Easier to become an army ranger than a taxi driver?

[watty]

Fewer than one third passing taxi driver entry test in last three years

Less than a third of taxi-driver entry test sittings were passed last year, despite efforts to attract new drivers into the industry.  Figures from the National Transport Authority (NTA) show that nearly 11,800 tests took place last year but more than 8,100 ended in failure.  The tricky exam requires prospective taxi, hackney and limousine drivers to score at least 75% in two modules covering industry knowledge and area knowledge.  However, the test has consistently proven challenging with success rates of between 31% and 35% over the past three years.

The NTA also said it had detected four cases of cheating by drivers taking the test between 2023 and 2025.  Asked if there had been any cases of impersonation, or any referrals to gardaí over cheating or personation, the authority said it held no records.

Overall figures showed that more than 10,000 test sittings took place in 2023, of which nearly 3,600 were passed and 6,500 failed.  In 2024, there were 10,800 sittings, with around 3,500 passes and just over 7,300 failures.  Across the three-year period, there were more than 32,700 test sittings, with almost 22,000 of them ending in failure.  The pass rate for the full SPSV entry test - excluding retakes - was even lower, falling from 31%in 2023 to around 27% last year.  In 2025, there were 8,941 sittings of the full entry test, with 2,452 passes and 6,489 failures.

The NTA figures also showed significant variation depending on the county being tested for area knowledge.  Last year, the pass rate for full entry-test sittings involving Waterford was just 10%, with only ten passes from 97 sittings.  For Dublin, where most tests were recorded, there were 1,605 passes and 4,318 failures from 5,923 sittings.

A spokesman for the NTA said the test required a 75% grade on two modules and that individual modules could be resat if necessary.  He said a review of the area knowledge module had taken place last year to reflect the widespread use of online mapping apps.  The spokesman explained: "The findings showed that, while passengers still expect drivers to have a higher-than-average understanding of local geography, the use of online maps is widely accepted".  "As a result, the revised Area Knowledge module, which went live [last October], places more emphasis on knowledge of motorways and transport hubs, with greater focus on tourist attractions, hospitals, sports, theatre and music venues and, for urban centres, knowledge on major street names, one-way systems and city routes," he added.

We're smarter than your average bear    An elite group of men (and women) 

[John m]

75% .I got 1 question wrong I was right the test question was wrong it was the one on the Volume of the Boot .We had words .The Area test took me less than 10 minutes in the School in Finglas .

[mercenary for hire]

Those figures probably do not account for all the tests taken since the test was softened up. It's still far too easy IMO.

[Octavia1]

Fewer than one third passing taxi driver entry test in last three years

Less than a third of taxi-driver entry test sittings were passed last year, despite efforts to attract new drivers into the industry.  Figures from the National Transport Authority (NTA) show that nearly 11,800 tests took place last year but more than 8,100 ended in failure.  The tricky exam requires prospective taxi, hackney and limousine drivers to score at least 75% in two modules covering industry knowledge and area knowledge.  However, the test has consistently proven challenging with success rates of between 31% and 35% over the past three years.

The NTA also said it had detected four cases of cheating by drivers taking the test between 2023 and 2025.  Asked if there had been any cases of impersonation, or any referrals to gardaí over cheating or personation, the authority said it held no records.

Overall figures showed that more than 10,000 test sittings took place in 2023, of which nearly 3,600 were passed and 6,500 failed.  In 2024, there were 10,800 sittings, with around 3,500 passes and just over 7,300 failures.  Across the three-year period, there were more than 32,700 test sittings, with almost 22,000 of them ending in failure.  The pass rate for the full SPSV entry test - excluding retakes - was even lower, falling from 31%in 2023 to around 27% last year.  In 2025, there were 8,941 sittings of the full entry test, with 2,452 passes and 6,489 failures.

The NTA figures also showed significant variation depending on the county being tested for area knowledge.  Last year, the pass rate for full entry-test sittings involving Waterford was just 10%, with only ten passes from 97 sittings.  For Dublin, where most tests were recorded, there were 1,605 passes and 4,318 failures from 5,923 sittings.

A spokesman for the NTA said the test required a 75% grade on two modules and that individual modules could be resat if necessary.  He said a review of the area knowledge module had taken place last year to reflect the widespread use of online mapping apps.  The spokesman explained: "The findings showed that, while passengers still expect drivers to have a higher-than-average understanding of local geography, the use of online maps is widely accepted".  "As a result, the revised Area Knowledge module, which went live [last October], places more emphasis on knowledge of motorways and transport hubs, with greater focus on tourist attractions, hospitals, sports, theatre and music venues and, for urban centres, knowledge on major street names, one-way systems and city routes," he added.

We're smarter than your average bear    An elite group of men (and women) 

Half the cnuts cant speak inglish  ffs 

[mercenary for hire]

I'm not saying we're not great on here but if you can pass the taxi test you can probably drive a bus with a bit of training. Money isn't great  in the taxi now that our expenses are so high.

Add to that the taxi apps that are dictating prices downwards and this job just isn't as attractive as before.Why would ya bother if ya had to do it all again.

Then there's the lack of cash and VAT bills if you're working with Uber. It simply isn't worth the hassle IMO.

[Taxi driver42]

Mostly before test dummed fown them figures

[Rat Catcher]

They should do away with the test. We never needed it in my day and we didn't have Google Maps back then, often no more than a lamppost number to go on. If the African/Afghani/Pakistani/etc lads can find their way here they can find their way round Dublin.

The test merely serves as an artificial barrier to entry. As Watty recently pointed out men had to invest in the trade back before entry liberalisation. These days most of us are driving virtually free cars that cost virtually noting to run under plates we got over 26 years ago for IR£5,000. NTA should ban the private rental of taxi plates and issue annual taxi plates at a cost of at least €15,240/year with taxi vehicles restricted to EVs under 3yo and hackney plates available at lower rates for older/FF cars.

[Dr. Martin Gooter Bling]

i remember when i did the taxi course off grattan street and got all the answers for the test. the class was just like this. fuckin freak show.
https://youtu.be/xLmH30YUlOc?si=4LMvN5xGPeNiQ0KT

[Taxi driver42]

Funny
Most of us are freaks anyway
Half the cunts on ranks dont even wash

[Rat Catcher]

Give it back to An Garda Siochana, I say. 99.99999674% pass rate back then.

[Dr. Martin Gooter Bling]

Funny
Most of us are freaks anyway
Half the cunts on ranks dont even wash

i remember your man runnin the course asked what are ye allowed charge extra for in a taxi jereckon. think about airlines. what are they allowed charge extra for. silence. then a black fella in the most ostentatious tracksuit you've ever seen without warning said "If you're overweight." an aulfla sittin beside me exploded laughin. i collapsed in a heap myself in ribbons laughin. the second day a fuckin gut with glasses and a beard got in to a raging barney with your man runnin the course. don't know what sparked it. the yoke stood up and his xxxl tracksuit bottoms headed south and his bare hole was exposed briefly.