Irish Taxi Forum
Public Area => Taxi Talk => Topic started by: silverbullet on June 21, 2022, 10:38:44 pm
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‘Passenger safety will be compromised’ if ride-share apps are introduced as cab shortage solution, claims taxi boss
Lynk CEO Noel Ebbs has hit out at suggestion of ride-share 'free-for-all'. Photo: Jason Clarke Photography
Paul Hyland
June 20 2022 04:25 PM
The head of a leading Irish taxi operator has said “ride-hail” car-share platforms are less regulated and as result less safe than taxis.
CEO of taxi app Lynk, Noel Ebbs has hit back at comments made by Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, who recently remarked on the current shortage of taxis in Dublin and said he finds it easier to “get a car ride” in other countries.
The Tánaiste said platforms such as Uber and Lyft could play a role in fixing the current taxi shortage.
Bouncing back from Covid has been a huge challenge for taxi drivers
Uber, in other countries, facilitates paid-for lifts in private drivers’ cars. Currently you can only use the Uber app in Ireland to book a regulated taxi driver.
To become an Uber driver in Ireland you must have a taxi licence.
However, Mr Ebbs has argued that caution is needed.
“While some people think it might be ‘easier to get a ride’, passenger safety will be compromised with platforms that allow unregistered, unregulated drivers to act as taxis,” he said.
“At the moment the taxi industry is regulated, which means vehicles must be kept to a certain standard and drivers can’t operate without first passing the required tests and then acquiring Garda clearance.
"If we introduce platforms that allow anyone at all to operate a taxi then standards across the board will drop.
"But not only standards. Safety too. And this, at a time when the world – the US, the UK and Europe – is heading in the opposite direction with many countries commencing the process of cleaning up and regulating the ride-hail industry. And some, in fact, super-regulating them.”
Mr Ebbs agreed that there is currently a shortage of taxis to meet demand at peak times. He said the Covid-19 pandemic, coupled with the war on Ukraine, has created the current issues and drivers, “who are doing their best”, should not be blamed.
He added: “It’s Covid’s fault and its Vladimir Putin’s fault. First, by creating a labour shortage as many of our foreign-national cousins went home during the pandemic to be with their family.
"While many others decided not to return to work due to advancing age or underlying health problems, which put them at risk.
"Second, in the form of Mr Putin who brought about the biggest and most rapid rise in fuel costs the likes of which have not been seen since the industrial revolution, making it uneconomical for many taxi drivers to operate at times.
"These two issues have combined to create the perfect storm causing this labour shortage. The expected fare increase later this year should address the economics of the problem, for those currently at work anyway.”
Currently taxi drivers in Ireland must pass two exams to enter the industry – the Industry Knowledge Test and the Area Knowledge Test.
Mr Ebbs said these are both “tough tests” which many taxi applicants fail on the first attempt.
‘Free-for-all’
"The Area Knowledge test is particularly difficult. And it all takes time. Time that we don’t really have right now, especially when you consider the map and navigation apps available to us, which almost all taxi drivers use. Maybe we should look at this,” he said.
“For the bigger picture we need to find smarter solutions than throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
"If we deregulate to the point of a free-for-all, a lot of our trusted taxi drivers would be put out of the industry.
"Many Irish taxi drivers have years of experience and we must protect that.”
It comes as the National Transport Authority (NTA) has announced that taxi fares will increase by 12pc from September, while drivers must also provide cashless payment options for customers.
General manager of taxi firm Free Now Ireland, Niall Carson said the increase will help drivers with rising costs and increase the national fleet.
"The proposed increase of fares by 12pc will help taxi drivers manage rising operating costs and earn a more reasonable living while they continue providing essential public transport throughout the country,” he said.
"An overwhelming majority of our driver partners surveyed last month stated that their ability to stay working as a taxi driver would be compromised if the NTA’s fare increase hadn’t come into effect.
"We hope the new rates will not only support existing taxi drivers in maintaining their careers in the sector, but will also help aspiring drivers to consider joining the licensed taxi driver fleet.
"With our national taxi fleet diminishing over the past 10 years by 30pc and further depletion since the pandemic, it’s crucial that we retain the great drivers we already have on our roads, while also exploring ways to bring new drivers on board.introduced”
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General manager of taxi firm Free Now Ireland, Niall Carson said the increase will help drivers with rising costs and increase the national fleet.
"The proposed increase of fares by 12pc will help taxi drivers manage rising operating costs and earn a more reasonable living while they continue providing essential public transport throughout the country,” he said.
"An overwhelming majority of our driver partners surveyed last month stated that their ability to stay working as a taxi driver would be compromised if the NTA’s fare increase hadn’t come into effect.
"We hope the new rates will not only support existing taxi drivers in maintaining their careers in the sector, but will also help aspiring drivers to consider joining the licensed taxi driver fleet.
"With our national taxi fleet diminishing over the past 10 years by 30pc and further depletion since the pandemic, it’s crucial that we retain the great drivers we already have on our roads, while also exploring ways to bring new drivers on board.introduced”
He forgot to mention that FN would get 15% 0f the increase =1.8%
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Not to mention FN preempting the last fare increase that didn't happen because of covid...due to their insider knowledge.
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Why do they call drivers who use their app driver/partners? What's the partner bit about?
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Why do they call drivers who use their app driver/partners? What's the partner bit about?
Cos they don't want to use the term employees!!
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He hit the spot there so he did
Very well put ebbs
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He hit the spot there so he did
Very well put ebbs
Ye very well put ebbs when you have drivers robbing the public ,dame street to cabra for €50 taking advantage of someone who has had a few pints to many , imagine how much worse things could get . Then coming onto a public forum and bragging about robbing them .
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He hit the spot there so he did
Very well put ebbs
Ye very well put ebbs when you have drivers robbing the public ,dame street to cabra for €50 taking advantage of someone who has had a few pints to many , imagine how much worse things could get . Then coming onto a public forum and bragging about robbing them .
Is 42 really a taxi driver? I doubt it. he is just there to make taxi drivers look bad from what I can see from his posts.
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Why do they call drivers who use their app driver/partners? What's the partner bit about?
Cos they don't want to use the term employees!!
Is a partner not somebody who has a stake in the company? Maybe the Ambassadors could be classed as partners as they provide a free advertising service but the normal drivers? Tad confusing why they call us partners. My understanding of the word partner is when both parties are happy to be with each other and there is mutual respect from both sides. As far as I can see fn have no respect for their "partners" as was seen when they upped the commission when they thought we were getting a rise. I wonder will they up it again come September to 18% and if they do how many "partners " will decide enough is enough. Very odd choice of words.
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Why do they call drivers who use their app driver/partners? What's the partner bit about?
Cowboys have partners...you're welcome.
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Why do they call drivers who use their app driver/partners? What's the partner bit about?
Cos they don't want to use the term employees!!
Is a partner not somebody who has a stake in the company? Maybe the Ambassadors could be classed as partners as they provide a free advertising service but the normal drivers? Tad confusing why they call us partners. My understanding of the word partner is when both parties are happy to be with each other and there is mutual respect from both sides. As far as I can see fn have no respect for their "partners" as was seen when they upped the commission when they thought we were getting a rise. I wonder will they up it again come September to 18% and if they do how many "partners " will decide enough is enough. Very odd choice of words.
What word would you have used Horse ?
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Users Ken. As in, our users this and our users that. We use their app or service. We certainly don't partner up with them. Perhaps Ambassadors could be classed as such as they advertise for free. But normal drivers should be called users.
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And passengers could be end users.
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He hit the spot there so he did
Very well put ebbs
I would agree, he got his points across without playing the violin, as so many like to play on here !
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Users Ken. As in, our users this and our users that. We use their app or service. We certainly don't partner up with them. Perhaps Ambassadors could be classed as such as they advertise for free. But normal drivers should be called users.
I don't think the word 'User' would really be of benefit to anyone, (Do I need to explain ?).
Have another go ?
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OK, how about drivers then? I think hal hit the nail on the head when he mentioned employee's. If the called us drivers then they would be saying our drivers this and our drivers that. But if we were "their" drivers we would effectively be employee's. As employee's we would be entitled to sick pay, holiday pay and probably a few other things. Users seems more appropriate than partners. I for one am not a partner. Are you?
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He hit the spot there so he did
Very well put ebbs
Ye very well put ebbs when you have drivers robbing the public ,dame street to cabra for €50 taking advantage of someone who has had a few pints to many , imagine how much worse things could get . Then coming onto a public forum and bragging about robbing them .
Is 42 really a taxi driver? I doubt it. he is just there to make taxi drivers look bad from what I can see from his posts.
I'm a driver over 15 yr
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He hit the spot there so he did
Very well put ebbs
Ye very well put ebbs when you have drivers robbing the public ,dame street to cabra for €50 taking advantage of someone who has had a few pints to many , imagine how much worse things could get . Then coming onto a public forum and bragging about robbing them .
Didn't Rob he gave me it full of drink and coke
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He hit the spot there so he did
Very well put ebbs
Ye very well put ebbs when you have drivers robbing the public ,dame street to cabra for €50 taking advantage of someone who has had a few pints to many , imagine how much worse things could get . Then coming onto a public forum and bragging about robbing them .
Is 42 really a taxi driver? I doubt it. he is just there to make taxi drivers look bad from what I can see from his posts.
I'm a driver over 15 yr
I'd f**king hope you're over 15 years.
As for Ebbs, he's simply virtue signalling for foreign drivers to come here and pay rent to him. I hope gets a few battle-hardened Ukrainians or Russian defectors...he'd give the job of dressing down his new drivers to Ray.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo1vh5NRgX4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo1vh5NRgX4) 8)
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Ebbs has right idea
No uber share just lots more taxi drivers to fix shortage
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Rideshare means no Ebbs renting out 100+ plates and cars.
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Rideshare means no Ebbs renting out 100+ plates and cars.
Least they taxi drivers on same rate as us
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I think the Uber floodgates or similar are starting to creak! We are back to, not enough Taxis at 3.AM on Sun…Saturday,syndrome?….What Leo wants Leo gets Joe public is not happy
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Leo isn't stupid. Uber aren't needed. wont happen. There will be plenty of taxis available to get him to a kylie minogue gig in 2023.
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Leo isn't stupid. Uber aren't needed. wont happen. There will be plenty of taxis available to get him to a kylie minogue gig in 2023.
Dail questions today he was quizzed
Didn't back down
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the elephant in the room. it was leo shut the country down and held our punters hostage for two years that has hobbled the taxi industry. drivers left because there was no work to do because leo shut down the country. maybe leo should be offering reassurances which would encourage more drivers to come back and not threatenin to destroy the taxi game for good this time.
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Politics 101: if they're asking him about rideshare, they're not asking him about the imploding economy or the Garda investigation into him!
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I wonder why some drivers quit because of covid? its not that bad really, chances of a vaccinated person dying from it are slim to none.
The media scaremongering has a lot to answer for, I reckon some people wear the masks when they are having a shower.
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Leo isn't stupid. Uber aren't needed. wont happen. There will be plenty of taxis available to get him to a kylie minogue gig in 2023.
Silly degrading post 1990, posts like that make us all look stoopid.
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Rideshare means no Ebbs renting out 100+ plates and cars.
So what if Ebbs rents out plates/cars/employment ?
WTF has it got to do with you MFH ?
I really don't understand the total hatred drivers have of Taxi renters, maybe just an easy target to pick on.
I rented fer 16 months when I first started out and when I got a few quid together my Taxi renter went way over the top to help me get my vehicle on the road, and I mean really way over the top, driving me to suitability and getting all my safety gear fer me because back then I hadn't a clue.
Vinny Kearns I spoke to just after Covid broke 2 years back and he told me of the deal he offered his younger drivers (whilst encouraging his elder drivers off the road), I don't remember all the details, but it was something like insurance suspended, pay no base fee if not working and claiming PUP, or stay at it and pay a grossly reduced weekly base fee or something along those lines, but it was a most fair offer to all his drivers.
I'm not too sure how he did financially out of Covid but I'm guessing he didn't do too well.
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Rideshare means no Ebbs renting out 100+ plates and cars.
So what if Ebbs rents out plates/cars/employment ?
WTF has it got to do with you MFH ?
I really don't understand the total hatred drivers have of Taxi renters, maybe just an easy target to pick on.
I rented fer 16 months when I first started out and when I got a few quid together my Taxi renter went way over the top to help me get my vehicle on the road, and I mean really way over the top, driving me to suitability and getting all my safety gear fer me because back then I hadn't a clue.
Vinny Kearns I spoke to just after Covid broke 2 years back and he told me of the deal he offered his younger drivers (whilst encouraging his elder drivers off the road), I don't remember all the details, but it was something like insurance suspended, pay no base fee if not working and claiming PUP, or stay at it and pay a grossly reduced weekly base fee or something along those lines, but it was a most fair offer to all his drivers.
I'm not too sure how he did financially out of Covid but I'm guessing he didn't do too well.
Good, hope the cunt is on his way to the poor house
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Leo isn't stupid. Uber aren't needed. wont happen. There will be plenty of taxis available to get him to a kylie minogue gig in 2023.
Silly degrading post 1990, posts like that make us all look stoopid.
why is it degrading? He likes her, it might be degrading to you because you think its degrading to like her?
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Belker I dunno if you have memory issues or perhaps some sort of cognitive impairment but I already told you all companies were entitled to government supports during the pandemic.They only needed to prove their earnings were significantly affected by Covid.
All I said was Ebbs wouldn't have a business if rideshare came in.The bigger leasing companies would eat them alive as drivers would not longer need taxi plates to operate.
Seeing that yourself and TD42 are so certain rideshare is coming to should already know this.
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.... All I said was Ebbs wouldn't have a business if rideshare came in.The bigger leasing companies would eat them alive as drivers would not longer need taxi plates to operate.....
So WTF has Ebbs renting out cars/plates/employment have to do with you MFH ?
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.... Vinny Kearns I spoke to just after Covid broke 2 years back and he told me of the deal he offered his younger drivers (whilst encouraging his elder drivers off the road), I don't remember all the details, but it was something like insurance suspended, pay no base fee if not working and claiming PUP, or stay at it and pay a grossly reduced weekly base fee or something along those lines, but it was a most fair offer to all his drivers.
I'm not too sure how he did financially out of Covid but I'm guessing he didn't do too well.
Good, hope the cunt is on his way to the poor house
Why so El Tonio ?
Did he do you a Wrong in the past ?
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Leo isn't stupid. Uber aren't needed. wont happen. There will be plenty of taxis available to get him to a kylie minogue gig in 2023.
Silly degrading post 1990, posts like that make us all look stoopid.
why is it degrading? He likes her, it might be degrading to you because you think its degrading to like her?
You know full well why it is degrading, don't be acting the fool 1990 !
If you have comment to make then make it properly rather than disrespect anyone personally to support your argument.
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So WTF has Ebbs renting out cars/plates/employment have to do with you MFH?
Belker it is relevant to the topic as they are speaking out against ridshare because they would be negatively affected and their business would disappear overnight..I'm a driver and would work away but they'd be fukked within weeks.Nothing to do with safety and they know it.Vinny and Ebbs had no problem cheging full base fees during the recession and were amongst some of the biggest discounters in Dublin.Many of their cars were hogging the ranks because they had fuk all work.
More importantly what the fuk are you jumping in trying to defend people that didn't ask to be defended.You're a very odd bloke.You seem to get a thrill out of losing arguments.Mind your own business and you'll be more chilled out.
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Leo isn't stupid. Uber aren't needed. wont happen. There will be plenty of taxis available to get him to a kylie minogue gig in 2023.
Silly degrading post 1990, posts like that make us all look stoopid.
why is it degrading? He likes her, it might be degrading to you because you think its degrading to like her?
You know full well why it is degrading, don't be acting the fool 1990 !
If you have comment to make then make it properly rather than disrespect anyone personally to support your argument.
Not sure why you have such a problem with me saying that, there is a lot worse said on this forum. Are you a big Fine Gael supporter or something or a Kylie fan yourself? ::fds
Also just because I made the comment doesn't mean im talking for all taxi drivers as you implied I make them all look bad by the Kylie comment.
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.... Vinny Kearns I spoke to just after Covid broke 2 years back and he told me of the deal he offered his younger drivers (whilst encouraging his elder drivers off the road), I don't remember all the details, but it was something like insurance suspended, pay no base fee if not working and claiming PUP, or stay at it and pay a grossly reduced weekly base fee or something along those lines, but it was a most fair offer to all his drivers.
I'm not too sure how he did financially out of Covid but I'm guessing he didn't do too well.
Good, hope the cunt is on his way to the poor house
Why so El Tonio ?
Did he do you a Wrong in the past ?
Ask Vinny how he treated his longest serving Xpert employee his sales manager .
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the elephant in the room. it was leo shut the country down and held our punters hostage for two years that has hobbled the taxi industry. drivers left because there was no work to do because leo shut down the country. maybe leo should be offering reassurances which would encourage more drivers to come back and not threatenin to destroy the taxi game for good this time.
A radical but excellent point of view to ponder ...
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Politics 101: if they're asking him about rideshare, they're not asking him about the imploding economy or the Garda investigation into him!
Ditto
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So WTF has Ebbs renting out cars/plates/employment have to do with you MFH?
Belker it is relevant to the topic as they are speaking out against ridshare because they would be negatively affected and their business would disappear overnight..I'm a driver and would work away but they'd be fukked within weeks......
So what ?
As I see it they are speaking in your favour.
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Leo isn't stupid. Uber aren't needed. wont happen. There will be plenty of taxis available to get him to a kylie minogue gig in 2023.
Silly degrading post 1990, posts like that make us all look stoopid.
why is it degrading? He likes her, it might be degrading to you because you think its degrading to like her?
You know full well why it is degrading, don't be acting the fool 1990 !
If you have comment to make then make it properly rather than disrespect anyone personally to support your argument.
Not sure why you have such a problem with me saying that, there is a lot worse said on this forum. Are you a big Fine Gael supporter or something or a Kylie fan yourself? ::fds
Also just because I made the comment doesn't mean im talking for all taxi drivers as you implied I make them all look bad by the Kylie comment.
My apologies 1990, and agreed there is a lot worse said on this forum.
I had you down as a sincere man with rational thoughts but I got it wrong.
Let you Plug away with your underhand 'Kylie' comments .....