Would-be taxi fares fed up with getting the cold shoulder from cabbies who refuse to take them to their destination can now report them to a new telephone complaints center by dialing 1019.

The phone line, launched yesterday by Transport Minister Costis Hatzidakis, will operate on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. and Saturdays between 8.30 a.m. and 8 p.m. at local call rates. It will be available to residents of Athens, Piraeus, western and eastern Attica, Thessaloniki and Rhodes and there are plans to extend it nationwide.

A dissatisfied customer need only make a note of the defiant cabbie’s license plate number to lodge an official complaint.

The phone service also provides information regarding the location of taxi ranks, fares and the legal obligations binding taxi drivers and will also include an option offering information in English. Complaints will be sent from the phone center by e-mail to local authorities and citizens will be informed of the outcome of their action by telephone.