Before you book
Questions and answers
The 22 things people actually ask before booking, answered without the marketing.
What actually makes this a black car service rather than a taxi or a rideshare?
Three things: the booking is pre-arranged rather than hailed, the vehicle and chauffeur are assigned to you for the whole journey, and the price is agreed before you travel. Regulators in most jurisdictions treat pre-arranged livery as a separate licence class from taxi and from transportation network companies, with different insurance minimums.
How far in advance should I book?
For a standard sedan in a city we operate in daily, a few hours is usually enough. For a first class SUV, a Sprinter, an unusual airport, a cruise pier on a heavy turnaround day, or anything during a major event, give us 48 to 72 hours. Production and sports movements should come to us as soon as the schedule exists, even in draft.
What happens if my flight is delayed?
Nothing you need to do. We track the tail number and the scheduled arrival, and the chauffeur is re-timed automatically. Your complimentary waiting window starts when the aircraft is on the ground, not at the time you originally entered.
How long will the chauffeur wait for me?
On domestic arrivals the standard allowance is 45 minutes after landing; on international arrivals it is 60 minutes, because immigration and baggage take longer. Cruise disembarkation carries a 60 minute allowance from the pier time. Beyond that, waiting is billed in fifteen minute increments at the vehicle class rate.
Where will the chauffeur meet me at the airport?
Inside the terminal at the arrivals hall, holding a name board, unless you ask for a kerbside pickup instead. At most airports meet-and-greet includes the parking charge; a small number of terminals levy a fee that we will show in the quote rather than add later.
Can you collect from a cruise ship?
Yes, and it is a distinct discipline from an airport run. We work to the vessel's scheduled berthing rather than to your booking time, and we hold through the customs queue. Tell us your ship and sailing and we will position the vehicle at the terminal your line actually uses, which is not always the one printed on the ticket.
Do you go ramp-side at private terminals?
Where the FBO and the airport authority permit it, yes, and we coordinate the access directly with your handler. Where they do not, the chauffeur meets you in the FBO lobby. We will tell you which applies at your specific field before you fly rather than after you land.
What is the difference between an hourly booking and a transfer?
A transfer is point to point at a fixed price. An hourly, or as-directed, booking keeps the car and chauffeur with you for a block of time and lets the itinerary change while you are in the vehicle. If you have more than two stops, hourly is almost always cheaper and always less stressful.
What is included in a monthly chauffeur retainer?
A named chauffeur, a dedicated vehicle class, an agreed pattern of hours across the month, and a single monthly invoice. Fuel, insurance, maintenance, licensing and holiday cover are ours to manage. You get continuity without any of the employment overhead of hiring a driver directly.
Can the same chauffeur be assigned every time?
On monthly retainers, yes, that is the point of the product. On regular but non-retained work we will hold a preferred chauffeur for you where scheduling allows, and we keep the preference on your profile so it is honoured without you asking again.
Do you work with film and television productions?
Yes. Talent and executive transport, crew shuttles, and base-camp to location runs against a call sheet that changes during the day. Our chauffeurs sign production NDAs, drive unmarked vehicles, and understand that a wrap time is an estimate.
Can you handle a whole team or squad?
Yes. Mini coaches and motor coaches for the squad, SUVs for staff and officials, and sedans for principals, all moved as one coordinated call against fixture timings and venue accreditation. Closed roads around major venues are planned for in advance, not discovered on the day.
Are child seats available?
Yes, in infant, toddler and booster configurations, and they are fitted before the vehicle is dispatched. Ask at the time of booking and tell us the child's age and weight so the right stage of seat is installed.
How is luggage capacity worked out?
The passenger and bag figures on our fleet page assume full-size checked cases. Golf bags, ski equipment, instruments, camera cases and pushchairs all displace luggage, so tell us what you are carrying and we will size the vehicle to it rather than leaving you to solve it at the kerb.
What payment methods do you take?
Major credit and debit cards at the time of booking through the online booker. Corporate accounts can be set up for monthly invoicing against purchase orders and cost centres.
Do you charge a cancellation fee?
Sedans and SUVs cancelled more than four hours before pickup carry no charge. Inside four hours, or once a chauffeur has been dispatched, the full fare applies. Coaches, event work and multi-vehicle programmes carry longer notice periods, which are stated on the quote for that job.
Is gratuity included?
A standard gratuity is included in the quoted fare so there is nothing to calculate at the end of the journey. Anything additional is at your discretion and goes to the chauffeur.
Can I book one account across several countries?
Yes, that is what the corporate programme is for. One agreement, one set of traveller profiles, one invoice, and consistent service standards whether the movement is in Toronto, London, Dubai or Singapore.
Do you carry commercial insurance?
Yes, on every vehicle, at or above the commercial minimum for the jurisdiction it operates in. Corporate and production clients can request certificates of insurance during onboarding, and we will name your entity as an additional insured where your contract requires it.
Can you also book my flights and hotels?
Yes, through our travel desk at BookingWorldwide.net. Flights, hotels, resorts, car rental, activities and cruises sit alongside the ground transport you book here, so a single itinerary does not need three suppliers.
What areas do you cover outside your main cities?
Our own fleet runs in the Greater Toronto Area and southern Ontario. Everywhere else we operate through vetted affiliate operators held to the same standards, which is how the network reaches every continent without pretending to garage cars in a hundred countries.
How do I change or cancel a booking?
Reply to your confirmation email or call the number on it. Changes made outside the cancellation window carry no charge; if the change increases the vehicle class or the duration, we will re-quote in writing before it is applied.
Not answered here?
A coordinator will give you a straight answer, including when the answer is that we are not the right supplier for the job.