This is the post a Melbourne taxi driver is most likely to write if he sits down after a long shift with a cup of tea. Not rules. Not requirements. Just the set of small things passengers can do that make the trip feel like a polite exchange instead of a transactional one. I get asked a version of this every few months by friends flying in, so I'm putting it on paper.
Be ready at the kerb
The single biggest thing. If you've booked a pickup, be at the pickup bay at the agreed time. If you're at the rank, have your bag ready and your destination in mind.
The clock starts when the driver arrives, not when you finally saunter out. For rank pickups this matters less because the next cab just queues up. For pre-booked pickups, every five minutes the driver waits at a bay is five minutes he isn't earning on another fare. Most operators build in a 5- to 10-minute grace period. Beyond that, you're affecting the next passenger's pickup.
Know your destination
Have the address, or at least the suburb and cross street, clear in your head.
- Street address: ideal. "27 Rathdowne Street, Carlton."
- Suburb + cross street: fine. "Carlton near Rathdowne and Grattan."
- Landmark: usable. "RMIT, city campus."
- "Somewhere near the CBD": not useful. The driver needs specifics.
If you're unsure, open Google Maps on your phone and show the driver. Most drivers know the city well but not every backstreet, and a screen with a pin saves 10 minutes of trial and error.
Seating: front or back
The Australian default is the back seat. For solo passengers, most drivers expect you in the back.
Exceptions where the front is fine or even preferred:
- Groups of 3 or 4 where the back is full.
- A single passenger with lots of conversation, though this is a cultural preference some drivers invite, not a default.
- Wheelchair users in a maxi cab — seating arrangement depends on the chair's position.
If in doubt, back seat. If the driver gestures to the front, the front is fine.
See your exact fare — enter your suburb
Fixed price, all tolls and GST included. No card required.
Chat or quiet — follow the driver's cue
The awkward dance.
Drivers vary hugely in how much they want to chat. Some love it — you'll hear stories about the last passenger, the Grand Prix traffic, the cricket, their daughter's wedding. Others are polite but clearly prefer to drive in silence.
The simple test: the driver's opening line. "Where are you going?" full stop means they're happy to be quiet. "Where are you going, had a good flight?" means they're open to a bit of chat. Follow the cue. Don't force a conversation and don't ice out a friendly one.
I'll admit a bias as a driver: after a long shift, the quiet passengers are a relief. After a quiet shift, the chatty passengers are a relief. We don't have a preference, we just match the energy in the car.
Phone calls
A quiet phone call is fine. A loud speakerphone call where everyone in the cab hears the other party is annoying and rude. Same rule as on a train.
Text and scroll as much as you like. Most drivers don't notice and don't mind.
Food and drink
Short version: don't eat in a taxi.
- Coffee in a sealed cup: fine.
- Water bottle: fine.
- A quick snack (biscuit, sandwich) on a clean wrapper: usually fine.
- A greasy hamburger or hot chips: please don't.
- Full meals: definitely not.
Cleaning up food grease, spilled drinks, or rubbish costs the driver an extra 15 minutes at the end of a shift. Most drivers will ask you not to eat before it becomes a problem. Respect the request.
Luggage
For standard luggage, let the driver help. They know how to load the boot efficiently and they've done it 50 times today. Stand aside and let them work.
For oversized items or very heavy suitcases, offer to help. A courtesy, not an obligation.
Don't pile bags on the seats if the boot fits them. Leaving the seats clear is both more comfortable for you and easier for the next passenger.
Payment at drop-off
Have your card or cash ready as you approach the destination. Waiting at the kerb while you fumble for a wallet adds to everyone's delay.
For card payment, know your PIN if it's been a while. The card terminal in a taxi doesn't have unlimited retries.
If you're paying cash, round down — "keep the change from $90" on an $82 fare — is gracious and normal, though not required. A straight fare payment with no tip is also fine. Australian culture doesn't expect it.
Tipping
Not customary in Australia. The driver is paid a regulated fare and doesn't rely on tips.
That said, for good service — a particularly long drive, help with heavy luggage, a late-night pickup — rounding up to the nearest $5 is kind and appreciated. A $4 tip on an $82 fare is the standard "thanks" if you feel it's warranted.
Zero tip is entirely normal and won't offend anyone.
The little things that matter
A few small courtesies that register without being required.
- Say hello when you get in and thanks when you get out. Basic, but missed surprisingly often.
- Don't slam the doors. Taxi doors are driven 20,000 times a year. Gentle closures add years to the life of the car.
- Pick up your own rubbish. Empty water bottles, snack wrappers, tissues. Take them with you.
- Tell the driver about any mess or spill before you leave. Better to apologise and let them clean it up than have the next passenger find it.
- If you've been good at tipping previously, the driver remembers. Repeat business and long-term regular passengers get prioritised on airport pickups. Not a bribe — just the social contract.
What drivers really appreciate
Beyond the mechanics, what makes a driver's day.
- Passengers who treat the ride as a shared space. Polite, patient with traffic, not rude.
- Acknowledging the work. "Thanks for getting me there quickly" goes a long way.
- Leaving the cab cleaner than you found it. Not because you have to. Because it's kind.
- Not projecting frustration with your day onto the driver. A late flight isn't their fault.
These are small things. They add up across a day, across a year. A driver who takes 40 fares a day has had 40 small interactions; each polite one lifts the shift, each rude one drags it down.