic about it rather than offer excuses that have no bearing on the situation whatsoever.
Needless to say, I would not use this company again nor would I recommend them to anyone else.

This places Unilocal page is a prime example that people are more willing to complain than compliment. I’m happy to be here to do the latter.
As I packed my bag for work on Sunday night, it occurred to me that I really didn’t want to walk half a mile in –40 temperatures to catch a bus to the blue line. I priced cabs and discovered Red Cab to be the least expensive, so I went with them. I called and booked it almost 10 hours in advance (because lets be honest, if you know you need a ride ahead of time you should call). They quoted my time and told me they’d call when the driver was out front.
At 630 am I was waiting in the lobby of my building. At 635am I was getting concerned. At 640 I called, and discovered they’d tried to call but It went to voicemail. Not to worry! The driver was waiting for me! I was so thankful.
The car was pleasant and clean, the driver friendly, and the trip was quick. $ 26 plus the $ 3 airport tax and a tip. can’t beat a quick warm ride to work for that! I will definitely call Red Cab again if I want a warm commute into Ohare. Hell I just may call them if I just don’t feel like the bus.
Take the negative reviews with a grain of salt, and mine as well.

Ordered a cab for my early ORD flight. They were 45 minutes late and when I called for the 3^rd time to see where they were they told me they were outside. I looked outside and lo and behold… they STILL WEREN’T there. I told the operator on the phone to cancel the car. He proceeded to hang up on me. I hope Über puts you out of business.

I could have been killed by a Red Cab driver this morning. I was biking west on Division approaching Kedzie when a honking speeding cab nearly drove me off the road. There was another lane for cars, but this guy really wanted to pass the truck in the left lane using the lane I was in.
After almost being run over, I sped up to confront this guy at the next stop to ask him why he cut me off and to say he could have hurt or killed me. I was told to get off the road, f*** you j***off, etc. (of course I said a few bad words to after). Then called to complain. I wish I could give 0 stars.