Friday, two in the morning. A driver pulls up at the door of a bar and finds a passenger who can barely stand, with a friend insisting that "he's just going home". The driver hesitates: if he takes him, he risks vomit in the car, an argument or something worse; if he doesn't, he leaves a vulnerable person on the street and loses the trip. That decision, repeated every weekend in any city, almost never has a rule behind it.
The thesis of this article is that trips with passengers who have been drinking are a normal part of the taxi business, and precisely for that reason they deserve clear rules: when the trip is accepted, when it isn't, how the driver and vehicle are protected, and how a passenger who can't look after themselves is kept safe. Getting someone home after drinking is one of the most valuable services a taxi can provide; doing it well is what turns it into an advantage rather than a problem.
Why these trips matter
Every passenger who takes a taxi after drinking is one less driver on the road under the influence. That's probably the biggest social contribution a night taxi service makes, and also an important source of trips for the fleet on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Many people choose one service or another based on how they were treated the last time they left a party.
The problem is that these trips concentrate a good share of the night's incidents: arguments over the route or the fare, cars left dirty, passengers who fall asleep and don't know where they live or, in the most serious cases, assaults. A fleet with no rules for these trips ends up with drivers who reject them all or accept them without any care, and neither is good.
When to accept the trip and when not to
Most passengers who have been drinking are just cheerful or tired, and their trip is like any other. The challenge is recognising the few cases where the trip isn't safe. It's worth the fleet defining in writing the situations in which the driver may refuse, so it doesn't depend on each night's mood. Some reasonable signs:
- The passenger can't stand or walk on their own.
- They're aggressive, threatening or insulting before getting in.
- They can't say where they're going and nobody with them knows.
- They're vomiting or about to.
- They want to bring more people than fit.
- They're carrying open drinks and refuse to leave them.
Even when the driver decides not to take the passenger, how it's done matters. Saying so calmly, without humiliating anyone, and suggesting an alternative —a friend going with them, waiting a few minutes or ordering a bigger vehicle— keeps the refusal from turning into a conflict. And when the person is genuinely at risk, the right thing is to tell whoever is with them or, if they're alone and in very bad shape, to call the emergency services.
It's also worth deciding what happens with a passenger who becomes aggressive during the trip. The most sensible rule is that the driver never argues or responds to provocation, looks for a well-lit, busy place to stop if they feel in danger, and alerts the dispatch centre as soon as possible. No trip is worth more than the driver's safety.
How to make the trip go smoothly
With a passenger who has been drinking, predictability helps most. The driver confirms the destination before setting off, ideally with the exact address in the app, not with an "I'll tell you as we go". If the passenger doesn't remember the address, it's worth asking their companion to type it or confirm it before they say goodbye, because halfway there will be nobody left to ask.
During the journey, it's best to drive smoothly, without sudden braking or sharp turns, and keep a window slightly open. Many experienced drivers keep bags handy and casually tell the passenger where they are, without making them feel bad. It's a small gesture that prevents many of the worst ends to a shift.
On arrival, the rule is the same as with any vulnerable passenger: wait until they're inside their home or building before leaving. If the passenger falls asleep and doesn't respond, the driver shouldn't leave them on the pavement: the right thing is to alert the dispatch centre, which will try to reach a contact or, if necessary, call for help.
And if the passenger leaves something in the car, such as their phone or wallet, which is very common on these trips, the driver should report it to the dispatch centre that same night so it can be returned the next day.
Damage and cleaning: a written rule
Sooner or later, a passenger will make a mess of the car. If the fleet has no rule, the driver is left alone facing an impossible argument at three in the morning. It's best to have a cleaning fee defined in advance, published in the service terms and explained to drivers, so nobody has to make up a figure on the spot.
The fee should be reasonable, cover the real cost of getting the car back in shape and be applied with evidence, such as photos taken at the end of the trip. And the driver needs to know that, if the car is out of service, the fleet backs them: if they have to lose the rest of the night cleaning without any compensation, next time they'll reject every trip from a bar.
Before, drivers rejected almost every trip leaving the bars on Saturdays. We set a clear cleaning fee in the terms, gave them a kit with bags and towels, and wrote down when they could refuse. Now they accept many more night trips and we have almost no arguments.
The role of the companion and whoever orders for someone else
Often the person who orders the taxi isn't the one travelling, but a friend or relative staying at the party. That person is key: they can confirm the address, keep the passenger's contact and keep an eye on them getting home. If your app lets people order trips for someone else or share tracking, it's worth reminding customers who go out at night.
The driver can also rely on the companion before setting off: asking whether someone will meet the passenger, whether they have keys and whether there's a number to call if they fall asleep. Three quick questions that can save an hour of trouble in the middle of the night.
Getting ready for the weekend night
Thursday to Saturday nights, paydays, big matches and dates like Christmas or New Year concentrate most of these trips. If you know when they're coming, you can prepare: have more drivers online at the times bars and parties let out, remind them of the night rules in the fleet group and check that everyone has their kit in the car before starting.
It also helps to review, the next day, what happened during the night: how many trips were refused, how many ended with cleaning, whether there was any incident and how it was resolved. With a few weeks of that information, the fleet knows in which areas and at what times problems concentrate and can adjust its rules without guessing.
Finally, it's worth recognising drivers who handle these nights well. Whoever accepts difficult trips, handles them calmly and drops every passenger at their door is doing a job the fleet should value, even with something as simple as a mention in the group or priority for the shifts they prefer.
What to take away
Trips with passengers who have been drinking don't have to be a lottery. With written rules on when to accept and when not to, a calm way of handling the trip, a simple kit for the car, a clear cleaning fee and the companion's support, the fleet can serve these trips safely for everyone.
If your fleet runs on its own app, take the opportunity to make the cleaning fee visible in your terms and the option to order for someone else visible in your messages, and go over the night rules with drivers before next weekend. Getting someone home safe and sound after a party is one of the services people remember most.
