https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/three-tips-help-maximise-your-23398941Three tips to help maximise your chances of catching a taxi in Dublin this weekendMany people in the capital have faced difficulty getting home late at night due to the decrease in drivers compared to 2020By Emma Nevin
06:45, 16 MAR 2022 UPDATED11:01, 16 MAR 2022
NEWS
Demand for taxis has surged in Dublin since Covid-19 restrictions were scrapped earlier this year.
Many people in the capital have faced difficulty getting home late at night due to there being less drivers on the road in Dublin than in 2020.
This weekend is expected to be particularly busy for taxis as Dubliners head out to celebrate St Patrick's Day.
Read more: Taxi drivers to add extra 20% to meter fares on Friday
James Bowpitt, Operations Manager of taxi-hailing company Bolt Ireland, shared some tips on how to get a taxi in Dublin this Bank Holiday weekend.
He told Dublin Live: "The most simplistic tip is to try and share a taxi if you can.
"The less people needing taxis because more people are sharing one means that more people can get home.
"That's obviously not always practical because people live on different sides of town."
Mr Bowpitt said that if you're using an app, the best way to do it is to try and walk away from a crowded area before you start to book your trip.
"So if you're in Temple Bar, don't stand on the corner and order one. Walk four or five blocks and get away from the main hustle and bustle. That way you have a better chance of the driver accepting the trip," he said.
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"From the driver's perspective, they're driving to the side of the street to where you're standing and trying to work out who you are.
"It's very confusing for them late at night or if there's a bunch of drunk people at night, people will just try and jump into the car. So walk away is the best tip."
He also shared advice on how to best hail a taxi from the street.
"If you're trying to grab one off the street, the best thing you can do is position yourself on the left hand side of the road on a street that is incoming to a busy area.
"So say you're somewhere in Ranelagh. You want to be on a main street that's a little bit before you get to all the bars and pubs so you can nab that taxi before it arrives to where everyone would be waiting."
Mr Bowpitt said that last weekend, Bolt Ireland saw a huge spike in demand on their taxi-hailing app.
"Saturday was a very unique situation. It was probably the largest spike in demand that we've had for taxis in the last couple of years at least.
"That's a positive thing. Everybody's starting to get back out and about and nightlife is kicking off again in Dublin.
"But obviously that means there's a massive problem with moving people around and getting them in and out of the venues they want to get to.
"From a supplier perspective, it's just the simple fact that there are not enough taxis.
"Over the past decade or so, there's been about a 30-35% decline in the number of taxis operating in Ireland as a whole so that's where this problem has stemmed from."
He described the barriers that are stopping new drivers from entering the taxi industry.
"The NTA is currently undertaking it's Maximum Fare Review for taxis. That's expected to take a certain amount of time though, it's three to six months and then implementation so that's not a quick fix either.
"The 2019 Review was never implemented because they went to implement it and then Covid-19 hit. So the taxi drivers have been short a pay rise essentially for four years.
"So the enticements not really there for somebody new to start driving a taxi.
"Now you have additional problems on top of that. With buying a car, there's supply chain issues and fuel costs are rising because of the crisis in Ukraine at the moment.
"There are a lot of financial factors that make it difficult for someone looking to join the industry."
Mr Bowpitt said possible changes to maximum fares in the NTA review and wider use of E-bikes and E-scooters for shorter trips may help solve problems with Ireland's taxi industry down the line.
