Irish Taxi Forum
Public Area => Taxi Talk => Topic started by: silverbullet on February 21, 2024, 11:37:56 pm
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Taxi shortages: ‘A guy in here only last weekend had to walk six or seven kilometres home at 2am’
Problems getting taxis in the west of Ireland are putting people off socialising, say business owners, while drivers decry recent rule introductions
Terry McTiernan says the age profile of taxi drivers is older and the sector should be 'opened up'. Photograph: Brian Farrell
Marese McDonagh
Sat Feb 17 2024 - 06:15
When Geraldine Lavelle worked at the Atlantic Technological University in Sligo, she regularly opted to manoeuvre her wheelchair home, a trek that could take 40 minutes, especially if she was battling wind and rain.
“It was better than sitting around not knowing when a taxi would come,” says the artist and writer, who has been paralysed from the chest down since 2013 when a truck knocked her off her bicycle.
This disability rights campaigner has a different perspective than those who believe the “chronic shortage” of taxis is partly due to the requirement since 2010, that all new small public service vehicles (SPSVs), including taxis, hackneys and limousines, must be wheelchair accessible.
Disability rights campaigner Geraldine Lavelle. Photograph: Michael McLaughlin
It is just one factor highlighted by a lobby group, the Taxis for Ireland Coalition, formed late last year in response to what they say is the damage being done to the late-night economy by a shortage of taxis nationwide.
The coalition, which includes vintners’ groups, the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) and taxi-hailing companies Bolt and Uber, says a recent survey shows seven out of 10 people across Ireland find it difficult to get home from pubs and restaurants in their area.
The taxi regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA), found in a survey, in May 2023, that of more than 1,000 urban and rural taxi users, 81 per cent reported finding it easy (under 15 minutes) to get a taxi.
But Leitrim nightclub owner Kenny Murtagh knows people who have walked long distances home in the early hours after nights out in Carrick-on-Shannon. “A guy in here only last weekend had to walk six or seven kilometres home at two o’clock in the morning,” he says.
The problem getting taxis is putting people off socialising, says Murtagh, who imagines Carrick’s problems are “like every town in the country”.
The other side of it is, taxi drivers can get frustrated because the ones that are working are under so much pressure they can’t be hanging around for someone who says ‘I’ll just finish my pint’
— Sligo hotel manager Graeme Semple
Mags Downey Martin has a selection of taxi numbers in her phone but “at least half of them are obsolete” because so many drivers never returned after the Covid lockdowns.
The chief executive of Ballina Chamber of Commerce has been told by those in the sector that taxi numbers locally are down 40 per cent since 2022. She and her husband are lucky because walking home at night from the town centre takes them only 20 minutes.
“As safe as Ballina is,” she says, she would not walk home alone. “A certain demographic are opting to socialise at home rather than go out and have to worry about getting home.” Those who do go out at night must be “shrewd” about the time they leave, she says. “You have to be gone between 12 and one o’clock. Wait until 2.30am at your peril.”
Derek Leonard runs Harrison’s bar in Ballina, which made international headlines when Joe Biden visited in 2017. The US president is beaming in the photographs captured that day but Leonard says many of his older clientele are less relaxed because of worries about getting home.
“They come in at 8pm and they are so stressed out they are gone before 11pm,” says the publican.
Graeme Semple, deputy general manager at the Sligo Park Hotel says receptionists and night porters often bear the brunt of the taxi shortage as guests can get irate if there’s a delay.
“A lot of people who fly in for weddings might have to leave the hotel at 4.30am or 5am to make a return flight from Knock, and it can be tricky getting taxis then,” he says. As well as hosting weddings, the Sligo Park often accommodates those attending functions at out-of-town venues such as Markree Castle and Castle Dargan Hotel.
“Unless there is a bus put on for them they can be trickling through the door up to 5am because there might only be one of two taxis working,” he says.
“It is always tricky around closing time as drivers may pick and choose what trips they are going to do,” he says. “And the other side of it is taxi drivers can get frustrated because the ones that are working are under so much pressure they can’t be hanging around for someone who says ‘I’ll just finish my pint’ when they have a backlog of calls.”
Graeme Semple, deputy general manager in the Sligo Park Hotel. Photograph: Brian Farrell
Terry McTiernan (76) has been in the taxi business in Sligo for 51 years and agrees that the cost of getting into the sector can be a disincentive, even with the maximum grant of €17,500 for a wheelchair accessible taxi.
“The 10-year rule was criminal,” he says, explaining that taxis now have to be taken off the road at 10 years. Having paid €84,000 for a Mercedes Estate E380 in 2008, it galls him to see the car “still going around Sligo in mint condition” a long time after he had to get rid of it. “The taxi regulator says: 10 years, car off the road, good luck and goodbye.”
And while he got a €20,000 grant when he got an electric car, a Volkswagen ID.4, he had to scrap a car and transfer the licence. What hurt him more was that Volkswagen dropped the price of the car by €12,500 since he got it, so his outlay of €43,000 could have been just €30,500 if his timing was better.
The owner of three taxis and two chauffeur-driven cars still works 12-13 hour days but agrees it can be lucrative “if you put in the hours”.
Paul O’Donnell who runs Thomas Connolly’s, Sligo’s oldest pub, says that so many taxi drivers never returned after Covid and it has had an impact on his business, as customers – especially those who need babysitters – can’t take a chance.
“Emigration is also a factor. Some of the younger lads headed off to Australia and Canada. And the costs of getting into the business are astronomical, because if you get a taxi it has to be wheelchair accessible.”
[ Lobby group calls for action on ‘chronic shortage’ of taxis across country ]
The publican is thankful for the extension of the Local Link bus service.
“People come in early at 5 or 6pm for a drink and then out for a meal. They can get back on the bus around 11.30pm, so it is not a bad night.”
As a veteran in the industry, Terry McTiernan doesn’t have a wheelchair accessible vehicle but says while some of those who do “provide an excellent service”, others seem to give preference to non-wheelchair users.
“It is time consuming. You have to get out, open the back door, lower your ramp, get the wheelchair up, then secure the wheelchair,” he says.
He also believes some with wheelchair-accessible vehicles have a higher rate for passengers in wheelchairs. “I think that is a little bit of discrimination against someone who is disabled.”
Figures highlighted by campaigners show a dramatic dip in SPSVs (small public-service vehicles) operating nationally from 21,900 in 2013, at a time when the population has increased sharply.
The most recent figures from the NTA show that on January 31st there were 19,774 licensed SPSVs, 10,496 of them in Dublin.
A spokesman for the regulator says the 26,360 taxi drivers licensed nationally represents 97 per cent of pre-Covid levels while the number in Dublin “now exceeds pre-Covid levels”. The number of licensed SPSVs is now at 93 per cent of pre-Covid levels after a “hugely improved influx into the industry ravaged by Covid”, with 896 SMSVs added to the fleet in 2023.
We are very clear that any new taxis or hackneys would have to be Garda vetted and would need a licence - but it should be easier to get a licence
— Adrian Cummins of the Restaurants Association of Ireland
A recent report commissioned by Bolt, which introduced its taxi-hailing app to Ireland in 2020, found 43 per cent of trips requested by customers in Dublin went unfulfilled during peak times while the figure was higher in Cork, at 56 per cent.
The NTA said only about 5,000 of the 26,360 drivers licensed nationwide were affiliated with the Bolt and Uber apps “and, of course, drivers can choose whether or not to answer app requests when there is lots of work on the street, for which they don’t have to pay up to 15 per cent commission”.
In a November 2023 report, Bolt highlighted Ireland’s “largely inflexible” SPSVs regime and urged a rethink on issues like the wheelchair accessible rule, rigid taxi fares and rules governing drivers using apps who are licensed and dispatched as taxis by a central operator.
Adrian Cummins, chief executive of the RAI, says there has been “a lot of spin and scaremongering” about what the coalition is looking for. “We are very clear that any new taxis or hackneys would have to be Garda vetted and would need a licence – but it should be easier to get a licence.”
Having a wheelchair-accessible vehicle should be optional rather than mandatory, he says, and aspiring drivers should not need to do a geography test in an age when Google maps can bring you “right to the door”.
McTiernan agrees the age profile of taxi drivers is older and says the sector should be “opened up”.
“Anyone coming into the industry in Sligo I would go and shake their hand and wish them luck and tell them: If you work hard there is money to be made.”
Migrant(s)?
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We fucked
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Ok A few Questions .Would people with disabilities be willing to give up their transport grants in favour of more WAVs ?
Rideshare is allowing anybody with a car to pick up for reward .Do people really want that ?
Pubs are dieing because Kids do drugs not because they cannot get a taxi .I transport hundreds of Junkies a Year .Hotels are fucked because they want to gouge people whenever there is something on .Restaurants are fucked because 25 euro for a Burger a Chips is robbing the punters .The reason the HOSPITALITY Industry complain is because they think if there are trillions of taxis available at closing time they can hold on to their customers for longer .
Big Dommo had friends over from Uzbeckistan last week and they wanted to go for a Gargle and then pick up a few Whores and get some Coke .A typical Dublin Tourist weekend they got fucked twice with Drugs and Whores but trying to find a Pub open in Dublin City in the Morning is almost impossible .So thest pricks want us to provide a licenced service while they do no only opening afternoon or evening .Go Figure .
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Didn't all this happen before johnny ?
Remember in 2010 wen all them restaurants an pubs wer closing down an the poor cunts that left ther jobs in ther thousands to get a taxi wer stuck in town in taxi traffic jams beeping at each other an listenin to " ghost town " on the radio an not a soul out .....
Then do yu remember all the pub owners an restaurant owners wer toppin themselves? ...I remember a cople of cases of them walkin out of four courts after the judge left 1 penny in ther bank accounts an they drove off up the mountains , found a tree an swung out of ther toe rope ....
Then the taxi drivers started to do it ......nearly succumbed meself after buyin a house in 08 that is still cheaper today than wen I baut it .....wat a gobshite ...anyway
They all love to blame someone as yu so eloquently pointed out ....an everyone loves to hate taxi drivers ....
Uber has a huge turnover of drivers ....they all learn that ther gettin shafted eventually cause they don't understand
The Costs or choose to ignore untill eventually they get a pain in ther bollix ...
The state of the countries economy is a much bigger worry than uber .....verooka is going to bankrupt ireland ...
Tourism is being decimated wit hotels bein turned inta "direct provision centers " an small businesses closing down all over rural ireland .....the tech companies are still laying off an lookin elsewhere an ther employees cant afford the rents ...the brain drain is in full flight again wit yung doctors , engineers etcetera headin off to somewhere wer thers hope an our social welfare system which is the most generous in the world is attracting roma
Gypsies an Algerians that have no intention of ever working a day in ther life ......from celtic tiger to celtic gobshite all over again .....
Poor cnuts ::sleep
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If Uber had a good app maybe more drivers would use it.
Crock of shoit
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But Leitrim nightclub owner Kenny Murtagh knows people who have walked long distances home in the early hours after nights out in Carrick-on-Shannon. “A guy in here only last weekend had to walk six or seven kilometres home at two o’clock in the morning,” he says.
And the other 999 people in the nightclub?
Why not nip the problem at the bud? Maybe nightclubs should be banned altogether if they leave people in such a vulnerable position late at night?
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We fucked
Nothing new in any of it. Jim Waldron has been calling for more drivers and campaigning for lower entry costs since 2017/8, long before COVID '19.
I'm sure you remember, but just to jog the less reliable memories out there:
https://www.psv.ie/taxi-magazine-february-march-2018-edition/ (https://www.psv.ie/taxi-magazine-february-march-2018-edition/) - page 33 Article entitled "400 Less Cabbies in the last year"
“Many people from trades in the construction sector became taxi drivers when building work dried up and they are now going back to their old jobs as they are providing more regular work and pensions” Mr. Waldron said.
He claimed that the cost for new entrants to the industry was prohibitive as first-time applicants had to buy wheelchair accessible taxis which are considerably more expensive than standard vehicles
To be fair to Waldron, Bolt, Uber et al the cost of entry has further increased quite significantly on foot of Brexit and I guess it's fair to question why new entrants - many of whom are first generation immigrants who may not be fluent in ENGLISH - should need to demonstrate significantly greater knowledge than incumbents.
Despite national recruitment drives on the part of NTA and international recruitment and traihning programmes run by it's advisor, Free Now, we still have a situation where Free Now demands fares well in excess of the national maximum taximeter fare set by NTA at so-called peak times... noting that such surge pricing isn't restricted to pub closing times and is, in fact, prevalent throughout weekend afternoons/evenings. All this while we also read reports of drivers forced to rent taxis and sleep in homeless shelters.
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We fucked
Nothing new in any of it. Jim Waldron has been calling for more drivers and campaigning for lower entry costs since 2017/8, long before COVID '19.
I'm sure you remember, but just to jog the less reliable memories out there:
https://www.psv.ie/taxi-magazine-february-march-2018-edition/ (https://www.psv.ie/taxi-magazine-february-march-2018-edition/) - page 33 Article entitled "400 Less Cabbies in the last year"
“Many people from trades in the construction sector became taxi drivers when building work dried up and they are now going back to their old jobs as they are providing more regular work and pensions” Mr. Waldron said.
He claimed that the cost for new entrants to the industry was prohibitive as first-time applicants had to buy wheelchair accessible taxis which are considerably more expensive than standard vehicles
To be fair to Waldron, Bolt, Uber et al the cost of entry has further increased quite significantly on foot of Brexit and I guess it's fair to question why new entrants - many of whom are first generation immigrants who may not be fluent in ENGLISH - should need to demonstrate significantly greater knowledge than incumbents.
Despite national recruitment drives on the part of NTA and international recruitment and traihning programmes run by it's advisor, Free Now, we still have a situation where Free Now demands fares well in excess of the national maximum taximeter fare set by NTA at so-called peak times... noting that such surge pricing isn't restricted to pub closing times and is, in fact, prevalent throughout weekend afternoons/evenings. All this while we also read reports of drivers forced to rent taxis and sleep in homeless shelters.
Doesn't Jim Waldron's boss OXO Humphrey rent out at least a dozen taxis through the NPHTA? I doubt if the so-called union is a not-for-profit organisation.
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Christopher had 20 odd but transferred about half of them to Dean before the ban on officially transferring plates was introduced. 15 showing now between them, for the most part rented to immigrants, many of whom look like single men of fighting / (child) raping age:
(https://i.postimg.cc/x89LcF6Q/Screenshot-2024-02-23-10-51-01-066.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/47FY0wC2)
Obviously (or maybe not to the post-dereg scum amongst us) Christopher was party to taking the case that led to entry liberalisation back in 1999 hence seeking a return to the Laissez-faire regime that he won back then is wholly consistent with his viewpoint. IIRC, when the Kathleen Doyle entry test was introduced Jim Waldron sat and failed the same, presumably not merely to prove his incompetence as a taxi driver but with a view to highlighting the fact that the test was introduced as an artificial barrier to entry... given that DAA is the only (local) authority that is allowed to regulate numbers based on infrastructural constraints.
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Christopher had 20 odd but transferred about half of them to Dean before the ban on officially transferring plates was introduced. 15 showing now between them, for the most part rented to immigrants, many of whom look like single men of fighting / (child) raping age:
(https://i.postimg.cc/x89LcF6Q/Screenshot-2024-02-23-10-51-01-066.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/47FY0wC2)
Obviously (or maybe not to the post-dereg scum amongst us) Christopher was party to taking the case that led to entry liberalisation back in 1999 hence seeking a return to the Laissez-faire regime that he won back then is wholly consistent with his viewpoint. IIRC, when the Kathleen Doyle entry test was introduced Jim Waldron sat and failed the same, presumably not merely to prove his incompetence as a taxi driver but with a view to highlighting the fact that the test was introduced as an artificial barrier to entry... given that DAA is the only (local) authority that is allowed to regulate numbers based on infrastructural constraints.
There is probably a good income scouting for young boys still, and supplying them to UK clubs. I doubt if Jim has the time with all the driving, representing, and renting he does, but sure, who knows?
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Ironically, he once claimed to be opposed to double jobbing!
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Ironically, he once claimed to be opposed to double jobbing!
I wonder does Oxo have anything to do with Liam Sutcliffe:
https://ie.globaldatabase.com/company/precious-cargo-m-p-v-services-limited#div_shareholders (https://ie.globaldatabase.com/company/precious-cargo-m-p-v-services-limited#div_shareholders)
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/funeral-of-man-who-blew-up-nelson-s-pillar-held-in-dublin-1.3284549 (https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/funeral-of-man-who-blew-up-nelson-s-pillar-held-in-dublin-1.3284549)
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Oxo isn't republican he was shunned by the old guys for a reason
His family are connected to OTHER businesses it is alleged
Dunno if it true
But I won't say hello to him
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Bullshit article full of lies.
one town mentioned in it, there are actually too many taxis available, no shortage whatsoever.
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McTiernan agrees the age profile of taxi drivers is older and says the sector should be “opened up”.
do they think all older taxi drivers will die and not be replaced?
maybe the 30 year olds will become taxi drivers when they hit 40 or 50, like others have done in the past.
it is like a lot of bus drivers are elderly, you aren't going to get loads of lads in their 20s driving taxis, they are too busy drinking in overpriced pubs and nightclubs but they might consider it when in their 30's, 40's, 50s' etc
them ejits walking home at 2 am are probably after pissing themselves, puking on themselves, have no money for a taxi, too abusive with taxi drivers.
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ok say uber ridshare is allowed.
some guy in a rural town needs a taxi at 2 am on a sunday night, all the taxi drivers are at home asleep.
But its ok everyone there are loads of insomniac uber drivers that will drop that guy home for 10 euro, no problem whatsoever, thank god for uber.
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It's all fun & games until some predator parks his car on the main street and waits until a drunk girl asks if his unlicenced unvetted unmarked car is her rideshare?
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I appreciate it's a long article, Watty but if you persevere with it you will note that they are not suggesting unlicensed cars or unvetted drivers. In fact, they state that cars/drivers must be licensed and vetted. To be fair, it's exactly what Jim Waldron has been saying for the guts of 10 years... the substance of the argument being that drivers should have a choice as to whether they opt for saloon or WA vehicles.
I guess lifting the temporary moratorium on the issue of saloon taxi and hackney plates is what Jim Waldron wants, given that he sees the current cost of entry as being excessive and given that his boss, Christy Humprhey (proprietor, NPHTA) went to court to achieve that regime way back in 1999.
As far as the entry test goes I guess they could do away with it for hackneys to revert to providing a (perhaps cheaper) private hire option once again. That might provide a starting point for thicker drivers.
It's difficult to argue that there's no shortage when the largest dispatcher in Dublin (Free Now) demands fares in excess of the national maximum fare set by NTA at all times. If there was sufficient supply the NTA fare would be the norm. However, ironically both Bolt and Uber never charge their clients rates higher than the NTA max fare and they both pay their drivers considerably more than Free Now pays it's (largely immigrant) workers.
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The guy who would shake hands with someone setting up a taxi business in sligo, why doesn't he set one up if there is so much money to be made?
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I appreciate it's a long article, Watty but if you persevere with it you will note that they are not suggesting unlicensed cars or unvetted drivers. In fact, they state that cars/drivers must be licensed and vetted. To be fair, it's exactly what Jim Waldron has been saying for the guts of 10 years... the substance of the argument being that drivers should have a choice as to whether they opt for saloon or WA vehicles.
I guess lifting the temporary moratorium on the issue of saloon taxi and hackney plates is what Jim Waldron wants, given that he sees the current cost of entry as being excessive and given that his boss, Christy Humprhey (proprietor, NPHTA) went to court to achieve that regime way back in 1999.
As far as the entry test goes I guess they could do away with it for hackneys to revert to providing a (perhaps cheaper) private hire option once again. That might provide a starting point for thicker drivers.
It's difficult to argue that there's no shortage when the largest dispatcher in Dublin (Free Now) demands fares in excess of the national maximum fare set by NTA at all times. If there was sufficient supply the NTA fare would be the norm. However, ironically both Bolt and Uber never charge their clients rates higher than the NTA max fare and they both pay their drivers considerably more than Free Now pays it's (largely immigrant) workers.
I appreciate it's a long thread and we're on page 2 but I was replying to the comment above me.
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The coalition, which includes vintners’ groups, the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) and taxi-hailing companies Bolt and Uber, says a recent survey shows seven out of 10 people across Ireland find it difficult to get home from pubs and restaurants in their area.
The taxi regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA), found in a survey, in May 2023, that of more than 1,000 urban and rural taxi users, 81 per cent reported finding it easy (under 15 minutes) to get a taxi.
I was going to say someone is telling porkies but I guess it depends on the question the coaltion asked: (a) Is it hard for you to get a taxi? or (b) is it hard for you to get home because you're legless after drinking a mind-bending drug for hours in the pub?
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McTiernan agrees the age profile of taxi drivers is older and says the sector should be “opened up”.
do they think all older taxi drivers will die and not be replaced?
maybe the 30 year olds will become taxi drivers when they hit 40 or 50, like others have done in the past.
it is like a lot of bus drivers are elderly, you aren't going to get loads of lads in their 20s driving taxis, they are too busy drinking in overpriced pubs and nightclubs but they might consider it when in their 30's, 40's, 50s' etc
them ejits walking home at 2 am are probably after pissing themselves, puking on themselves, have no money for a taxi, too abusive with taxi drivers.
Dublin Bus is advertising positions for Bus Drivers of all sexes:https://www.dublinbus.ie/careers/bus-drivers
They are now promoting a campaign to highlight attacks on Public Transport workers:
https://www.transportforireland.ie/news/nta-launches-campaign-to-encourage-respect-for-public-transport-staff/ (https://www.transportforireland.ie/news/nta-launches-campaign-to-encourage-respect-for-public-transport-staff/)
The wages look good until you realise you're both a Johnny PunchClock for your employer...and a Johnny PunchBag for the general public.
Migrant(s)? should apply.
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Is the AIB account a taxi driver only account or how does it work out that taxi drivers pay higher fees, t1990?
I'd probably have more than a grand in N26 from time to time but I try to keep Revolut well under that, which isn't particularly difficult. You can transfer money to any other (Irish or not) savings (or other) account from N26 free of charge anyway and you pay no transaction fees so it's a no-brainer for a current account. I get my wages from Sumup, Free Now and Bolt all paid into N26 and use that or Revolut for any card/internet purchases I might make.
I think you can rent a number 27 bus from Dublin Bus for €800/week, SB. Sure you'd get that back of a slow Tuesday.
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The guy who would shake hands with someone setting up a taxi business in sligo, why doesn't he set one up if there is so much money to be made?
He did... 51 years ago and he's still working 12-13 hours per day at the age of 76. He owns 3 taxis and 2 Limousines - all from the OP!
Probably NPHTA's man in the Wesht given that his opinion mirrors Jim Waldron's, almost word for word.
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I appreciate it's a long article, Watty but if you persevere with it you will note that they are not suggesting unlicensed cars or unvetted drivers. In fact, they state that cars/drivers must be licensed and vetted. To be fair, it's exactly what Jim Waldron has been saying for the guts of 10 years... the substance of the argument being that drivers should have a choice as to whether they opt for saloon or WA vehicles.
I guess lifting the temporary moratorium on the issue of saloon taxi and hackney plates is what Jim Waldron wants, given that he sees the current cost of entry as being excessive and given that his boss, Christy Humprhey (proprietor, NPHTA) went to court to achieve that regime way back in 1999.
As far as the entry test goes I guess they could do away with it for hackneys to revert to providing a (perhaps cheaper) private hire option once again. That might provide a starting point for thicker drivers.
It's difficult to argue that there's no shortage when the largest dispatcher in Dublin (Free Now) demands fares in excess of the national maximum fare set by NTA at all times. If there was sufficient supply the NTA fare would be the norm. However, ironically both Bolt and Uber never charge their clients rates higher than the NTA max fare and they both pay their drivers considerably more than Free Now pays it's (largely immigrant) workers.
I appreciate it's a long thread and we're on page 2 but I was replying to the comment above me.
Fair enough!
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ok say uber ridshare is allowed.
some guy in a rural town needs a taxi at 2 am on a sunday night, all the taxi drivers are at home asleep.
But its ok everyone there are loads of insomniac uber drivers that will drop that guy home for 10 euro, no problem whatsoever, thank god for uber.
I appreciate it's a long article, t1990 but if you persevere with it you will note that they are not suggesting unlicensed cars or unvetted drivers. In fact, they state that cars/drivers must be licensed and vetted. To be fair, it's exactly what Jim Waldron has been saying for the guts of 10 years... the substance of the argument being that drivers should have a choice as to whether they opt for saloon or WA vehicles.
I guess lifting the temporary moratorium on the issue of saloon taxi and hackney plates is what Jim Waldron wants, given that he sees the current cost of entry as being excessive and given that his boss, Christy Humprhey (proprietor, NPHTA) went to court to achieve that regime way back in 1999.
As far as the entry test goes I guess they could do away with it for hackneys to revert to providing a (perhaps cheaper) private hire option once again. That might provide a starting point for thicker drivers.
It's difficult to argue that there's no shortage when the largest dispatcher in Dublin (Free Now) demands fares in excess of the national maximum fare set by NTA at all times. If there was sufficient supply the NTA fare would be the norm. However, ironically both Bolt and Uber never charge their clients rates higher than the NTA max fare and they both pay their drivers considerably more than Free Now pays it's (largely immigrant) workers.
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ok say uber ridshare is allowed.
some guy in a rural town needs a taxi at 2 am on a sunday night, all the taxi drivers are at home asleep.
But its ok everyone there are loads of insomniac uber drivers that will drop that guy home for 10 euro, no problem whatsoever, thank god for uber.
I appreciate it's a long article, t1990 but if you persevere with it you will note that they are not suggesting unlicensed cars or unvetted drivers. In fact, they state that cars/drivers must be licensed and vetted. To be fair, it's exactly what Jim Waldron has been saying for the guts of 10 years... the substance of the argument being that drivers should have a choice as to whether they opt for saloon or WA vehicles.
I guess lifting the temporary moratorium on the issue of saloon taxi and hackney plates is what Jim Waldron wants, given that he sees the current cost of entry as being excessive and given that his boss, Christy Humprhey (proprietor, NPHTA) went to court to achieve that regime way back in 1999.
As far as the entry test goes I guess they could do away with it for hackneys to revert to providing a (perhaps cheaper) private hire option once again. That might provide a starting point for thicker drivers.
It's difficult to argue that there's no shortage when the largest dispatcher in Dublin (Free Now) demands fares in excess of the national maximum fare set by NTA at all times. If there was sufficient supply the NTA fare would be the norm. However, ironically both Bolt and Uber never charge their clients rates higher than the NTA max fare and they both pay their drivers considerably more than Free Now pays it's (largely immigrant) workers.
im not saying they want unlicenced taxis, im saying why do they think it would make a difference to getting a taxi at 2 am on say a tuesday night in ballygobackwards? them Uber drivers need sleep as well, they arent robots or am wrong?
I agree that the need for wav taxis for new entrants should be stopped.
maybe even get rid of the 10 and 15 year rule. if the car is roadworthy maybe it can do the job.
regarding AIB, I should have said business people get charged 29 cent per transaction and as we are business people, it applies to us.
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So, you agree with everything they actually want so you're making up stuff you think they might want so you have something to get furious about?
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So, you agree with everything they actually want so you're making up stuff you think they might want so you have something to get furious about?
That does tend to happen a lot on here !! lol
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So, you agree with everything they actually want so you're making up stuff you think they might want so you have something to get furious about?
You are ignoring what my point was, about uber drivers sleeping the same as taxi drivers. Or do you think they will work through the night? In rural towns.
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Bleedin gas ....has uber got licky lacky arse lickers aswell ? Any the good jobs come up an I press them it goes to some other cnut ....even if I'm smashing the button ....tryin
To make yu work harder wit " ha ha ...computer says no " ...sort o ting .....
Annoyin cnuts
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It happens to me too Octy.I'm fairly sure lads are using software to gain an advantage but it may just be that the job goes out to a few drivers at the same time and the computer decides who deserves the job within seconds.It's also possibly a deliberate tactic to make us less fussy by making the jobs seem hard to get.
I frequently miss jobs that I'm right on top of as close as within 5 meters.
The thing is I nearly always get the next one whatever way it's setup
One thing I'm hearing from the passengers is they used to use Freenow so it's clear Uber has taken a lot of business You can spot the former Freenow customers a mile a away as they're ratings are usually shit and they nearly always keep you waiting.Some things never change.
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It happens to me too Octy.I'm fairly sure lads are using software to gain an advantage but it may just be that the job goes out to a few drivers at the same time and the computer decides who deserves the job within seconds.It's also possibly a deliberate tactic to make us less fussy by making the jobs seem hard to get.
I frequently miss jobs that I'm right on top of as close as within 5 meters.
The thing is I nearly always get the next one whatever way it's setup
One thing I'm hearing from the passengers is they used to use Freenow so it's clear Uber has taken a lot of business You can spot the former Freenow customers a mile a away as they're ratings are usually shit and they nearly always keep you waiting.Some things never change.
The new BOLT punters are usually paying cash on a return job.
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So, you agree with everything they actually want so you're making up stuff you think they might want so you have something to get furious about?
You are ignoring what my point was, about uber drivers sleeping the same as taxi drivers. Or do you think they will work through the night? In rural towns.
Your point has no relevance to what the NPHTA/Uber/Bolt coalition are seeking. We already have Uber drivers, some work late nights, others don't. The problem with no new blood coming into the trade is less appetite for work among drivers at all times hence we see Free Now charging increased fares 24/7 up above in Dublin with fares very significantly increased at peak times (generally weekend afternoons/evening). The relatively high average age of drivers tells us that the vast majority have no minor Children to support and have no mortgages to pay. Throw in the virtually free cars them mean and nasty greens are making us take and you're left without any great need to work more than a few hours a day. I suspect the coalition would like to attract more younger married men with families to support and mortgages to pay. To be fair to Uber and Bolt, despite any shortages in supply they still don't charge fares in excess of the NTA maximum national taximeter fare and they still pay their drivers significantly higher rates than Free Now.
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So, you agree with everything they actually want so you're making up stuff you think they might want so you have something to get furious about?
You are ignoring what my point was, about uber drivers sleeping the same as taxi drivers. Or do you think they will work through the night? In rural towns.
Your point has no relevance to what the NPHTA/Uber/Bolt coalition are seeking. We already have Uber drivers, some work late nights, others don't. The problem with no new blood coming into the trade is less appetite for work among drivers at all times hence we see Free Now charging increased fares 24/7 up above in Dublin with fares very significantly increased at peak times (generally weekend afternoons/evening). The relatively high average age of drivers tells us that the vast majority have no minor Children to support and have no mortgages to pay. Throw in the virtually free cars them mean and nasty greens are making us take and you're left without any great need to work more than a few hours a day. I suspect the coalition would like to attract more younger married men with families to support and mortgages to pay. To be fair to Uber and Bolt, despite any shortages in supply they still don't charge fares in excess of the NTA maximum national taximeter fare and they still pay their drivers significantly higher rates than Free Now.
I know millionaire taxi drivers, they would work 8 days a week if they could. Lads with maybe 10 houses and other businesses, no lazy taxi drivers where I work.
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Their children will be happy but I presume they know a coffin is a tight fit and they can't take all that money with them!
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.... I know millionaire taxi drivers, they would work 8 days a week if they could. Lads with maybe 10 houses and other businesses, no lazy taxi drivers where I work.
Who cares ? Let 'em at it !
I do my few hours a week to cover expenses and care not a jot what anyone else does. lol
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.... I know millionaire taxi drivers, they would work 8 days a week if they could. Lads with maybe 10 houses and other businesses, no lazy taxi drivers where I work.
Who cares ? Let 'em at it !
I do my few hours a week to cover expenses and care not a jot what anyone else does. lol
I agree, I don't care what they do either but I don't get this idea that taxi drivers are lazy and don't want to work. Lots of drivers who would drive over their Granny to get a fare.
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Most of the lads I know of my era would sleep on the floor ifn you put work in the bed. Free Now's stats show the lads taking a grand a week from their app alone are only doing 31 hours per week... although they're probably the hungry cunts who switch all the apps off at pub closing time and do another 10 or 12 hours incognito.
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https://extra.ie/2024/03/06/news/irish-news/taxi-industry-leo-varadkar
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https://extra.ie/2024/03/06/news/irish-news/taxi-industry-leo-varadkar
The lady is not for turning...does a u-turn. 8)
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Free now must have been talking to him.