Terms & Conditions

Q Car Operations & Procedures - How We Run!

At Q Car, we’ve worked hard at establishing an excellent reputation for reliability, customer service and value.  We always endeavour to exceed the expectations of clients and believe it’s helpful for people to have some understanding as to how we work. 

Q Car does not seek to unnecessarily apply penalties for changes or cancellations or impose strict conditions.  On some occasions however, in the interest of maintaining a high level of service for all of our customers, coordinating and managing an efficient mode of operation and in fairness to all of our wonderful and hard-working chauffeurs, it is necessary for us to outline the terms and conditions upon which you engage our services.

These are our terms and conditions under which you agree to engage and pay for our services:

• Changes, cancellations and attempted changes to "point to point" transfers must be advised during normal business hours (8:30am to 5.30pm ACST- Mon - Fri) and with not less than 2 business hours advance notice of the scheduled pick-up time for transfers commencing within a metropolitan area and not less than 4 business hours advance notice of the scheduled pick-up time for transfers originating outside of a metropolitan area.  The full charge may apply for changes, attempted changes and/or cancellations not advised in accordance with these terms.

• Any pick-up time change request received without providing the required notification may still be charged based on the originally scheduled pick-up time irrespective of a drivers’ agreement to accommodate the updated time.  A common scenario where this applies is late evening transfers where passengers contact the driver at short notice to delay their pick-up time.  In such cases, it will be entirely at the discretion of Q Car as to whether waiting time would be charged for the delay and in most cases additional charges would be applied.

• Unless a specific duration of waiting time has been pre-booked, Q Car cannot guarantee the availability of a booked car/driver beyond the originally booked pick-up time. Most commonly referred to in the transport industry as a “No Show”, any transfer booking will be deemed to have been forfeited by the client where the traveller(s) have failed to meet their Q Car vehicle/driver within 15 minutes of the originally scheduled pick-up time.  An extended grace period of 20 minutes will apply for transfer bookings meeting a specified domestic flight arrival and an extended grace period of 30 minutes will apply for transfer bookings meeting a specified international flight arrival.  This time will be calculated from the actual time of flight arrival.  The full charge will apply for any booking deemed by Q Car to have been forfeited in accordance with these terms including any applicable waiting time.  All reasonable attempts will be made by Q Car or the assigned driver to contact the passenger prior to abandoning a transfer due to traveller “no show”.  In all cases, if contact can be made with the traveller or their nominated representative, that person will either be advised that the driver is abandoning the transfer or an offer will be extended for the driver to wait up to the maximum time our schedules will allow at that time.  Waiting time charges would apply at a rate per minute once 5 minutes has elapsed from the originally scheduled pick-up time.

• Changes, cancellations and attempted changes to 'Hourly Hire' bookings, must be advised during normal business hours and with not less than 16 business hours advance notice of the originally scheduled pick-up time.  The full charge may apply for changes, attempted changes and/or cancellations not advised in accordance with these terms.

• In the event of a driver not being present at the booked time of collection, the traveller must immediately make contact with either the driver or Q Car.  No refund will apply to the client  in the event of an abandoned transfer unless a minimum of 10 minutes has elapsed from the original booked pick-up time or from such time that we are first alerted that a driver is not present, whichever is the latest.  In the event of a flight arrival, the client must allow a minimum of 10 minutes from either the originally scheduled flight arrival time or such actual time as the flight may have arrived or from such time as we are alerted of  a driver not being present, whichever is the latest.

• No refund of any difference in fare will apply to a changed booking where the required advance notification in accordance with the aforementioned terms has not been provided.

• All transfers pre-paid via credit card will incur a non-refundable 5% credit card fee

• Booking changes resulting in a higher fare and/or more restrictive terms and conditions shall, for the purpose of determining any subsequent change or cancellation penalty, inherit and retain the highest fare and most restrictive conditions as may have applied at any time throughout the history of that particular transfer booking.

• In addition to any applicable increase in fare, where more than 3 change requests have been received pertaining to any particular booking, Q Car may at its own discretion apply an administrative fee of $5 per additional change.  This change / administrative fee may apply irrespective of compliance with advance notification requirements.  This fee very rarely becomes applicable and serves as a source of optional compensation for Q Car in the event of excessive changes.

• Van, bus, stretch limousine, specialty vehicles, and/or multi seat vehicle bookings are typically non-refundable irrespective of any advance cancellation/change notification provided.  Q Car will not be obliged to process or offer a refund of payment in the event of cancellation or change that cannot be accommodated.  This is due to terms commonly imposed upon us by sub-contractor operators and sometimes limited availability of these vehicle types.

• Notification of any cancellation or change is deemed not to have been received by Q Car unless verifiable confirmation/evidence can be provided to Q Car by the client that such communication has been issued, delivered and acknowledged by Q Car.

• Any and all admin or credit card merchant fees charged are non-refundable.

• Waiting time charges may be applied to any booking once 5 minutes has elapsed from the originally scheduled pick-up time.  An extended grace period of 20 minutes will apply for transfer bookings meeting a specified domestic flight arrival and an extended grace period of 30 minutes will apply for transfer bookings meeting a specified international flight arrival before waiting time charges will be imposed. These charges are at the discretion of Q Car and vary depending on the time of day and vehicle type. Q Car reserves the right not to provide any advance notification of waiting time charges.  Any incurred waiting time will automatically be applied to the total cost of the applicable booking and charged accordingly without prior notification to the client.

• As is the case for any fares, fees or charges, the onus is on the payer to seek a quotation and information relating to any costs or potential costs that may be incurred or associated with the engagement of Q Car services.

• Any diversions or additional stops that are not pre booked and only announced to the driver at the time of a transfer shall incur a $10 fee in addition to the base fare.  The base fare shall be that amount  which would have applied to the original transfer or such new fare that may apply as a result of the change, whichever is higher.

• Q Car reserves the right to increase fares periodically without prior notice

A  schedule outlining Q Car fares and fees is available upon request.  Example fares for specific point to point transfer journeys can also be provided.