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Time to standardise Taxi's in Dublin?

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    #62
    Uriel.
    Registered Users Posts: 8,061 ✭✭✭Uriel.


    Spook_ie wrote: »
    So why reference mass transit or do you mean like FF/FG that allow 1000's of taxis to be licensed because it's a cheap alternative to providing REAL mass transit?

    Can you give some examples of mass transit?


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    #63
    oisindoyle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 899 ✭✭✭oisindoyle


    bk wrote: »
    If we could go back in time to pre-deregulation then ideally what should have happened is:

    - Triple the number of licenses
    - Put in place very strong regulations on the type of vehicles, age and maintenance
    - Introduce a Dublin Bus normal 24 hour service

    I think we would have avoided many of the issues we currently have with the taxi industry.

    Ironically the taxi industry at the time fought that tooth and nail, they wanted no increase in taxi plates, so the government was forced to de-regulate the industry instead.

    So now we instead end up with a situation that isn't optimal for either passengers nor drivers.

    Well for your information there WAS an increase in licences pre dereg., which was proposed by that wonderful leader of ours Bertie Ahern.

    It was AGREED BY ALL (so dont know where you are getting the "taxi industry at the time fought it tooth and nail"),that each year for approx 4 years that 300 plates would be issued and after the 4th yr all the powers that be would look at the situation and see if there was sufficient taxis to meet demand.
    It seemed like a reasonable and sensible way to go about things and it was working out well.
    It was in it's second year when Molloy and co deregulated the industry,which has now led to the mess we have today .
    All rep bodies predicted the mess that would entail ,guess who was right


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    #64
    Spook_ie
    Registered Users Posts: 10,896 ✭✭✭✭Spook_ie


    Uriel. wrote: »
    Can you give some examples of mass transit?
    dictionary.com definition
    mass transit
    noun
    a system of large-scale public transportation in a given metropolitan area, typically comprising buses, subways, and elevated trains.


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    #65
    Uriel.
    Registered Users Posts: 8,061 ✭✭✭Uriel.


    Spook_ie wrote: »
    dictionary.com definition

    Great. Glad we are on the same wavelengths. Now go back and read my posts, because I don't know where you are (trying) to go with your replies.

    I'll explain once more though:

    Our PSVs should migrate to greener technologies..
    By PSVs I mean:
    1) Taxis
    2) Mass Transit (e.g. buses, trains etc..)

    Now do you get why I mentioned mass transit?? because in relation to my original post on the matter I referred to the going green of our transport services and not to single out just taxis in case it might offend you, I always included buses etc... under the umbrella. I don't see how I can be any more clearer to be honest.


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    #66
    Spook_ie
    Registered Users Posts: 10,896 ✭✭✭✭Spook_ie


    Uriel. wrote: »
    In addition I'd say we need to start seriously thinking of having more environmentally friendly PSVs on our roads. Including mass capacity transit.

    I don't expect it over night and perhaps the technology isn't fully sufficient yet but we do need to have a plan towards a migration in the not too distant future
    Uriel. wrote: »
    Great. Glad we are on the same wavelengths. Now go back and read my posts, because I don't know where you are (trying) to go with your replies.

    I'll explain once more though:

    Our PSVs should migrate to greener technologies..
    By PSVs I mean:
    1) Taxis
    2) Mass Transit (e.g. buses, trains etc..)

    Now do you get why I mentioned mass transit?? because in relation to my original post on the matter I referred to the going green of our transport services and not to single out just taxis in case it might offend you, I always included buses etc... under the umbrella. I don't see how I can be any more clearer to be honest.

    Perhaps using full sentences would help to alleviate misunderstandings


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    #67
    Uriel.
    Registered Users Posts: 8,061 ✭✭✭Uriel.


    Spook_ie wrote: »
    Perhaps using full sentences would help to alleviate misunderstandings

    Perhaps taking your blinkers off for a few moments would help infinitely more


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    #68
    Spook_ie
    Registered Users Posts: 10,896 ✭✭✭✭Spook_ie


    Uriel. wrote: »
    Perhaps taking your blinkers off for a few moments would help infinitely more


    I don't wear blinkers, perhaps you meant I should remove my reading glasses, how would that help with my interpretation of your posts?


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    #69
    jimgoose
    Registered Users Posts: 20,174 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    Fantastic idea. Given our new status as a Third-World emerging economy, I humbly suggest relocating the Morris Oxford plant yet again, from West Bengal to somewhere in Mayo, maybe. Instead of the Hindustan Ambassador we could call it the Hibernian Clodhopper. :cool:


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    #70
    oppenheimer1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,084 ✭✭✭oppenheimer1


    Spook_ie wrote: »
    The time to standardise taxis was 10 years ago, when there was money around to do it, in the current climate to spend upwards of 30000-40000 euro on a vehicle for 9 years is akin to business suicide

    If you had to spend that money on a taxi, it would put an awful lot of part timers out of business.

    In fact I think the real reason for the semi-permanent branding is to discourage part timers from using the family car as a taxi.


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    #71
    mgbgt1978
    Registered Users Posts: 4,227 ✭✭✭mgbgt1978


    The OP pointed towards a car with a Renault 1.5 Dci engine fitted:eek:.
    Anybody who thinks that this car is capable of withstanding high mileage without a serious amount of heartache and expense knows very little about the current motor industry.


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    #72
    murphaph
    Registered Users Posts: 19,018 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    It's a Nissan/Renault engine, probably more Nissan than Renault in it. Nissan wouldn't be known for producing bad diesels to be fair, and to be fair to Renault, the French were always fairly good at the diesel engine part of their cars (often the rest left a lot to be desired).

    I presume if we were to go down the road of a standard vehicle you'd be talking about vehicles staying in service much longer and seeing engine and gearbox replacement at least once in their lifetime.

    Nissan diesels would be used commonly as the motive power in many an Irish taxi as it is though??

    The automotive world is moving towards smaller displacement engines with turbocharging to squeeze more energy out of the same amount of fuel. It is more of a general trend as turbos become more reliable and the fuel injection systems cleverer. Renault have a new 3 cylinder 900cc turbo petrol, for example. I suppose we could say Daihatsu were way ahead of their time with their small turbocharged engines.

    Anyway, I don't favour this plan, but I do favour standard livery and minimum specs that would only allow the likes of Passat + size taxis being seen on the streets.


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    #73
    mgbgt1978
    Registered Users Posts: 4,227 ✭✭✭mgbgt1978


    The diesel engines that the french are known for would be from the PSA group (Peugeot & Citroen).
    These are used by many other manufacturers including Ford, and even Toyota for a while.
    The Renault Dci engines/gearboxes have a very bad reputation for reliability.
    You could count on one hand the amount of Primera's (Dci-engined) being used as Taxis in most Towns and cities in Ireland.

    As for minimum specs the taxi regulator produced a list of cars which meet their minimum size requirements. It has previously been linked to in this thread.


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    #74
    murphaph
    Registered Users Posts: 19,018 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    mgbgt1978 wrote: »
    As for minimum specs the taxi regulator produced a list of cars which meet their minimum size requirements. It has previously been linked to in this thread.
    Yeah I saw that alright but I don't think it's being adhered to. I think also that minimum comfort levels should be specified. Something is amiss anyway with the garbage that you see floating around Dublin at any rate.

    I think however that the minimum specs should apply equally to hackney cabs. They seem to operate in a sort of parallel universe to taxis (in the UK as well) and not applying minimum specs to them seems unfair to me in a world where there is no limit on the number of taxi plates (before deregulation it was a serious asset to have a taxi plate as there were a limited number of cars that could be hailed, something hackney cabs can't be).


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    #75
    Spook_ie
    Registered Users Posts: 10,896 ✭✭✭✭Spook_ie


    murphaph wrote: »
    Yeah I saw that alright but I don't think it's being adhered to. I think also that minimum comfort levels should be specified. Something is amiss anyway with the garbage that you see floating around Dublin at any rate.

    I think however that the minimum specs should apply equally to hackney cabs. They seem to operate in a sort of parallel universe to taxis (in the UK as well) and not applying minimum specs to them seems unfair to me in a world where there is no limit on the number of taxi plates (before deregulation it was a serious asset to have a taxi plate as there were a limited number of cars that could be hailed, something hackney cabs can't be).

    The specifications are applicable to both hackneys and taxis


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    #76
    Nolimits
    Registered Users Posts: 1,645 ✭✭✭Nolimits


    I don't think it's necessary to standardise the car, but I would standardise the colour. I was in Berlin last year, and although taxis came in all shapes and sizes they were all this colour

    http://i.imgur.com/RdO0u6F.jpg


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    #77
    Mr Simpson
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,332 ✭✭✭Mr Simpson


    I'd agree with this. In a previous thread ages ago, I suggested this colour, I think its nice personally

    253604.jpg


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    #78
    I Was VB
    Registered Users Posts: 1,912 ✭✭✭I Was VB


    179900_4700305821124_767804384_n.jpg

    Nah i dont think they should standardize cars, i love older working cars and taxis!!!


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    #79
    Lord Nikon
    Registered Users Posts: 3,609 ✭✭✭Lord Nikon


    Whule it is all well and good having a standard taxi for all drivers to use, it costs money to buy such vehicels.

    Also, you may be aware that taxi drivers use their own cars for the purpose of taxi driving, and these cars are used for private use only. Now while you can give out that a taxi should be a taxi, and nothing else. It would be stupid to think that taxi drivers would have a spare car at home to use for private reasons.

    I also think it would be silly to think any taxi driver has spare cash to buy another car to use as a taxi, while maintaining the other car for private use.


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    #80
    murphaph
    Registered Users Posts: 19,018 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    Lord Nikon wrote: »
    Whule it is all well and good having a standard taxi for all drivers to use, it costs money to buy such vehicels.

    Also, you may be aware that taxi drivers use their own cars for the purpose of taxi driving, and these cars are used for private use only. Now while you can give out that a taxi should be a taxi, and nothing else. It would be stupid to think that taxi drivers would have a spare car at home to use for private reasons.

    I also think it would be silly to think any taxi driver has spare cash to buy another car to use as a taxi, while maintaining the other car for private use.
    No different in Germany. The guy just takes the roof sign off when he's using his taxi privately as is the current custom in Ireland. The only difference is the car is clearly a taxi. Why is this a problem? Is being a taxi owner something to be ashamed of now?


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    #81
    homerjay2005
    Registered Users Posts: 29,346 ✭✭✭✭homerjay2005


    MagicMarker wrote: »
    While I like the idea of 'uniformed' taxis, now probably isn't the best time to force thousands of people to buy new cars at considerable cost. And let's face it, it's not really such an important issue.

    it could he phased in, over a 4 or 5 year period(may not even need that long) where the majority of drivers would be buying a new car anyway.


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    #82
    lost marbles
    Registered Users Posts: 455 ✭✭lost marbles


    murphaph wrote: »
    No different in Germany. The guy just takes the roof sign off when he's using his taxi privately as is the current custom in Ireland. The only difference is the car is clearly a taxi. Why is this a problem? Is being a taxi owner something to be ashamed of now?

    not ashamed as such [well in some well heeled areas one would,nt be seen dead driving a taxi :cool:]
    but the part timer who is,nt declearing to revenue .or the social welfare claimant ,
    now these areas are being tightened up and a step in that direction is the door decals and the driver check app .then as ive seen in a neighbour beside a family member .
    he has started hiding his taxi around the corner and dos,nt appear on the app .[something to hide maybe ]


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    #83
    jimgoose
    Registered Users Posts: 20,174 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    lost marbles wrote: »
    not ashamed as such [well in some well heeled areas one would,nt be seen dead driving a taxi :cool:]...

    My sister lives in a well-heeled area, and drives a taxi. Mind you, her and her husband own the firm... ;)


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