Flagfall
Encyclopedia
Flagfall or flag fall is common Australia
n expression for a fixed start fee, especially in the haulage
and railroad industry. From the Australia mobile phone
industry, the expression has recently begun to spread to other English language
countries, as business jargon
for an initial fixed fee for establishing each phone call. The expression is also beginning to find its way into other businesses as a synonym
to "start fee".
The origin is a taxi
expression for the minimum charge for hiring a taxi, to which the rate per kilometre or mile is then added. It dates back to the old mechanical taximeter
s, which were equipped with a flag
-like lever that could be seen from outside the cab. When the "flag" was up and visible, the cab was not occupied. When a passenger stepped in, the driver turned the lever down - the "flag fall" - and the taximeter started counting. The taxi expression is also being used in Hong Kong
, New Zealand
, and some other countries, but hasn't been used there as a general synonym for start fee.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n expression for a fixed start fee, especially in the haulage
Haulage
Haulage may refer to:* The business of being a haulier or hauler , also called haulage contractor, common carrier, contract carrier, or private carrier, in other words of transporting goods by road or rail for other companies or one's own company.* The horizontal transport of ore, coal, supplies,...
and railroad industry. From the Australia mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
industry, the expression has recently begun to spread to other English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
countries, as business jargon
Jargon
Jargon is terminology which is especially defined in relationship to a specific activity, profession, group, or event. The philosophe Condillac observed in 1782 that "Every science requires a special language because every science has its own ideas." As a rationalist member of the Enlightenment he...
for an initial fixed fee for establishing each phone call. The expression is also beginning to find its way into other businesses as a synonym
Synonym
Synonyms are different words with almost identical or similar meanings. Words that are synonyms are said to be synonymous, and the state of being a synonym is called synonymy. The word comes from Ancient Greek syn and onoma . The words car and automobile are synonyms...
to "start fee".
The origin is a taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
expression for the minimum charge for hiring a taxi, to which the rate per kilometre or mile is then added. It dates back to the old mechanical taximeter
Taximeter
A taximeter is a mechanical or electronic device installed in taxicabs and auto rickshaws that calculates passenger fares based on a combination of distance travelled and waiting time...
s, which were equipped with a flag
Flag
A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...
-like lever that could be seen from outside the cab. When the "flag" was up and visible, the cab was not occupied. When a passenger stepped in, the driver turned the lever down - the "flag fall" - and the taximeter started counting. The taxi expression is also being used in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and some other countries, but hasn't been used there as a general synonym for start fee.
External Links
- Explanation about the taxi origin of the expression
- Document from the Western Australian government about flagfall charges in the rail industry
- Picture showing iPhone time tracking application "Jobs", which has "flagfall" as a cost item
- Glossary from Australian Oracle Telecom, showing the expression used for phone costs