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TAXI DRIVERS WILL be legally required to take the shortest route possible under new legislation to be debated in the Dáil in the new year.
The Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 is being published to restate and revise the Taxi Regulation Act 2003. It would provide for mandatory disqualification from holding a licence if people are convicted of specified offences, including certain offences under the Road Transport Act, the Sexual Offences (Jurisdiction) Act, and the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act.
The bill would enable the National Transport Authority to authorise the use of cameras and CCTV for the enforcement of taxi regulations and for use as evidence in court proceedings.
The bill would also cease the granting of taxi licenses from the Garda Síochána, leaving it in the hands of the National Transport Authority.
Under the bill, taxi drivers would have to determine and stick to the shortest route available when hired, and also ensure they can facilitate the needs of any person with mobility, sensory or other difficulties.
The bill also provides that it would be an offence for a person not to disclose to the licensing authority information about their physical or mental capacity to hold a licence.
Dispatch operators must also be licenced to do so. The bill will provide that it is an offence for a driver to charge over and above a fare that is agreed before the journey commences.
A passenger cannot be unreasonably refused by a taxi driver, with some exceptions.
The bill will be debated by the Dáil at the beginning of 2013.
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They should have been required to take the shortest route already; I’ve caught two of them taking long ways before.
Apart from the long way around route, there are also great other new offences and conditions here, especially preventing criminals and convicted sex offenders from holding a taxi licence. About time.
my mother in law is German but living in Kilkenny for the past 6 years. on 2 occasion while getting a taxi home from our house she was brought the long way home mistaking her for a tourist or visitor to the area. it added an extra ?6 to the normal fare. i complained to the company but got nowhere.
This has happened to me twice in Cork when I’m locked and they think I won’t notice the long way ie €20 instead of about €12. Basically said I knew it was the long way and all they were going to get was €12 and if they didn’t agree I’d get out there. One guy even had sat nav tell him the short way and he flat out ignored it.
I let one bring me the long way before, see it was the morning he thought he’d squeeze me for cash…look on his face was priceless when I got out jus as he came to a junction where you could wait 15 mins for traffic to move
Did they bring her through Belguim?
Did you get a printed receipt for your journey & send it into the taxi regulator?
Anyone else notice how kind taxi drivers are with your money ticking over on the meter?
waving pedestrians across
Flashing at cars to let them out of junctions
obeying 30 mph speed limits
Without any passenger they’d knock a pedestrian down at 60mph in a 30 mph zone
Agree with you AJ, i have noticed that too.
Red thumbs = Taxi drivers
How do you tell if a taxi has a fare or not? If he has a fare he’s doing under the speed limit, if not, he has a terrified passenger stuck to his bonnet…
The shortest route is not necessarily the quickest ! If I had to go to my sisters house from mine the shortest way is through the city centre . At certain times of the day this is certainly not the quickest !
I feel like The Irish Government is turning into a production if the Wizard of Oz .. No heart , no courage and certainly No Brain !!!!!
Well said !
Working out the fastest (most fuel efficient) route is a sophisticated mathematical problem called Traffic Analysis. The fastest route is not always the shortest.
Google Maps uses Traffic Analysis to plot its routes, it takes into account speed limits, traffic frequency etc.; it may plot a route away from heavy traffic during rush hour or put you on the M50 motorway i.e. indicate a longer route.
Not sure how the law could work, since route selection is a very complex and chaotic problem, unless the Taxi driver goes from the Airport to Bray via Cork!
Have to say I lauged at this comment. Sums up the government perfectly and they are following the yellow brick wall hoping the EU wizard will do them a favour!
My guess is they’ll abuse this law by taking the shortest yet most time to take route.
I always dictate the direction to the taxi driver because I know the roads, but tourists don’t know the roads.
Ahhh taxi drivers, here’s some of the good ole saying I hear regular:
- Dat government is a bleedin’ joke
- Ders far too many taxis out there
- Dis is me first run all day
- Have you nuttin’ smaller bud
- Dem foreigners have the county ruined
I always enjoy meeting them in Dublin, they nearly always slot into the stereotype and you meet some great characters! :)
‘The f-ing Nigerians sending the money home’.
The list goes on…
But what if I don’t want to take the shortest route? What of I’m happy to pay extra to take the M50 as I need to get from A to B as fast as possible? Or what if the shortest route is up George’s street/Camden street at 11pm on a Saturday night, do I have sit in traffic? A half assed attempt at “better” regulation comes to mind…
Eh, no. What you do there is say “sorry mr taxi man, I want you to bring me the long way around because I know it’ll be faster”. As long as ye agree the route the taxi man will not be breaking the law. You’re paying the fare. You are hiring him to bring you when and how you want to go. These new rules are more geared at the person who is unfamiliar with the locality and preventing them from getting ripped off
So what if the passenger decides after the journey that it would have been cheaper to go the shorter distance route and argues the fare? What’s the taxi drivers fall back?
Very very few people would do that. Any decent person wouldn’t. And if they did do that underhandly, the taxi driver has the right to call the Gardai and report them. It’s the same as someone not paying a taxi fare and legging it through a field or housing estate. Every driver takes that risk.
most taxi drivers take the piss.
u know most taxi drivers?
had the car off the road and got a taxi a few mornings in a row it’s a 40 to 50 min drive by car of the 4 taxi’s I caught the best was just over a hour worse 1.20
glad to get my car back and although I can’t use bus lane I’m back to my 40 to 50 min trave time.
I was on a night out in Blackrock and we got a taxi to go home to Howth , didn’t he start driving to Wicklow . Unluckily for him I used to live in Blackrock , got the whole fair for free when we threatened calling the cops.
I recall traveling from Fairview to Dolphins Barn, when we got across the Liffey the taxi kept turning in a south easterly direction when Dolphins Barn is Southwest of the city center. All he had to do was go west along the quays and turn left and he acted like he was unaware of this, I just got out ASAP, just because people have had a few drinks at the weekend doesnt mean they deserve to be ripped off by a toerag. I will add that most taxi journeys were not this bad
Howyra joe, I’ve been a taxi driver for 850 years now and I tell ya these new regulations are going to put taxi drivers out of business
On Saturday night I got a taxi home (for the second time in a week and it was a foreign national – who I think are probably more honest than the native taxi drivers) The first time the brought me one way which was is longer mainly due to traffic lights/speed bumps and the second one where there is not and you would expect to be quicker (checking google maps its quicker by two mins)
I was charged the same, and in the second cab the taxi driver offered me the choice of which route to take and said that he always asks the customer which is the best route. I have never experienced that with some of the native taxi drivers.
Plus the foreign nationals actually are better to chat to, at times!
very similar experiences with foreign taxi drivers here more open and honest. Irish local drivers seem too streetwise and have every trick covered.
while I know it’s unfair to tar all taxi drivers with same brush I have to go on my own experiences.
Ditto with foreign taxi drivers plus they are interesting to talk with and they don’t complain half as much as the natives.
Define the ‘shortest route possible’ – distance or time taken?
Also how will they monitor using CCTV? Is this like mystery shoppers or will taxis need to have cctv on board?
In fairness, I haven’t had a ‘long way round’ fare in a long time. I don’t really see this as a current problem with the taxi industry. The real problems are sub standard cars and bad driving.
My father uses a CCTV GPS tracking system so when gets a dope thinking he’s talking them the wrong way he can prove them wrong there and then.
I was in a taxi that did have a forward and rear facing camera. There was no notice anywhere saying CCTV was in operation. When I asked him about it he said it was video only and he didn’t record audio. Any drivers with recording facilities in their cars should have it clearly notified to the point that the driver should also confirm it when he takes the fare.
Half of the population have smartphones and most people can check where they are going. Even a tourist can easily check actual route against a mapped route.
Them “dopes” paid for that fancy CCTV GPS tracking system, and know the way home to ‘their’ house better than your taxi driver.
keep think that. I bet youre one of the clowns that he had to get it in for. get back in your hole
This could mean shortest route time wise and not in terms of distance, which would be a good thing.
I feel pity for the Taxis drivers that are genuinely nice and kind, don’t take the piss yet everyone tars with this horrible stick..
Agree most taxi drivers are very nice sociable have very good knowledge of the city and surrounding area’s maybe the journal should have included the state of some of the cars they are driving most of them do keep their cars in good and new condition but there’s some that should not see the light of day not that many however or the road I don’t know what happened with this law that drivers were meant to replace their cars every few years I think it is very unfair to drivers who purchase new cars keep them in top condition and others who that do not care.
We had it bad enough in Dublin some years ago I am sure everyone remember the days when taxi drivers could do what they wanted and pick the most profitable routes and leave the rest behind, But I do agree we are much better now
I remember those days only too well and often had to resort to walking miles in all weather’s because they where so fussy. as I lived 7 miles from city center at the time, waiting for hours at a rank or walking halfway home before 1 would stop was the only options.
If you think Dublin taxis are chancers, and I don’t think they generally are, you should try and get a taxi in the South of France. Closed shop, 400 cabs for 1,000,000 people, about 4 times the charge, they always take the longest route, suspected mafia involvement. We have it easy.
Completely pointless if they cannot even enforce existing laws!! Imagine getting a taxi from the airport where not only could I not open the door from the inside, the taxi driver also had great difficulty in so far as that he could only open the door of his vehicle from the outside. Then when you make a complaint to the regulator about the general safety of the vehicle and the general behaviour of the taxi driver, they cannot even compel the driver to come in so that htey can inspect the vehicle!
I seriously thought that part of the service was to throw in a quick tour of the city…strange that.
The solution is to put plainclothes Gardai in cabs at the airport. Just a few times a week would do. If they get screwed by the taxi driver, he/she (I’ve been screwed by both) loses their license. No arguments. Full stop.
A few of them removed from the business will eliminate 80% of the abuses. Don’t forget to wear a camera! That tends to take the starch out of the stiffest courtroom defense.
It’s like arresting burglars–get one and you’ll clear up fifty burglaries.
I think the overwhelming majority of taxi drivers are hard-working honest people. The scoundrels are making them look bad.
the shortest route is not always the cheapest. many drivers try to catch as many red lights as possible to maximise time and fare!
Curious is it cheaper to get taxi on longer route eg M50 but where he can drive faster or shorter route where speed is lower
It all depends on distance. If it’s a 10km diversion around for a 1km journey then of course it’s going to be more expensive. If there’s not much of a difference in distance, I’d always go for the clearer route with the least amount of traffic lights. I get sick of taxis slowing down as they come up to lights in the hope that they’ll turn orange and similarly when they speed to get to a red light so the stationary charge can rack up.
Obviously the slower they go the more money they make. Why else would they crawl down the road.
Why’d I get so much red thumbs just for asking a question?
Eg. Dundrum to Airport via M50 is approx. €60 but via town approx. €35
Great the more honest taxi people( I’m not saying all drivers are dishonest) we have everyone wins
I hope it helps. I fear it won’t. The crooked minority of drivers probably know how to evade this already.
This law will be very interesting to see if it will be enforced ? me I dont think so look at the penalty points system. To add insult to injury for the drivers that abide by the law and take their punishment the Garda are investigating themselves this investigation should be taken out of their hands and some one who is neutral be given the job for this reason I think its laughable.
If you are not sure where you are going some can take advantage.
Should be done worldwide
Considering almost no taxis have applied the new branding to their cars, I have no faith in the enforcement of laws regarding taxis.
New taxi vehicle branding is only applicable from next NCT renewal date after Jan 1st 2013.
The “branding” only comes into law from the 1st of jan 2013, at witch time all taxis on renewal of the taxi they must have said branding on there cars to pass out…. Hope this helps you..
Just to point out not all taxi drivers brake the rules.. If people called the Garda when they had a problem then the Garda will deal with what ever law was broken, always wondered why this is not done, no wait it’s far easer to bad mouth on the media sites and make us all out to de conmen, robbing low life’s…
Booked a taxi to take from Ballyfermot to Dun Laoighre, about 19km. Driver insisted we take the the M50 which is 29km. Oh we’ll, he cost himself a good fare. Chancers out there!
Shortest route has been in place a few years now. Most these regulations have been. Ppl that get overcharged deserve it in my opinion. Don’t pay and ring the guards if this happens and stop cribbing to strangers on the Internet
Bit harsh John. What about people up for job interviews or tourists? Even locals won’t always know the best routes. But if they get overcharged they deserve it?
Good. As a foreigner , often people think I don’t know my way about Galway, and try to bring me around loops. Ill tell them off then and then that this isn’t the way and that I’m not paying more than a certain amount. Usually if challenged they will concede and give you the rightful fare, but some are more thug like and try to bully you into paying
The shortest route isn’t necessarily the fastest. For people going to meetings or late for work or an appointment, speed is the most important factor.
I was charged an extra ?10 even after the taxi man amitted going the wrong way. No harm in this law but I’d question how enforceable it is!
sorry i ment 15 cent every 20 secs.
I’m a taxi driver, expedience to a destination has always been my default mode to carry a client unless otherwise requested. Passengers have the right to choose their journeys
i aggree with the shortest route. meters calculate the fare using time and distance. i taxied in galway for awhile.if knew the traffic was bad kn the direcg route i wkuld ask to use a parallal route which might be a mile longer. the way the meter works it would have clocked up around 0.15 cent for every 2) seconds. so the extra fare you wo get for an extra mile is minor. of course there are drivers who take the piss .all you do is report the plate number thats why the sign is on the roof with the plate number on the passanger side.
The shortest route (particularly in Dublin city centre) is not always the quickest (and therefore cheapest) route. An experienced driver will know this and advise his passenger of the route he is taking and why.
Shortest route possible? a bit ambiguous?
If i get a job as a taxi driver in a city I don’t know the shortest route possible for me could be very far out of the way indeed.
Why not mandatory GPS tracking? Inspectors can spot check very easily.
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