Central Taxis
Central Taxis is a 1968-founded Edinburgh taxi cooperative operating the city's largest fleet of 465 wheelchair-accessible vehicles and 1,100+ driver-members, serving individual, corporate, tourist, wedding, airport, and accessibility-transport customers through 24/7 phone, app, web, and WhatsApp booking channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1968
- HeadquartersEdinburgh, United Kingdom
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Central Taxis does
Central Taxis is a private cooperative that has operated Edinburgh's largest licensed taxi fleet since 1968, when it was founded on the Edinburgh Castle esplanade by 33 driver-members. It operates 465 wheelchair-accessible vehicles (comprising LEVC TX, Mercedes, and Peugeot E7 models, including 140+ fully electric units) staffed by over 1,100 driver-members and 70 office staff, serving the city and surrounding areas on a 24/7, 365-day basis. The company describes itself as Scotland's first carbon-neutral taxi operator and holds ISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 14001 (environmental) certifications, with operational emissions reduced by over 60% since 2019 through fleet electrification and verified offsets via Carbon Footprint Ltd.
The service portfolio centres on metered point-to-point taxi fares (regulated under the City of Edinburgh Council Taxi fare table) and extends to a 24/7 control-centre-monitored airport meet-and-greet transfer service, dedicated corporate accounts with bespoke contracts and CO2 reporting, a (currently suspended) personal account product, wedding and event hire, and qualified-driver guided city, regional, golf, and distillery tours. Ancillary revenue lines include managed taxi advertising (vehicle wraps, supersides, interior ads) and an exclusive Taxicard accessible-transit partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council. Distribution is omnichannel — multiple phone lines, online booking, iOS and Android apps, and WhatsApp booking with real-time tracking — and payments are processed via Chip & PIN, contactless, and Apple Pay in-vehicle terminals.
Monetisation is predominantly transaction-based: metered fares for individual rides, sliding-scale administration fees (3%-21%) on corporate accounts based on monthly spend, fixed pricing on tours and weddings, and advertising campaign fees. Headline sponsorships (Edinburgh Restaurant Awards, Central Taxis Edinburgh Trophy football tournament) and a 'fare share' charity programme reinforce brand position within the local Edinburgh market.
Central Taxis firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Central Taxis
- Legal name
- Central Taxis Edinburgh
- Website
- https://taxis-edinburgh.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1968
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Central Taxis is a 1968-founded Edinburgh taxi cooperative operating the city's largest fleet of 465 wheelchair-accessible vehicles and 1,100+ driver-members, serving individual, corporate, tourist, wedding, airport, and accessibility-transport customers through 24/7 phone, app, web, and WhatsApp booking channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Central Taxis industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Taxi and Ground Transportation Services
- NAICS
- Taxi and Ridesharing Services (485310), Taxi and Limousine Service (4853), Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation (485)
- SIC
- Transportation Services (4700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Taxi Cooperative / Owner-Driver Association Operators (TLAFAHAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Street-Hail Taxi & Taxi Fleet Operators (THAIAGAA), Taxi Fleet Owners & Medallion/Permit Operators (TLAFAHAH), Dispatch / Call Center Taxi Services (THADAEAB)
Keywords
Where Central Taxis is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Edinburgh
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Central Taxis business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Taxi Fares - Standard Journeys: Metered taxi fares for point-to-point transport within Edinburgh and surrounding areas. Standard fares regulated under City of Edinburgh Council Taxi fare table.
- Airport Transfers - Meet and Greet: Premium airport transfer service with flight monitoring and vehicle dispatch before arrival. Meet and Greet service includes name board and escort to vehicle.
- Wedding and Event Services: Special occasion taxi service with decorated vehicles, suited drivers, flowers, and ribbons. Pricing varies by service package from pickup only to full ceremony and reception service.
- Guided Tours: City and regional tours in iconic black cabs with qualified tour guide drivers. Pricing from £48 per hour for city tours up to £384 for full day tours.
- Corporate Account Management: Account management for corporate clients with monthly invoicing, detailed management information reports, and CO2 emissions tracking. Administration fees charged on sliding scale.
- Taxi Advertising: Full vehicle wraps, supersides, and interior advertising on the fleet. Fully managed campaign service including planning, production, installation, and ongoing management.
- Taxicard Service: Exclusive partnership with City of Edinburgh Council to deliver Taxicard service for mobility-impaired passengers. Includes wheelchair accessible and electric saloon vehicles.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Airport Meet and Greet Service |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wedding Taxi Packages |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Guided Tour Packages |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Personal Account - Currently Suspended |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Corporate Account Administration Fees |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Central Taxis product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Central Taxis is Edinburgh's largest taxi company, operating a fleet of over 465 wheelchair-accessible black cabs driven by 1,100+ cooperative driver-members 24/7. The core offering is metered point-to-point taxi transport supplemented by airport transfers with flight monitoring and meet-and-greet, corporate and personal account services with monthly invoicing, wedding and special event hire, and guided city tours.
Product overview
Central Taxis operates as Edinburgh's largest taxi fleet with 465 wheelchair-accessible hackney taxis, functioning as a cooperative with over 1,100 drivers since 1968. The core offering is the Standard Taxi Service, supplemented by specialized modules including Airport Taxi Service (with flight monitoring and Meet and Greet), Corporate and Personal Account management (with invoicing and expense tracking), Wedding Taxi Service, Guided Tours, Taxi Advertising campaigns, Disabled Passengers Service, and Taxicard Service (partnership with City of Edinburgh Council). The company also offers a Mobile Booking App for iOS and Android with WhatsApp integration for convenient ride booking. The fleet comprises LTC TX, Mercedes, and Peugeot E7 vehicles, with over 140 electric vehicles and ISO 14001 environmental certification supporting their carbon-neutral positioning.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Standard Taxi Service Traditional wheelchair-accessible black cab taxi service with 5- and 6-seater hackney taxis operating 24/7 across Edinburgh, with a fleet of 465 vehicles.
- Airport Taxi Service
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced operational emissions by over 60% since 2019 (from 1,970 to 753 tonnes CO2)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Central Taxis
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles7 records
Central Taxis technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
Central Taxis partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- City of Edinburgh CouncilcoreExclusive partnership to deliver the Taxicard service for mobility-impaired passengers. Central Taxis provides full range of wheelchair accessible five and six seater taxis as well as electric saloon vehicles. The service is managed by the Council to ensure needs of all users are met.
- Carbon Footprint LtdcorePartnership for carbon offsetting all customer journeys through verified clean energy and environmental projects. Provides independent certification of carbon neutrality.
- Scottish Taxi Federation
- City of Edinburgh Transport Forum
- Federation of Small Businesses
- Edinburgh Children's Hospital CharityflagshipCentral Taxis Charity Partner of the Year 2017. Raised £8,000 through Society of the Golden Keys AGM event. Supporting the charity's work to transform experiences of children and young people in hospital.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Central Taxis competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Uber: Global ride-hailing platform operating in Edinburgh, competing for the same passenger trips through its app-based model. Most direct competitor in terms of on-demand taxi-style transport, though structurally different (licensed hackney vs. PHV).
- FreeNow: Pan-European taxi and ride-hailing aggregator app, present in UK cities, that aggregates licensed taxi fleets onto its platform. Comparable as it competes for the same consumer bookings and is increasingly used in Edinburgh.
- ComCab: UK taxi dispatch and private-hire operator with corporate account services. Comparable business model around dispatch-led corporate taxi accounts and regulated fleet operations.
- Bolt: European ride-hailing app actively competing in Edinburgh alongside Uber. Directly comparable as a mobile-first ride-hailing alternative for consumers choosing between app-based and traditional taxi dispatch.
- Black Cab London: London-focused black-cab booking app and dispatch service. Comparable as a licensed-hackney booking platform using similar vehicles (LEVC TX) to Central Taxis and competing on accessibility and corporate accounts.
- City Cabs Edinburgh: Edinburgh's other major licensed taxi operator, competing head-to-head with Central Taxis for hackney work, corporate accounts, and airport transfers within the same city regulatory regime.
- Radio Taxis (London): Long-established London licensed-taxi dispatch cooperative, structurally analogous to Central Taxis as a driver-member cooperative with phone/app dispatch. Comparable in cooperative ownership and multi-channel dispatch model.
Broad incumbents
- Addison Lee: Established UK private-hire/chauffeur operator based in London. Comparable as a larger incumbent competing for corporate travel and airport transfer accounts, though its core market is London rather than Edinburgh.
Emerging players
- Wheely: Premium chauffeur/taxi app operator in London and other UK cities, focused on higher-end corporate and event rides. Comparable on the premium wedding, event, and corporate-taxi segments where Central Taxis also competes.
Others
- LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company): Manufacturer of the LEVC TX electric hackney used in Central Taxis's fleet. Included as an adjacent/ecosystem player — supplier relationship is strategic for Central Taxis's EV transition.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Central Taxis social profiles
Digital presenceCentral Taxis compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Central Taxis financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Central Taxis leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Central Taxis subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Central Taxis funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Central Taxis M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Central Taxis
What does Central Taxis do?
Central Taxis is Edinburgh's largest taxi company, operating a fleet of over 465 wheelchair-accessible black cabs driven by 1,100+ cooperative driver-members 24/7. The core offering is metered point-to-point taxi transport supplemented by airport transfers with flight monitoring and meet-and-greet, corporate and personal account services with monthly invoicing, wedding and special event hire, and guided city tours.
Is Central Taxis a public or private company?
Central Taxis is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Central Taxis founded?
Central Taxis was founded in 1968. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Central Taxis based?
Central Taxis is headquartered in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Central Taxis make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Taxi Fares - Standard Journeys are the primary driver. The others are airport Transfers - Meet and Greet, wedding and Event Services, guided Tours, corporate Account Management, taxi Advertising and taxicard Service.
Who are Central Taxis's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Uber, FreeNow, ComCab, Bolt, Black Cab London, City Cabs Edinburgh and Radio Taxis (London). Addison Lee is listed as a broad incumbent. Wheely is listed as an emerging player. LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company) is listed as an others.
Does Central Taxis have an API?
No public API is recorded for Central Taxis.
What industry is Central Taxis in?
Central Taxis's product category is Taxi and Ground Transportation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAFAHAM, Taxi Cooperative / Owner-Driver Association Operators, with a secondary code of THAIAGAA, Street-Hail Taxi & Taxi Fleet Operators. Its NAICS code is 485310 and its SIC code is 4700.