The Dublin Experience

Deregulation has led to too many taxis – and some don’t know where they’re going

I would urge anyone who doubts the implications of TooManyTaxis to view the video at this Link: View Video This Video is no longer available.

There are too many taxi drivers in Dublin, many of whom do not know their way around, a Dublin city transport committee has heard.

Since the introduction of deregulation, there are now more taxis than the city can cope with, the transportation and traffic strategic policy committee heard.

Cllr Deirdre Heney (Fianna Fail) said the amount of taxis in operation in the city is worrying, especially since taxi plates continue to be issued, even though they’ve reached saturation point.

“There seems to be a difficulty with the amount of taxi plates now being issued. I don’t know how we can curtail the number of plates,” she said.

Cllr Heney added that the huge number of taxis is contributing to the traffic jams around the city.

“There are too many taxis. Even from an environmental point of view, all the taxi ranks are full.

“Taxi men are getting hassled by the gardai and quite rightly so because they’re blocking the way because there’s nowhere else to park, and they’re wasting petrol.”

Cllr Heney added that it’s hard for taxi drivers to make ends meet now there are so many taxis in operation.

“It seems the guy who is driving a taxi as a full time job has his work cut out for him if he wants to make a decent wage, because anyone can buy a plate.

“There’s a lot of angst out there,” she added.

Cllr McCartan (Fine Gael) says: “Ireland now has 98 people per taxi, whereas in London it’s 300 and in Copenhagen it’s 280. There are too many taxis.”

He said a problem exists “if you look at how easy it is to get a taxi plate with “one stop taxi shops”.

He added that it’s worrying that some taxi drivers don’t know the whereabouts of their fare’s destination, and he said it’s not acceptable that drivers are relying on technology to guide them around the city.

Aggrieved

“There’s a definite query about the sat nav systems. It’s not satisfactory to me that someone should drive a taxi and not know their way around.”

“Now if people are seeking a taxi driver job, it wouldn’t be feasible,” he said referring to the number of taxis on the streets.

Cllr Dermot Lacey (Labour) said: “Those who argued against deregulation were right.

“Some taxi drivers don’t know the city,” he agreed.

“A lot of taxi drivers feel very aggrieved when they are moved on by the guards.”

By Geraldine Gittens

Taxi Drivers – Boo Hoo!!! Just do your job!!

According to the Irish Examiner today, “THE same number of taxis operate in Dublin as in New York – but with only a fraction of the population to support business.”

This is according to the taxi drivers themselves in Dublin in order to try to reduce their numbers in order to protect their livelihood by screwing us consumers by removing choice and competition.

If there are 1million people in Dublin with 12,001 taxis, and there are 8million people in New York with 12,019 taxis, then why the hell is it impossible to get a taxi in Dublin at 2 or 3am in the morning.

We’ve all had the “Dublin Taxi Nightmare” experience – there are some nights when it’d be quicker to fly to New York just to be able to get into a taxi – it’d be a damn sight quicker than trying to get a taxi home in Dublin on a Saturday night.

Message to Dublin taxi drivers:

• because you don’t show up when you’re booked
• because you drive past people waiting at legitimate places waiting for a taxi
• because you pick and choose the ranks for fares that you think will make you the most money
• because you rip off people by going the long way around whenever you think you can get away with it
• and because you have ripped off 4 different recent visitors to Ireland working for my employer

… this is why you’re losing money and not getting any business. Your service sucks, and Dublin Bus can get me and my buddies home cheaper and quicker on a Friday and Saturday night – this is why you’re not getting any business.

Source & Subsequent Comments

Decision time, Minister Dempsey!

Well, it seems as though things have come to a head and a Major Taxi protest will take place on the morning of February 2nd, unless the Minister agrees to the recommendations made by the governments own Transport committee and offers a moritorium on the issueing of new taxi plates.

Calls for a protest began (I believe) in the taxi holding area of Dublin Airport and quickly spread through word of mouth around the ranks, I received an e-mail asking me to publicise it a little more during the week.

I believe the general public can see that there is an over-supply of taxis and that something needs to be done, if only to reduce the gridlock taxis cause in the inner city, 24/7, therefore the decision to cap,if the Minister does so, will not be an unpopular one.

Anyway, here are the details of the protest that I for one sincerely hope will not need to take place,

Are you listening Minister Dempsey?

Taxi Protest

Monday 8.30am 2 Feb 2009 Start in Parnell SQ, pass by the Dail proceeding to the Regulators Office.

Demands:

• Taxi regulator needs to acknowledge there are enough taxis and a moratorium should be put on licences.

• Government have to stop giving incentives encouraging people into business.

• Give incentives to keep drivers in the business

• Create more taxi ranks

Hopefully it won’t come to this, I believe the Minister will announce the moratorium in time to make this unnecessary.

Source & More similarities i.e. Parking Tickets

Tagged as: Deregulation, Dublin Taxis, taxi, taxis