Irish Taxi Forum
Public Area => Taxi Talk => Topic started by: Belker on November 10, 2025, 08:51:37 am
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My letter to the NTA regarding Tariff 3.
To whom it may concern at the NTA.
Firstly congratulations to whomever at the NTA solved the almost unsolveable problem of taxi shortages in Irish cities on weekend nights by introducing the weekend tariff 3, Take a Bow !, it was brilliant and works perfectly.
But unfortunately ye missed a spot, that being the Sunday night/Monday morning midnight to 4am of Bank holiday weekends to also include 17th and 18th March.
Taxi drivers in general are horrendous creatures of habit and very set in their routines, and a lot of them especially those that live outside the cities will not work any Sunday night regardless if it's a Bank holiday or not, Tariff 3 on those nights might change their minds.
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It's a cock up. Taxis are expensive enough already. The public are gettin caught off guard by fares ballooning on them. It was cooked up to incentivise more taxi drivers to work to address an alleged taxi shortage on a saturday night.There is no shortage of taxis on a saturday night. By adopting it the NTA and taxi drivers are conceeding that there is in fact a shortage of taxis. There is no shortage of taxis.
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The NTA might argue there is enough taxis, 16,000 in Dublin alone, but there's not enough when they're needed on Fri/Sat night. Far too many old-timers (childers gone and mortgage paid) are happy to sit outside shopping centres reading the newspapers and doing the odd fiver run home with the housewives and their shopping. They might say we need some get-up-and-go, some dynamism, some fresh blood!
(https://i.ibb.co/7Nj6YwS3/Taxi-driver-Age-Profile-2023.jpg)
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There's certainly merit in both the arguments above i.e. from Ken and Doc.
As far as not including BH Sundays and Paddy's Day (the busiest night of the year) in Rate 3 goes... that was just pure stupidity but typical of the level of incompetence we expect from the halfwits in NTA.
Rate 3 fares turning folk off using taxis is certainly an issue and one that probably extends beyond Rate 3 times. Most folk don't pay much attention to different rates and such like so some will inevitably get the impression that taxis are always that expensive so avoid using them at all times and/or dismiss us out of hand as a potential inclusion in an alternative to car ownership.
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It's a very small window of work that would affect an insigficant number of night drivers to justify us all paying for installers and meter seals all over again.
My taxi has only ever been working tariff 1 except on Sunday day shift in the last ten years.
The easing of the geography exam will ensure there are more taxis available more of the time as drivers struggle to make an easy living on the day shift.Some will move to nights and any perceived shortages will be filled in a year or two as the economy slows more.
Let's hope I'm wrong but that's kinda what happened the last time.
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It certainly has worked in providing more taxis, and it's worth looking into applying it to other days as suggested. It's still worth rememberng that max difference it can make over tariff 2 €6.50 if 15km travelled, after that no different to tariff 2.
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There's no telling how many €6.50s we'd need to cover the €240+ programming/sealing fee... Maybe they could tweak it at the next fare change?
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The NTA might argue there is enough taxis, 16,000 in Dublin alone, but there's not enough when they're needed on Fri/Sat night. Far too many old-timers (childers gone and mortgage paid) are happy to sit outside shopping centres reading the newspapers and doing the odd fiver run home with the housewives and their shopping. They might say we need some get-up-and-go, some dynamism, some fresh blood!
(https://i.ibb.co/7Nj6YwS3/Taxi-driver-Age-Profile-2023.jpg)
That's 2 years ago. Given the influx of new drivers I would say the age profile has changed big time
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Thanks for reminding me. They published new stats in July 2025 --> SPSV Statistics for Ireland – Statistical Bulletin No. 1 2025 (https://www.nationaltransport.ie/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SPSV-Bulletin-2024.pdf) (PDF)
Driver Age Profile: Figure 8 provides the breakdown of the SPSV driver age profile for Ireland from 2016 to 2024. (Page 17)
(https://i.ibb.co/3ywFDRQ7/Taxi-Driver-Age-Profile-2025-1200px.jpg)
If my maths is correct -
About ~66% over the age of 50 and ~33% under...
37% over the age of 60 and 11% over 70 :o :o :o
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The taxi fares are fucking ridiculous a fare in Galway that used to cost from the square to lurgan pk/murrough drive used to cost max with the 18 with worst traffic but its gone to over 24 euro according to my mother the taxi she took from big o on the rank the guy wouldn't go through renmore pk he stuck to the main road all the way in a traffic jam to get there. Those fuckers are giving the taxis who will look for the best route a bad name. My mother now is on bus only from now on. Another taxi customer lost.
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The taxi fares are fucking ridiculous a fare in Galway that used to cost from the square to lurgan pk/murrough drive used to cost max with the 18 with worst traffic but its gone to over 24 euro according to my mother the taxi she took from big o on the rank the guy wouldn't go through renmore pk he stuck to the main road all the way in a traffic jam to get there. Those fuckers are giving the taxis who will look for the best route a bad name. My mother now is on bus only from now on. Another taxi customer lost.
There is no shortage of Taxi drivers Acting the Maggot, but that is a separate topic.
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It's a cock up. Taxis are expensive enough already. The public are gettin caught off guard by fares ballooning on them. It was cooked up to incentivise more taxi drivers to work to address an alleged taxi shortage on a saturday night.There is no shortage of taxis on a saturday night. By adopting it the NTA and taxi drivers are conceeding that there is in fact a shortage of taxis. There is no shortage of taxis.
I dunno where you work Gerry, but there was a serious shortage of Taxis on weekend nights where I work in Cork city, it was Bedlam every Fri and Sat night to get a Taxi prior to the introduction of the weekend Tariff 3, as was frequently reported in the media.
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It's a very small window of work that would affect an insigficant number of night drivers to justify us all paying for installers and meter seals all over again. .....
Thanks MFH, I will edit my letter to state that the new rate dates to be applied at the next fare review.
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It certainly has worked in providing more taxis, and it's worth looking into applying it to other days as suggested. It's still worth rememberng that max difference it can make over tariff 2 €6.50 if 15km travelled, after that no different to tariff 2.
Indeed so Harry, Tariff 2B kicks in after 15km travelled and is exactly the same as Tariff 3 at 2.20 per KM.
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Reply
Dear Driver ,
Thank you for your kind response to our initiative .Unfortunatly Service Providers do not reflect the success of the Increased tarriffs .They say they have unfulfilled demand at Peak times and also on major Sporting and Cultural events like Parades events and Concerts .
In line with the Industry Blueprint we have yet to introduce as Suggested In Goodbody a Prime Time Plate .This will mirror the old tried and trusted Pre Dereg Hack .The Service providers who have been operating a Prime time window on their Apps to distinguish between High and Low demand .They have even offered Bobo to incentivise Licenced Drivers to compete at these times with Limited Success .
At Present the Major Taxi App providers have Proposed in Line with Goodbody Industry Blueprint ,That the Taxithingey should release half Plates that could be administered by LICENCED DISPATCHERS by means of Digital fixed fares at prime Time .As these Drivers could only access work at Prime times .Only with the NTA dedication of a time slot as Prime could these Applications offer work to Half Plate Drivers .
This Proposal is under consideration .We recently asked the Public and Drivers about reducing the Geography element as Apps can download directions to operators .We also asked Drivers if they worked the Golden 8 .
The Proposal under consideration is In line with Goodbody the Industry Blueprint to Issue Prime Time Licences to be operated by LICENCED DISPATCHERS to provide Prime Time Services for PASSENGERS while retaining Licenced taxi services for Fullly licenced drivers .Who can both answer Application hails and on street hails in line with present licencing requirements .
The Taxithingey strives to service BOTH Service Providers and SERVICE USERS .As Full time licenced Taxi service Providers may incur higher operating Costs .We have devised a Grant system for SERVICE PROVIDERS to upgrade their vehicles .
Recent changes at Dublin Airport wher App Providers have provided back up services to existing licenced taxi drivers by means of App pre booking services fot Taxis .Wheelchair Accessable and Limousines has been very successfull in alleviating taxi shortages at Prime Times .
Yours .
Anonomous Civil Servant
There are two sides to the Trade USERS and Drivers .MORE USERS .Its Ridehare as described in Goodbody .I would not bet a Cent against Half plates being issued before Christmas 2026.
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The taxi fares are fucking ridiculous a fare in Galway that used to cost from the square to lurgan pk/murrough drive used to cost max with the 18 with worst traffic but its gone to over 24 euro according to my mother the taxi she took from big o on the rank the guy wouldn't go through renmore pk he stuck to the main road all the way in a traffic jam to get there. Those fuckers are giving the taxis who will look for the best route a bad name. My mother now is on bus only from now on. Another taxi customer lost.
The removal of Hackneys from rural areas is a problem, no doubt about that. Trade like bringing your mother and many others on regular runs at reasonable rates is being lost. Back in the good old days you wouldn't see a taxi beyond Dublin Airport and even when they arrived following entry liberalisation it took a number of years to replace budget friendly fixed fares with relatively extortionate metered rates. Essentially we're charging city prices in every parish in the country.... not unlike a rural publican looking for €10+ for a pint of plain. Something has to give.
In recent years the apps have made up the difference giving substantial discounts out of their pockets to obtain dominant positions in the market. All very well for the young computer literate hipsters but not much use to the older lady who just wants to ring her local firm or driver... and all very well until the discounts are withdrawn or have to be covered by drivers... drivers who don't remember when a €3 local was €3... drivers who are put under extreme financial pressure with all the new rules - essentially artificial barriers to entry/participation - introduced by a bunch of penpushers in NTA who couldn't give a flying fuck about the poor old bachelor stuck on his isolated farm without any chance of social intercourse from one end of the year to the other.
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Can we be sure that it's tariff 3 effect and not just more drivers working later nights since the slow down in taxi business and in the wider economy.Tourism was down 10% last year which is huge and most pubs are empty during the week from what I have seen.
When there are fewer taxi jobs it seems like there are always enough empty taxis floating around.
Business doesnt always slow overnight ,it can be a gradual thing that's been happening for months and the recent higher fares may well have been disguising lower passenger numbers in our earnings.
The data that Uber and Freenow have may well have flagged lower demand and that's why they're trying to bend us over with fixed fare discounts.
Doomed we are.
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Weekday night work has slowed considerably since I started back in mid June. All was good before I went away for 5 weeks at the start of May.
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Bollix... I was gonna do a bit of that this week and next week to try to compensate for taking the weekends off!
To be fair last night c.18:30-c.00:00 wasn't a disaster... apart from finishing in fucking Neilstown... for the 2nd night in a row... except the M50 entry lane was closed last night so I went through the city.... and got fuckall that I wanted off either Uber or Free Now the whole way home.
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Weekday night work has slowed considerably since I started back in mid June. All was good before I went away for 5 weeks at the start of May.
I have found the mid week game (especially Mon/Tues/Wed) to be very poor since 1st Jan this year, hence I now focus most of my working hours on long weekend shifts.
P.S. Thanks to all that contributed on the Tariff 3 issue, I have edited my letter to the NTA after reading your responces.
lol
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Indeed. I've ended up with 42.06+% of my eggs in the Saturday basket for the last 3 weeks, not to mention Sunday afternoons which means no wine with one's Sunday luncheon. I doubt many clients appreciate the sacrifices we make. Alas, weekends probably aren't an option for the next couple of weeks.
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Indeed. I've ended up with 42.06+% of my eggs in the Saturday basket for the last 3 weeks, not to mention Sunday afternoons which means no wine with one's Sunday luncheon. I doubt many clients appreciate the sacrifices we make. Alas, weekends probably aren't an option for the next couple of weeks.
The Office parties will kick off the weekend after next (21st Nov) and will keep us night drivers busy on weekends untill the absolute mayhem kicks in fer 2 weeks straight on 19th Dec.
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i fuckinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn hate christmas.
i fuckinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn hate when i hear a cunt say "Stevensiz Day" instead of Stephen's Day.
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Indeed. Sounds horrendous, Ken. I generally don't work much, if at all, in December but as I have to buy a car that I don't want or need early next year I reckon I'm gonna have to pitch in.
I won't do Christmas day though and I doubt I'll work Boxing day.
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Think they should be a tarrif 3 between 6am and 8am.
Big shortage of taxis at that time
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The taxi fares are fucking ridiculous a fare in Galway that used to cost from the square to lurgan pk/murrough drive used to cost max with the 18 with worst traffic but its gone to over 24 euro according to my mother the taxi she took from big o on the rank the guy wouldn't go through renmore pk he stuck to the main road all the way in a traffic jam to get there. Those fuckers are giving the taxis who will look for the best route a bad name. My mother now is on bus only from now on. Another taxi customer lost.
The removal of Hackneys from rural areas is a problem, no doubt about that. Trade like bringing your mother and many others on regular runs at reasonable rates is being lost. Back in the good old days you wouldn't see a taxi beyond Dublin Airport and even when they arrived following entry liberalisation it took a number of years to replace budget friendly fixed fares with relatively extortionate metered rates. Essentially we're charging city prices in every parish in the country.... not unlike a rural publican looking for €10+ for a pint of plain. Something has to give.
In recent years the apps have made up the difference giving substantial discounts out of their pockets to obtain dominant positions in the market. All very well for the young computer literate hipsters but not much use to the older lady who just wants to ring her local firm or driver... and all very well until the discounts are withdrawn or have to be covered by drivers... drivers who don't remember when a €3 local was €3... drivers who are put under extreme financial pressure with all the new rules - essentially artificial barriers to entry/participation - introduced by a bunch of penpushers in NTA who couldn't give a flying fuck about the poor old bachelor stuck on his isolated farm without any chance of social intercourse from one end of the year to the other.
All the taxis and hackneys where I work charge regular customers fixed rates, 7 to 10 euro for short trips and everything else discounted. Strangers pay the full metered fare for all short trips. There is no bachelors stranded because taxis are too expensive.
I havent worked a night since june bank holiday weekend, I will do a few of the busy nights at Christmas, have to get my camera installed though, I wouldnt work a night without it. Then im going to charge all the drunks every last cent of the metered fare because I know them dickheads who are out drinking hate us and think we are all ripping them off, going by online comments im seeing lately.
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1990 you sound like a right fucking no good prick .Complaining about illegals then Then you say "All the taxis and hackneys where I work charge regular customers fixed rates, 7 to 10 euro for short trips and everything else discounted. Strangers pay the full metered fare for all short trips. Then you say " Then im going to charge all the drunks every last cent of the metered fare because I know them dickheads who are out drinking hate us and think we are all ripping them off, going by online comments im seeing lately. "
Your own words .You do not respect the industry giving Discounts but you consider Service users who have also created work for local bar workers as Dickheads .Its DICKHEARD like yourself who undermine this industry .Any body west of the Shannon with the exception of Galway Should be fucked out of this industry undermining it for everybody else .
ALL YOUR OWN WORDS YOU USELESS CAN OF PISS .
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Final draft of letter sent to NTA;
To whom it may concern at the NTA.
From Kenxxxx xxxxxxx, Cork city night time taxi driver, Badge number xxxx.
Firstly congratulations to whomever at the NTA solved the almost unsolveable age old problem of taxi shortages in Irish cities on weekend nights by introducing the Weekend Tariff 3, Take a Bow ! It was brilliant and works perfectly.
But unfortunately ye missed a spot, that being the Sunday night/Monday morning midnight to 4am of Bank holiday weekends to also include 17th and 18th March, which hopefully Tariff 3 will be applied to during the next fare review.
Taxi drivers in general are creatures of habit and very set in their routines, and a lot of them especially those that live outside the cities will not work any Sunday night regardless if it's a Bank holiday weekend or not. Tariff 3 on those very busy nights mentioned above might change their minds.
Best, Ken.
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To mention, I did not send that letter to 'Feather my own Nest', but instead fer the betterment of the whole Taxi community to include Drivers and more importantly Customers whom still get stranded looking fer a Taxi on the nights mentioned above.
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1990 you sound like a right fucking no good prick .Complaining about illegals then Then you say "All the taxis and hackneys where I work charge regular customers fixed rates, 7 to 10 euro for short trips and everything else discounted. Strangers pay the full metered fare for all short trips. Then you say " Then im going to charge all the drunks every last cent of the metered fare because I know them dickheads who are out drinking hate us and think we are all ripping them off, going by online comments im seeing lately. "
Your own words .You do not respect the industry giving Discounts but you consider Service users who have also created work for local bar workers as Dickheads .Its DICKHEARD like yourself who undermine this industry .Any body west of the Shannon with the exception of Galway Should be fucked out of this industry undermining it for everybody else .
ALL YOUR OWN WORDS YOU USELESS CAN OF PISS .
rofl That is rich coming from you as you work for the app companies, so you are undermining all taxi drivers in the Country but you don't care as you are near retirement age.
Because we charge fixed rates for regulars, its actually why we can compete with the illegals in general and only lose mostly the dregs of the town.
I just have always had an issue with drunks while working, they are all that is wrong with Irish society and they are the reason most taxi drivers hate working nights and I wont apologise for that.
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im not sure tariff 3 works perfectly, I know a few drivers who stopped working nights because they were sick of customers bitching about how expensive it is.
But maybe it works well in the Cities.
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.... I lost a few quid here and there (Ken) ,But You lost more you sad desperate fucking loser .Once a Millionaire Family man now a fucking waste of oxygen .Your a Pathetic excuse for a human being .Dont fuck with me you pathetic fuckwit Ill put you on the end of a rope .I know more about you ,you useless pile of shite than you realize .DO NOT FUCK WITH ME You dont have Game .
1990 you sound like a right fucking no good prick .Complaining about illegals then Then you say "All the taxis and hackneys where I work charge regular customers fixed rates, 7 to 10 euro for short trips and everything else discounted. Strangers pay the full metered fare for all short trips. Then you say " Then im going to charge all the drunks every last cent of the metered fare because I know them dickheads who are out drinking hate us and think we are all ripping them off, going by online comments im seeing lately. "
Your own words .You do not respect the industry giving Discounts but you consider Service users who have also created work for local bar workers as Dickheads .Its DICKHEARD like yourself who undermine this industry .Any body west of the Shannon with the exception of Galway Should be fucked out of this industry undermining it for everybody else .
ALL YOUR OWN WORDS YOU USELESS CAN OF PISS .
You seem to be losing the plot here John m attacking innocent posters like myself and 1990 fer little reason.
Try having a little think in future before hitting that POST button ??
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Everyone has a bad day Ken, give him a break.
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im not sure tariff 3 works perfectly, I know a few drivers who stopped working nights because they were sick of customers bitching about how expensive it is.
But maybe it works well in the Cities.
It works perfectly where I work in Cork city, In almost 12 months of the Weekend Tariff 3 I have not had a single customer complain over the Tariff 3 fare, as Bob Shililn notes the most it can be is 6.50 extra on a 15km job and between 12 Mn and 4am of a weekend night nobody gives a Fiddlers about an extra small few quid on their fare.
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im not sure tariff 3 works perfectly, I know a few drivers who stopped working nights because they were sick of customers bitching about how expensive it is.
But maybe it works well in the Cities.
It works perfectly where I work in Cork city, In almost 12 months of the Weekend Tariff 3 I have not had a single customer complain over the Tariff 3 fare, as Bob Shililn notes the most it can be is 6.50 extra on a 15km job and between 12 Mn and 4am of a weekend night nobody gives a Fiddlers about an extra small few quid on their fare.
in fairness I havent heard it myself but have about tariff 2 over the years. People looking into a few euro.
I remember one new years eve a fare around 3 am, fare was 20 euro, the couple in their 60s nearly had a breakdown " its never been more than 18 euro" they own a very successful business as well, lots of money.
another guy called me greedy cunt because the fare was 10 euro not the usual 8 euro (new years eve)
jesus that was a harsh post to you from john m. :( fuckin hell. I wouldnt worry about his comment to me, he has never been a fan and seemed to have zero sympathy regarding the illegal taxi which should be an enemy to all licenced taxis.
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Everyone has a bad day Ken, give him a break.
I'm doing my best Horse, I actually Love the man, we have been Battling and Sharing fer the past 15 odd years, but he seems to be Losing the Plot as of late.
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1990 you sound like a right fucking no good prick .Complaining about illegals then Then you say "All the taxis and hackneys where I work charge regular customers fixed rates, 7 to 10 euro for short trips and everything else discounted. Strangers pay the full metered fare for all short trips. Then you say " Then im going to charge all the drunks every last cent of the metered fare because I know them dickheads who are out drinking hate us and think we are all ripping them off, going by online comments im seeing lately. "
Your own words .You do not respect the industry giving Discounts but you consider Service users who have also created work for local bar workers as Dickheads .Its DICKHEARD like yourself who undermine this industry .Any body west of the Shannon with the exception of Galway Should be fucked out of this industry undermining it for everybody else .
ALL YOUR OWN WORDS YOU USELESS CAN OF PISS .
rofl That is rich coming from you as you work for the app companies, so you are undermining all taxi drivers in the Country but you don't care as you are near retirement age.
Because we charge fixed rates for regulars, its actually why we can compete with the illegals in general and only lose mostly the dregs of the town.
I just have always had an issue with drunks while working, they are all that is wrong with Irish society and they are the reason most taxi drivers hate working nights and I wont apologise for that. Also I dont think they are drinking to keep the bar staff in a job so they are hardly heroes for that. lol
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Everyone has a bad day Ken, give him a break.
I'm doing my best Horse, I actually Love the man, we have been Battling and Sharing fer the past 15 odd years, but he seems to be Losing the Plot as of late.
Everyone loses the plot every now and then Ken. I know I do. Nobody knows what's going on in other people's lives, what troubles or sorrows they have. I've learned over the years to ignore the negatives and focus on the positives. Its not always easy I know but a damn sight more healty for your mental health. John's alright, as you know. Let him let off steam because at the end of the day that's all it is. Life is short. Focus on the good things it brings you.
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.... in fairness I havent heard it myself but have about tariff 2 over the years. People looking into a few euro.
I remember one new years eve a fare around 3 am, fare was 20 euro, the couple in their 60s nearly had a breakdown " its never been more than 18 euro" they own a very successful business as well, lots of money.
another guy called me greedy cunt because the fare was 10 euro not the usual 8 euro (new years eve) ....
Fook 'em, the Fare is the Fare ! ::fds
As our resident Boffin Rat Catcher often states; "The Meter is there for a Reason! !
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.... in fairness I havent heard it myself but have about tariff 2 over the years. People looking into a few euro.
I remember one new years eve a fare around 3 am, fare was 20 euro, the couple in their 60s nearly had a breakdown " its never been more than 18 euro" they own a very successful business as well, lots of money.
another guy called me greedy cunt because the fare was 10 euro not the usual 8 euro (new years eve) ....
Fook 'em, the Fare is the Fare ! ::fds
As our resident Boffin Rat Catcher often states; "The Meter is there for a Reason! !
True. And the Guards are there to call if needed.
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Final draft of letter sent to NTA;
To whom it may concern at the NTA.
From Kenxxxx xxxxxxx, Cork city night time taxi driver, Badge number xxxx.
Firstly congratulations to whomever at the NTA solved the almost unsolveable age old problem of taxi shortages in Irish cities on weekend nights by introducing the Weekend Tariff 3, Take a Bow ! It was brilliant and works perfectly.
But unfortunately ye missed a spot, that being the Sunday night/Monday morning midnight to 4am of Bank holiday weekends to also include 17th and 18th March, which hopefully Tariff 3 will be applied to during the next fare review.
Taxi drivers in general are creatures of habit and very set in their routines, and a lot of them especially those that live outside the cities will not work any Sunday night regardless if it's a Bank holiday weekend or not. Tariff 3 on those very busy nights mentioned above might change their minds.
Best, Ken.
To add, I did not send that letter to 'Feather my own Nest', but fer the betterment of the whole Taxi community to include Drivers and more importantly Customers whom still get stranded looking fer a Taxi on the nights mentioned above.
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Fixed fares for regulars who hire from the street is still quite common in the beautiful seaside resort town of Balbriggan.
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This is a big chance for freenow to badly damage ubers business in Ireland.
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Bigger discounts... but at who's expense?