Irish Taxi Forum
Public Area => Taxi Talk => Topic started by: silverbullet on January 26, 2023, 10:59:39 pm
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Ireland’s taxi shortage is fuelled by the complex process required to get a licence, General Manager of Uber Ireland Kieran Harte has said.
During the pandemic, many taxi drivers quit the industry and when restrictions loosened decided not to return.
Even prior to COVID-19, the industry was slowly contracting and Mr Harte says Uber is often contacted by people who are put off by what it takes to get a licence.
“The biggest challenge for them is they are not able to licence the vehicle that they currently own,” he told Newstalk Breakfast.
“To get a new vehicle licence, it needs to be a very specific make and model by the NTA and it’s been like that for 10 years.”
A line of taxis in Dublin city centre, 13-05-2021. Image: Artur Widak/NurPhotoA line of taxis in Dublin city centre, 13-05-2021. Image: Artur Widak/NurPhoto
Others find the amount of training they are required to go through off-putting.
“Many drivers tell us they’re just not prepared to do the six months training to memorise every street and landmark in their local area,” Mr Harte said.
Last month, Fine Gael’s Neale Richmond said the Government has to do more to help the industry.
“I think we are all very grateful for the service they provide and we’re happy to pay it but ultimately, we don’t have enough taxis in Dublin or across Ireland,” he told Newstalk Breakfast.
“We don’t have enough taxi drivers coming out at the times that are a little bit less appealing; we don’t have enough taxi drivers servicing the airport and we need collectively to do a lot more to get more taxis out on the street to provide that service.”
Main image: Taxis in line at O'Connell street, Dublin city centre. Image: Wanderley Massafelli/Photocall Ireland
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Its like reading the same article for the last few years ::sleep let them talk all the $hit they like.
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Newstalk is pure shite lately.But just for balance Freenow and Ebbs both have taxi training courses.Freenow have been pushing to ease up on the taxi exam for a long time.
The exam was already simplified a few years ago.Yer man from Uber is talking bollox also.It doesn't take six months to study for the taxi test.With the ammount of test material in circulation from online courses you should be able to pass it in a few weeks.
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I agree regarding Newstalk, Pat Kenny in the morning isn't bad and I love listening to Bobby Kerr on a Saturday morning but anything with Andrea Gilligan is just depressing, people ringing in with problems non stop, I have enough to be worrying about without listening to that. They were obsessed with Covid as well during the pandemic, I often had to turn it off and listen to music instead.
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Can't listen to that Andrea Gilligan, and the way she trys to make it sound that what she is talking about is important. Her accent also kills me with her emphasis on the vowel i.
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Can't listen to that Andrea Gilligan, and the way she trys to make it sound that what she is talking about is important. Her accent also kills me with her emphasis on the vowel i.
They shud parachute that nordy moany weapon into the Ukrainian front .....she's absolutely atrocious ...pure torture ...ive heard more interestin noise comin out of me arse after a curry an a rake of pints ....Ken an horse wud be more fun on that show .....
Still talkin shite ...but make you thank God yur not either of them
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Drivers' represntatives Jim Waldron and Joe Herron (RIP) told them years ago that thousands of drivers left the trade to pursue more lucrative vocational opportunities, long before COVID '19 anall... and they done nothing about it. In fact, Jim Waldron told them in no uncertain terms that the cost of entry is too high.... and they done nothing about it.
Interesting to note that prospective clients "are all very grateful for the service" we provide and are "happy to pay". I wonder how many Free Now clients know how little of the fare charged by Free Now goes to the driver?
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Drivers' represntatives Jim Waldron and Joe Herron (RIP) told them years ago that thousands of drivers left the trade to pursue more lucrative vocational opportunities, long before COVID '19 anall... and they done nothing about it. In fact, Jim Waldron told them in no uncertain terms that the cost of entry is too high.... and they done nothing about it. ......
The entry fee's regarding passing the Taxi exam, getting a Taxi licence, installing a meter and roofie, stickers/decals, Etc. (reduced motor tax) are minor at about 1K, in comparrison to the outlay fer a new'ish WAV vehicle at circa 17K and first year insurance at 7K.
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Drivers' represntatives Jim Waldron and Joe Herron (RIP) told them years ago that thousands of drivers left the trade to pursue more lucrative vocational opportunities, long before COVID '19 anall... and they done nothing about it. In fact, Jim Waldron told them in no uncertain terms that the cost of entry is too high.... and they done nothing about it. ......
The entry fee's regarding passing the Taxi exam, getting a Taxi licence, installing a meter and roofie, stickers/decals, Etc. (reduced motor tax) are minor at about 1K, in comparrison to the outlay fer a new'ish WAV vehicle at circa 17K and first year insurance at 7K.
I think you will pay 23,000 for a 5 year old WAV now. 14,000 was all you had to pay a few year ago.
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"Many drivers" are tellin him fukall....it's hard enough trying to get an answer on their app.
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Indeed T1990, the cost of entry has virtually doubled since taxi drivers themselves (through their appointed representative, Jim Waldron) told NTA that the cost of entry is too high.
Give that NTA in it's last review of WAV standards cited the availability of second hand imports from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as central to it's then selected specification one could well argue that yet another review is required as Brexit has severely diminished that chain of supply.
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Indeed T1990, the cost of entry has virtually doubled since taxi drivers themselves (through their appointed representative, Jim Waldron) told NTA that the cost of entry is too high.
Give that NTA in it's last review of WAV standards cited the availability of second hand imports from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as central to it's then selected specification one could well argue that yet another review is required as Brexit has severely diminished that chain of supply.
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Sure if they're good enough for their spa's, they're good enough for ours.
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It's not the suitability of the vehicles that Jim Waldron was questioning or criticising, it was the cost... and that was well before COVID '19 anall and before the cost virtually doubled on account of Brexit.
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It's not the suitability of the vehicles that Jim Waldron was questioning or criticising, it was the cost... and that was well before COVID '19 anall and before the cost virtually doubled on account of Brexit.
Doesn't his Co-director of NPHTA own and rent out dozens of taxis?
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I don't know what the corpoate structure of NPHTA is but Oxo personally owns a load of plates and, AFAIK, Waldron works as his rent/bad debt collector/enforcer in that enterprise.
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I don't know what the corpoate structure of NPHTA is but Oxo personally owns a load of plates and, AFAIK, Waldron works as his rent/bad debt collector/enforcer in that enterprise.
Is his main job still as a talent scout?
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No idea... he's not someone I'd have a lot to do with.
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No idea... he's not someone I'd have a lot to do with.
Ditto.
Fairly pointless since de-reg.
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Since birth, I woulda said...
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Since birth, I woulda said...
8)