Taking card payments as an independent chauffeur, without a marketplace
Published
Marketplaces list you alongside your competitors, set the terms, and hold the money. Zenithly works the other way round. Card payment is taken as a direct charge into your own connected Stripe account, leaving you as the sole merchant of record.
This architecture gives independent UK chauffeur and private hire operators full ownership of their cash flow. Funds land directly in your Stripe balance, payouts transfer to your business bank account on your standard Stripe schedule, and your trading name appears on the customer card statement.
Sole merchant of record
Being the sole merchant of record means the card transaction is between your business and your passenger. Zenithly does not hold your earnings, escrow customer funds, or sit between you and your bank. You connect your own Stripe account during setup. Every online card payment processed through your booking page settles straight to your account, giving you transparent visibility over fees, gross receipts, and net payouts.
Configurable upfront deposits
Every private hire operator manages cash flow and no-show risk differently. In your dashboard, you decide whether to collect the full fare upfront or take a deposit when the journey is confirmed. Deposits can be configured from a 10% minimum upwards.
When a customer books with a deposit, the checkout charges the required percentage immediately and logs the outstanding balance against the booking record.
Taking bookings by phone
Not every corporate client or personal passenger books online. When an enquiry arrives over the phone or by email, you enter the journey details directly into your dashboard, set the fare, and generate a secure checkout link. Zenithly sends the client a payment link, directing them to a branded payment page where they settle the required deposit or full fare by card.
Once the card transaction clears through Stripe, the booking status updates automatically and the reservation secures its slot on your calendar.
Payment questions
How can an independent chauffeur take card payments online without going through a marketplace?
With Zenithly, card payment is taken as a direct charge into your own connected Stripe account. The money lands in your balance, not a marketplace's, and you are the sole merchant of record. You set the deposit level, from a 10% minimum, or take the full fare upfront.
How do I stop no-shows on airport pickups?
Take payment before the job runs. You can require a deposit or the full fare upfront when the customer books, so an airport pickup is secured rather than a cash-on-arrival gamble. You set the deposit level, from a 10% minimum, or take the full fare upfront.
Who appears on the passenger card statement?
Your business trading name appears on the customer's card statement. Because transactions process as direct charges through your connected Stripe account, Zenithly passes your trading name as the statement descriptor suffix.
Can I take card deposits for bookings arranged over the phone?
Yes. You can record a booking manually in your admin dashboard, set the fare, and Zenithly sends the client a payment link. The client pays securely online, and the funds settle directly into your Stripe account.
How are refunds handled if a job is cancelled?
Because funds settle directly to your Stripe account, you manage and issue card refunds directly from your Stripe dashboard according to your own business cancellation terms.