Taximen Protest Wed 28th Oct 2026

[John m]

Me Personally Fuck the Lot of ya.  I own a small transport business some years ago I warned about Workcapture and what would happen .I protested manned Ranks while others drove by .I listened to lies being told ..My needs are My needs I decide what fares I will cover .I pay my own Bills ,Will never sacrifice my earnings for anybody else ever again .

[Rat Catcher]

Truth be told, most drivers are probably of a similar mindset. As TD42 noted we're a diverse bunch with diverse interests. Those who are fortunate enough to own their own plates and drive heavily subsidised cars, for example, have a considerable comptitive edge over those who have to pay extortionate fees to rent taxis.

[John m]

Truth be told, most drivers are probably of a similar mindset. As TD42 noted we're a diverse bunch with diverse interests. Those who are fortunate enough to own their own plates and drive heavily subsidised cars, for example, have a considerable comptitive edge over those who have to pay extortionate fees to rent taxis.

Its Dereg all over again again .Some lads got grants and enterprize allowances now they complain when they cannot source the Required Vehicle they contracted to drive at the right price or are displeased with the Vehicle they rented increasing in rental .Plenty of Jobs out there paying more than minimum wage that would pay them better that cabbying .

[Rat Catcher]

Yeah, there's certainly issues with sourcing WAVs. NTA initially recommended the UK second hand market as a source of reasonably priced vehicles. That market has changed somewhat since then on account of Brexit and other regulatory changes so that obviously needs to be looked at. Maybe we don't need so many WAVs with the advances in technology brought about by rideshare platforms or maybe there's a case for increasing grant aid or directing what is already there to existing participants in the first instance. The rental market could do with a coat of looking at too, I guess. NTA has identified difficulties with attracting younger men but isn't really offering them much of a future in the trade. While they identify the rental market as an entry route they aren't offering any obvious progression. Maybe some sort of scheme allowing men who have operated within the rental market for a predetermined period apply for their own licences, perhaps limited to EVs, could be helpful in that regard.

[watty]

https://www.nationaltransport.ie/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/NTA-Taxi-Driver-Presentation.pdf

28% of drivers drive Wheelchair accessible vehicles.  1/3 of WATs have regular customers.
80% of drivers own their own vehicles.


Uber are not the panacea for all the woes of the Irish taxi game.  In America, they're not great, to put it mildly, for serving disabled customers or going into low income (i.e., black) neighbourhoods.  And as mentioned above, they have the same game plan for each market they enter - ignore the rules, eliminate the competition, and then raise prices.

And we're not well-regarded among the public so any driver who steps in front of a microphone should emphasize the 'public service' bit of what we do (see Uber above) and not moan about our income.  If we can get the public (and politicians) on our side, they'll use us more and our income should hopefully increase (or stay steady).

[Rat Catcher]

Yeah, it's only really the erm that's honed in on men allegedly not being able to afford replacement WAVs and there's obviously an element of justifying his own decision to support Uber and cover the reduced fixed fares up above in Dublin in the belief that in doing so he's going to force all the immigrants out of business and, perhaps, back to where they came from. The statistics aren't showing any decline in WAV numbers so the reality of that particular situation is obviously somewhat different and, of course, the men who are refusing to cover the reduced fixed fares will benefit from those drivers who are covering them being tied up on that work instead of competing for fares settled at the maximum amount permitted by law as calculated by the Dublin centric taximeter.

We tend not to do ourselves any favours when we get in front of cameras and microphones but, to be fair to the current crop of protesters, without their actions we would not have Tap. That in itself has made significant progress towards achieving their stated objectives. In particular Tap provides drivers with work that is always charged at the maximum rate permitted by law in accordance with the Dublin centric taximeter and it provides clients with access to taximen that will never charge them any more than said maximum fare.

It's easy for the older unwiser heads to dismiss the protests and tell the men that they won't get anywhere because we never got anywhere with our protests and if we had got anywhere they would be pissing in bottles while driving vans for Amazon or whoever and not taking the bread off our tables. However, they have justifiable grievances and deserve the opportunity to be heard. Yes, they have a mountain to climb taking on the likes of Uber with it's resources, resources it will use both for "lobbying" and market manipulation but I will reiterate... and make no apology for doing so... without these men there would be no Tap A Taxi. Give them the support they deserve!

[Taxi driver42]

Will it happen?
No
They dont care

Probably not. The narrative on social media after last week's protest action was that it's just a handful of ungrateful immigrant drivers that are demanding the right to hold riders up at meterpoint. No doubt Uber are fueling that narrative to divide and conquer. We've had at least one driver on here suggest that he will cover the reduced fixed fares to force the migrant workers who are refusing them out of business, the same driver having come on here two or three Mondays in a row to complain about Uber cutting the rates they pay him up above in Dublin on a Sunday. That kinda demonstrates how easy it is to manipulate drivers... as FDS used to remind us, there's a reason we drive cabs for a living.

If you support the objectives of the crowd protesting support the protest. If you don't, don't support it and you'll have a busier than normal Wednesday afternoon on the 28th, probably.

Fair play to the men for trying.

U coming up then?

[Taxi driver42]

Me Personally Fuck the Lot of ya.  I own a small transport business some years ago I warned about Workcapture and what would happen .I protested manned Ranks while others drove by .I listened to lies being told ..My needs are My needs I decide what fares I will cover .I pay my own Bills ,Will never sacrifice my earnings for anybody else ever again .

Good point
I remember u at the transport club
Taxi driver s for change

Now its Taxi driver earns small change
1998 money

[Taxi driver42]

Truth be told, most drivers are probably of a similar mindset. As TD42 noted we're a diverse bunch with diverse interests. Those who are fortunate enough to own their own plates and drive heavily subsidised cars, for example, have a considerable comptitive edge over those who have to pay extortionate fees to rent taxis.

Small overheads keep some of us going
Stage of life thing

[Rat Catcher]

U coming up then?

I don't think so. My days of protesting are behind me and I'd be similar to yourself as far as stage of life goes so I'd struggle to get enthused by any of it. I have the advantage of owning my own plate and driving a heavily subsidised car which coupled with Mrs. Catcher earning a decent wage and not having a particularly extravagant lifestyle means I'll be here long after the men who are forced to pay extortionate fees to rent plates and  might have childer to feed and educate and mortgages to pay, ect.... have gone bankrupt. I'll happily go down with this ship!

I will, however, support the men by withdrawing my labour for at least the duration of their action.

[watty]

In fairness to the NTA, they have other pressing problems to solve...  Residents call for bus route on Limerick city's road with bus lane

"Residents on Limerick's Condell Road are going nowhere fast when it comes to public transport - despite a bus lane already being in place.  It is one of three main routes into the city from the northside, but the only one with a bus lane and no bus service."

Couple of WATs would sort that out 

[Rat Catcher]

Credit where credit is due... it is the most efficient bus lane in the Free State.

[Bob Shillin]

Regardless of one's opinion of the demos, the less they are supported works in the apps favour, from the apps point of view, and from the NTA's point of view. It's in everyone's long term interest to support action against the apps in whatever way one can.

[Taxi driver42]

Il join them tomorrow seen as its slow anyway
Love a good slow drive

[John m]

Regardless of one's opinion of the demos, the less they are supported works in the apps favour, from the apps point of view, and from the NTA's point of view. It's in everyone's long term interest to support action against the apps in whatever way one can.

Really The Balbriggan Oracle has told us the Last Protest led to the introduction of another Pay to Work App .That would mean what you say is unproven .I suggested a simple idea get a Stencil on your Bonnet with a figure with a Raised hand Hail a Taxi .And CASH or CARD door decals .A lot of people are actually unaware you can street hail or Pay cash or Card .Take Back your Work dont increase the amount of Apps .I love lads suggesting Support for this protest are the same lads covering the Work .At least Im honest I do street hails and Run UBER .Imagine being such a Fraud that you would support this action but not dump the App .Like the Fuckers organising it .