I asked Nashville visitors what they thought about taxi prices, and what I heard back was alarming. A visitor paid $52 for a taxi from Bridgestone Arena to Gay Street — a trip that costs around $8 on Lyft. She wanted to know if she'd been ripped off.
The answer from dozens of commenters was clear: absolutely yes.
You're Not Alone
“1000% ripped off, never take a taxi in Nashville!” one person wrote immediately.
The stories came flooding in. One husband was charged $250 for a five-minute ride. “We figured that they added an extra zero after the fact and scammed him,” his wife explained. They reported it to their bank.
Another couple paid $35 for two jack and cokes, then tried to get a taxi home. “My uber to Broadway was $20. My taxi was $80. I'll never use a taxi service again,” one visitor shared.
Someone else got quoted $52 from Nissan Stadium to Broadway. “I end up walking. There's not a scenario where anyone should take a taxi.”
The Meter Scam
Here's how it works: taxi drivers turn off their meters and make up prices.
“It's a scam they run. They don't start the meter and then when you get to your destination, they throw out a ridiculously high number then threaten to call the cops,” one commenter explained. “They have nothing on their meter which essentially makes the ride free.”
One person who lives near the Gulch can Uber to Broadway for $8. “A couple of months ago it started to pour all of a sudden so we jumped into a taxi that was standing there in the taxi line. $48.”
A local shared her experience: “We were charged like that two different prices one was earlier in the day which was reasonable, but then we took it at night. It was outrageous.”
What the Actual Rates Should Be
The Transportation Licensing Commissioner actually showed up in one discussion thread to set the record straight.
According to Nashville.gov, the official rates are:
- Meter pull: $5.00
- Miles: $0.25 per .1 mile or $2.50 per mile
- Time: $0.35 per minute or $21.00 per hour
- $2.00 per extra passenger
There are also flat rates for specific routes:
- Airport to/from downtown: $30
- Downtown to/from Opryland: $30
- Airport to/from West End: $35
One commenter broke it down: “The drop fee in Nashville is $5. It is $2.50 a mile. Plus there is wait time of $21/hr or $.35/minute. On a very busy night, it can get expensive, but unless you had a 2 hour drive from Bridgestone to Gay, which is at least 1 hour more than the worst traffic I see from my balcony, you got ripped off.”
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Read more →The Locked-In-The-Car Problem
Some stories went beyond overcharging into genuinely scary territory.
“My husband was charged $250 for a 5 minute taxi ride,” one woman wrote. Others mentioned drivers locking passengers in the car until they paid.
“Some google reviews say they locked them in the taxi and demanded cash instead of credit cards. Never take a taxi in Nashville,” one commenter warned.
The Transportation Licensing Commissioner addressed this directly: “If the meter is not running, ask them to turn on the meter. If they refuse, exit the taxi, gather as much info as you can, and report the taxi.”
The Illegal Taxi Problem
Not all taxis in Nashville are even legal.
The Commissioner explained that there are only a limited number of permitted taxi companies. “If you take a taxi that is not clearly labeled with one of these company names, you increase the likelihood you will be overcharged.”
She added: “If you are overcharged or refused meter running by an unpermitted company or driver, get as much information as you can (driver name, car make/model/color, license plate, etc) and TAKE PHOTOS.”
Violators can face up to six months in jail and a $500 fine.
“We are aware of the illegal taxi problem and it's going to take a village to solve it,” the Commissioner wrote.
Why Are Taxis Still Around?
“Im honestly shocked taxi services exist still in Nashville with all of the rideshare services that are out now,” one person commented.
Another explained: “They are losing money since Uber and Lyft took over: So they try to get it back in over charging when they know people are visiting or in a crunch.”
“Taxis have been losing ground to the ride share industry, so to stay operable, they continuously go up on their prices. Especially easy to do in a saturated market like Nashville.”
One commenter put it simply: “They have so few taxi passengers with all the Lyfts and Ubers, so they have to charge you like 7x to make up for the lost fares.”
What You Should Do Instead
The advice was universal: don't take taxis.
“Never take a taxi in Nashville they will always screw you,” one local wrote.
“The taxis in Nashville are shady AF. I've lost count of the horror stories I've heard. If you take a taxi in Nashville, you are gambling,” another added.
Use Uber or Lyft. You can see the price before you get in, and there's a record of your ride.
Walk a few blocks from Broadway. Surge pricing drops significantly when you're not in the most crowded area.
Always confirm the price first. If you absolutely must take a taxi, ask the price before getting in. “Always ask before you get in how much and walk away if it's too high or make a counter offer,” one person advised.
Make sure the meter is running. “Never get in a cab in Nashville without using the meter or yeah, they'll rip ya,” someone warned.
Pay with a card, not cash. If you pay with a card, you have a record of the transaction and can dispute it with your bank.
If You Get Scammed
You can report bad drivers to the Metro Transit Authority through hub.nashville.gov. Include as much information as possible: driver name, car details, license plate, and photos.
The Transportation Licensing Commission was able to get a woman from Illinois refunded $150 from a permitted taxi company that overcharged her, plus an apology from the driver.
But here's the catch: “We CANNOT do anything to get your money back from unpermitted taxis,” the Commissioner explained.
The Uber Warning
A few people warned that even Uber and Lyft aren't perfect.
“I had a driver ‘cancel' on the app right as I was getting in the door. Then said oh I'll just do it and he wanted $60 instead of the $25 it was on the app,” one solo female traveler shared. “I reported him to Uber the next day but please make sure you're picking highly rated drivers with lots of ratings and history.”
Another person had a similar experience: “We used an uber from grand ole Opry to hotel near broadway. The guy quoted us a price slightly more then expected. We didn't realize He was off the clock and making his own prices.”
The advice? Always make sure your ride is booked through the app. Never agree to go off-app, even if the driver suggests it.
The Reality of Nashville Transportation
“Welcome to the new Nashville,” one local wrote.
A longtime resident summed it up: “I live here and work on Broadway. DO NOT take taxis! Take Uber or Lyft. The cab drivers are out of control.”
Another local added: “Taxi drivers here are aggressive and are money hungry. I have lived here my whole life and never will I ride in a taxi. Uber tracks its drivers and everything else and has safety features you can use on your phone like recording the ride.”
One person offered perspective: “I got ripped off by a Nashville cabbie as well… I think it's like a rite of passage or something.”
But it shouldn't be. One commenter said it best: “The taxis in Nashville are shady AF. I've lost count of the horror stories I've heard.”
