I'm visiting Chiang Mai in January and I remember last time it was a pain in the arse trying to use taxis. No metered cabs or motosais, so I kept having to hire out a full songtaew just for me. It cost a fortune at 500 a trip, I think I ended up paying more for transport than I did my hotel and even then wasn't easy to find them on the road. 

 

What about hiring one out for a full day, what's a decent rate? maybe 6 or 7 hours, just small trips to the park, safari, etc. I did it in ayyutaya and it made life much easier. 

Cost you about 1700 for the day; plus gas (minivan). Forget 6 or 7 hours as the driver needs the full day of work. Normally they will pick you up at 7:30-8:00 and call it a day around 21:00.

"Donger", I sent you a private message which you might find useful regarding what you are looking for.

Get off the airplane, Hire a taxi. Get the business card of the driver. Call him the day before. Done. Why would you ride in a baht bus all day with no aircon ?

Not that I'm recommending it for a day but Uber now being in CM you have an alternative. And it seems Uber drivers will negotiate off the books, so you could ask.

If you end up paying 500 baht for a red bus and not 20 then you've been doing it wrong; so regardless of getting a car & driver for the day I'd look into that too.

 

But it'll cost somewhere between 1500 and 2000 including fuel, depending on the car, the driver, the destinations, etc, etc.

 

Something like the Night Safari will actually be affordable because the driver will get the agency rate.  So if you look at their website you see a price of 800 Baht, but that works out to a free taxi because you'll pay 800 as well when booking a car and driver to go there.

 

Other typical prices.. up Doi Suthep and then stop at some places to turn it into a half-day: 1000 Baht. (For the whole vehicle so not a bad deal with more people.)

 

Further afield it gets more expensive, like up to Doi Inthanon or to Chiang Rai or Pai; the distance does matter.

 

Ask me if you need a recommendation; friend of my Mrs. has a small tour agency. She's a good driver, nice person and reasonable prices. I'm sure you'll get discounts too if you book her regularly.

Those are the places I went to last time, doi suthep and the night safari/park near it. I took those red songtaews, but it wasn't a shared one (never saw any of those), rather you had to hire the whole thing like a taxi. 

google grab taxi chiang mai.  I live in a pretty hard to find spot and it was always expensive for people to get to and from town hiring a songtaew or taxi.  not anymore.