Radio Taxis
Radio Taxis (Southampton) Ltd. operates the largest taxi and private hire fleet in Southampton, with 400+ vehicles serving consumers, corporate accounts, NHS staff, and nationwide travellers via mobile app, phone, web, and partner operators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1972
- HeadquartersSouthampton, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Radio Taxis does
Radio Taxis (Southampton) Ltd. operates the largest taxi and private hire fleet in Southampton, with over 400 vehicles (36 Hackney Carriage and 364 Private Hire) operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The business was founded in 1972 by 12 Hackney Carriage owners and registered as a limited company in November 1984; it is today owned by 39 shareholders and serves customers across Southampton, Eastleigh, the New Forest, and a UK-wide partner network. Services are delivered by self-employed owner drivers, with roughly 51-100 direct employees handling dispatch, administration, and corporate account management.
The platform is delivered through multiple booking channels: a 24/7 phone line, the radiotaxisonline.co.uk website, iOS and Android mobile apps, and a corporate account portal. The underlying technology stack is Cab9, a cloud-based business management and dispatch system that automates job allocation, reporting, and invoicing. Integrations include Google Wallet for payments and Facebook for social login, and the company is UK GDPR compliant with a designated Data Protection Officer.
Revenue is generated primarily through metered taxi fares (tiered day, night, MPV, and 50%-uplift Christmas/New Year rates), fixed-fare airport transfers to Heathrow, Gatwick, and Bournemouth (offered at up to 25% discount via the mobile app), and corporate accounts with weekly or monthly billing and a 30-day credit facility. Customer segments span individual consumers, corporate and institutional accounts (including Southampton City Council, NHS, Solent University, Hilton, ABP, Mayflower Theatre, Paultons Park, and CMAC), NHS and care workers (10% discount via NHS10), and nationwide business travellers routed through partner operators in cities including Basingstoke, Newcastle, Derby, Birmingham, and Hamilton.
Radio Taxis firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Radio Taxis
- Legal name
- Radio Taxis (Southampton) Ltd.
- Website
- https://radiotaxisonline.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1972
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Radio Taxis (Southampton) Ltd. operates the largest taxi and private hire fleet in Southampton, with 400+ vehicles serving consumers, corporate accounts, NHS staff, and nationwide travellers via mobile app, phone, web, and partner operators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Radio Taxis industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Taxi and Private Hire Transportation
- NAICS
- Taxi and Ridesharing Services (485310)
- SIC
- Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Taxi Dispatch & Fleet Management Operators (Radio/Call Center) (TLAFAHAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Street-Hail Taxi Operators (Metered/Radio Dispatch) (TLAFAHAA), Airport Taxi & Ground Transportation Operators (TLAFAHAE)
Keywords
Where Radio Taxis is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Southampton
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Radio 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, Others
Revenue model
- Taxi and Private Hire Fares: Primary revenue from metered taxi fares calculated according to applicable tariffs. Fares include day rates (6am-10pm), night rates (10pm-6am), and Christmas/New Year rates (50% extra). Additional charges for waiting time, tolls, parking, and vehicle cleaning may apply. Minimum fares apply.
- Corporate Account Billing: Weekly or monthly billing cycles for corporate/business account holders with fully itemised invoices and 30-day credit facility.
- Fixed Fare Bookings: Upfront fixed pricing for airport transfers and promotional routes to Heathrow, Gatwick, and Bournemouth airports with up to 25% discount available through mobile app bookings.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Day Rate for saloon vehicles |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Night Rate for saloon vehicles |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | MPV/Saloon vehicles for larger groups |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Christmas and New Year surcharges |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Waiting time charges |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | NHS Staff and Care Workers discount |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Airport transfer promotional rates |
| Subscription | Monthly | Corporate account billing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels9 records
Radio Taxis product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Radio Taxis Southampton provides metered taxi and private hire transportation across Southampton, Eastleigh, and the New Forest, with 24/7/365 service delivered through a fleet of 400+ vehicles. Customers can book via phone, website, or a dedicated iOS/Android mobile app that provides fare estimation, multiple payment options, and loyalty rewards. The company also operates Cab9, a cloud-based dispatch and business management platform, and offers corporate accounts with dedicated account managers, priority booking, and monthly invoicing.
Product overview
Radio Taxis Southampton operates as a taxi and private hire booking platform offering a unified multi-channel service across mobile app, telephone, and website. The core offering consists of the Radio Taxis Mobile Booking App for passenger bookings, supported by Cab9 dispatch technology powering automated job allocation. The company manages a fleet of 400 vehicles including standard 4-8 seaters, executive cars, and mobility vehicles. Corporate Account Services provide business billing solutions, while the Customer Rewards Program and UK Network partnerships extend the service nationally. The platform integrates with Google Wallet for payments and Facebook for social login.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Radio Taxis Mobile Booking App
Quantifiable outcome
- Largest taxi company in Southampton with over 400 vehicles
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Radio Taxis
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Radio Taxis technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature4 records
Radio Taxis partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Alpha Cars (Basingstoke)minorLocal taxi partner in Basingstoke providing coverage for Radio Taxis customers traveling in that area through the UK network.
- Alpha IOW (Isle of Wight)minorLocal taxi partner on the Isle of Wight providing coverage for Radio Taxis customers traveling to and from the island.
- BlueLine Taxis (Newcastle)minorLocal taxi partner in Newcastle providing coverage for Radio Taxis customers traveling in the North East.
- Chads Cars (Derby)minorLocal taxi partner in Derby providing coverage for Radio Taxis customers traveling in the East Midlands.
- Chase Cars (Rugeley)minorLocal taxi partner in Rugeley providing coverage for Radio Taxis customers traveling in Staffordshire.
- Corby Star Cars (Corby)minorLocal taxi partner in Corby providing coverage for Radio Taxis customers traveling in Northamptonshire.
- Star Cars & Coaches (Birmingham)minorLocal taxi and coach partner in Birmingham providing coverage for Radio Taxis customers traveling in the West Midlands.
- Well-Man Cars (Hamilton, Scotland)minorLocal taxi partner in Hamilton, Scotland providing coverage for Radio Taxis customers traveling in South Lanarkshire.
- CMACcoreTransport management services partner. CMAC is a major transport service provider in the UK, working with organizations to provide efficient transportation solutions.
- First (Bus Company)minorMajor bus company operating in Southampton area, providing complementary public transport services.
- Southampton Football ClubminorLocal football club partnered for Radio Family Fun Day competition. Data shared for event planning, safety, and coordination purposes.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Radio Taxis competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Uber: Uber operates a global ridesharing platform that competes with Radio Taxis in Southampton and across the UK, offering app-based on-demand rides with dynamic pricing. It is a much broader incumbent with significant capital and network effects, but its core service overlaps directly with Radio Taxis' point-to-point offering.
- Lyft: Lyft is a North American ridesharing incumbent that operates at scale across multiple US and Canadian cities. Although geographically distinct, its multi-channel app, corporate Lyft Business offering, and driver-supply economics are closely comparable to the Radio Taxis operating model.
Direct peers
- Bolt: Bolt is a European ridesharing and scooter operator with active UK presence, competing for the same consumer and corporate ride-hailing demand as Radio Taxis. Its app-first, lower-fare positioning directly challenges regional taxi operators like Radio Taxis.
- Gett: Gett is a UK-based ground transportation platform focused on corporate and business travel, with taxi and black cab aggregation. It directly competes with Radio Taxis' corporate account business and shared multi-channel app-based booking model.
- FreeNow: FreeNow (formerly mytaxi/Hailo) is a multi-city European app-based taxi booking platform with strong UK presence and a similar model of aggregating licensed taxi and private hire operators under a single app. It competes directly with Radio Taxis for app-based bookings in Southampton and across the UK.
- Addison Lee: Addison Lee is a major UK private hire and courier operator, historically London-focused but expanding into other UK cities. It offers comparable corporate account, app booking, and minicab services to business customers, making it a direct competitor for Radio Taxis' corporate accounts segment.
Others
- Autocab (now part of Uber): Autocab provides taxi booking and dispatch software widely used by UK private hire operators, comparable to Radio Taxis' Cab9. It was acquired by Uber, making it both a technology peer and a competitive factor in the same supply chain as Radio Taxis.
- iCabbi: iCabbi is a cloud-based dispatch and fleet management software provider for the taxi and private hire industry, directly comparable to Radio Taxis' Cab9 platform. It competes for the same B2B SaaS opportunity of powering taxi operators' booking and dispatch technology.
Emerging players
- Via: Via operates shared ride and on-demand transit services in multiple countries, often partnering with public agencies and taxi operators. Its technology-led approach to multi-passenger pooling and dispatch is adjacent to Radio Taxis' Cab9 platform ambitions.
Regional players
- ComCab (Com Cab): ComCab is a UK private hire and black cab operator with a strong corporate account focus, primarily serving London. It is comparable to Radio Taxis as a regional-to-multi-city taxi and corporate ground transport provider with app-based booking.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Radio Taxis social profiles
Digital presenceRadio Taxis compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Radio Taxis financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Radio Taxis leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Radio Taxis funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Radio 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 Radio Taxis
What does Radio Taxis do?
Radio Taxis Southampton provides metered taxi and private hire transportation across Southampton, Eastleigh, and the New Forest, with 24/7/365 service delivered through a fleet of 400+ vehicles. Customers can book via phone, website, or a dedicated iOS/Android mobile app that provides fare estimation, multiple payment options, and loyalty rewards. The company also operates Cab9, a cloud-based dispatch and business management platform, and offers corporate accounts with dedicated account managers, priority booking, and monthly invoicing.
Is Radio Taxis a public or private company?
Radio Taxis is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was Radio Taxis founded?
Radio Taxis was founded in 1972. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Radio Taxis based?
Radio Taxis is headquartered in Southampton, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Radio Taxis make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Taxi and Private Hire Fares are the primary driver. The others are corporate Account Billing and fixed Fare Bookings.
Who are Radio Taxis's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Uber and Lyft. Direct peers are Bolt, Gett, FreeNow and Addison Lee. Others are Autocab (now part of Uber) and iCabbi. Via is listed as an emerging player. ComCab (Com Cab) is listed as a regional player.
Does Radio Taxis have an API?
No public API is recorded for Radio Taxis.
What industry is Radio Taxis in?
Radio Taxis's product category is Taxi and Private Hire Transportation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAFAHAG, Taxi Dispatch & Fleet Management Operators (Radio/Call Center), with a secondary code of TLAFAHAA, Street-Hail Taxi Operators (Metered/Radio Dispatch). Its NAICS code is 485310 and its SIC code is 4100.