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Taxi drivers are trying to keep fares down in Dundalk
AS the Commissioner for Taxi Regulation Kathleen Doyle embarks on a nationwide appeal for taxi drivers and customers to take part in a national survey about the maximum fare price, a spokesperson for local drivers insists that they are doing their best to keep fares to a minimum.
Kevin Brady, the chairperson of the Dundalk Branch of the Taxi Plate Owners' Assocation, says it is already standard practice among his group's members to lower charges.
His claim comes at a time when the Taxi Commissioner is reviewing the national maximum fare price at http://farereview.taxiregulator.ie
Speaking about the review, Mr Brady said that the most common view among drivers was that fares should remain the same and while he admitted fares could rise he said it was "very doubtful" that they would go down.
"Within the industry, the majority of taxi drivers would want things to remain the way they are because there is a big expense there to recalibrate their metres and we don't want to put people off from using taxis either.
"She (Kathleen Doyle) has no choice but to review the fares because they have to be reviewed every two years under the 2003 Act but I think everyone would be happier if things remained the way they are."
At at time when the cost of fares is most under the spotlight, Kevin insisted that drivers at the local rank were doing their utmost to keep prices down.
"Fares are down," he said. "There's a perception out there that it's e6 for all fares in Dundalk but that's just not the case. We discount them to ensure that.
"A fare from the rank at Crowe Street to the Red Barns Road, for example, is e8 but most drivers only charge e6. From the square to Aghameen Park in Muirhevnamor is e7.50 but again we only charge e6. It's the same to a lot of the estates in the town such as Bay Estate, Fatima or Greenwood Drive.
"A metred fare to Blackrock is e13 but we're all charging just e10 while a run to the airport, for instance, is e130 on the metre but generally we only charge between e90 and e100 so there's definitely not a greed out there," he said.
Kevin, who represents roughly 100 local drivers, said he believes the Commission for Taxi Regulation should be abolished and the industry put back in the hands of the local councils.
"They should give the running of the thing back to the Town Hall because they've made a hash of the industry the way things are.
"When Dundalk Town Council controlled the functions, I was compelled to work in and around Dundalk but now I can work from the border right down as far as Clonee.
"That's creating a problem as we're not even getting the benefits of big events. When there is racing on in Dundalk, for instance, there are 20 cars over from Navan doing runs and that's impacting the local driver.
"The government are looking at ways to save funds but surely returning the functions to the Town Hall would help that. You'd have 150 taxi drivers renewing their licenses every year and that money would be going to the local authority. As things stand though the only function the council has is the allocation of taxi ranks,” he said.
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Weather for Dundalk
Thursday 17 May 2012
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