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"Wheelchair Accessible Taxis"

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  • 01-09-2014 5:09pm
    #1
    dublingal2014
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭


    Hi Could anyone provide me the name and tel no of a reliable wheelchair acessible taxi driver in Dublin City centre pref.

    One that actually provides a seatbelt for the wheelchair passenger whilst they are sitting in the wheelchair. Taxis I have used in the past seem to think that anchoring the chair in the taxi is enough or using the belt on the chair is a restraint. Its like trying to explain about putting a child in a buggy, securing the wheels of the buggy but there is no seatbelt for the child.

    I have tried ringing a few "Wheelchair accessible taxis" but it is really luck of the draw when they will arrive if they actually have the correct seatbelts for wheelchair users. I have tried rining the national transport authority and they were unable to provide me with a list of current reg. WA taxis.

    Tks


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    #2
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,354 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    You're asking for a recommendation for a 'taxi driver' when what you really need is a taxi company who can guarantee that some of their fleet meet your requirements. Relying on a single driver would leave you high and dry most of the time. You could also try Hailo.


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    #3
    Spook_ie
    Registered Users Posts: 10,896 ✭✭✭✭Spook_ie


    dublingal2014 wrote: »
    Hi Could anyone provide me the name and tel no of a reliable wheelchair acessible taxi driver in Dublin City centre pref.

    One that actually provides a seatbelt for the wheelchair passenger whilst they are sitting in the wheelchair. Taxis I have used in the past seem to think that anchoring the chair in the taxi is enough or using the belt on the chair is a restraint. Its like trying to explain about putting a child in a buggy, securing the wheels of the buggy but there is no seatbelt for the child.

    I have tried ringing a few "Wheelchair accessible taxis" but it is really luck of the draw when they will arrive if they actually have the correct seatbelts for wheelchair users. I have tried rining the national transport authority and they were unable to provide me with a list of current reg. WA taxis.

    Tks


    Silly as it sounds I don't believe there is a requirement for WATs to carry anything extra other than the specified restraints in the suitability manual
    See page 31 of 51
    Wheel Chair Taxi Suitability

    Of course if you are getting WATs turning up that have been modified and no longer have the restraints fitted you should take note of the driver and vehicle license number and report them

    As to a list of them then according to TfI
    The Authority maintains a register of all wheelchair-accessible taxis and hackneys. If you have difficulty obtaining an accessible service, the Authority may be able to provide you with contact details for an operator in your locality. Call the Authority’s Information Line on 0761 064000 - See more at: http://www.transportforireland.ie/taxi/faqs/#sthash.b1CQqzKL.dpuf


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    #4
    MOH
    Registered Users Posts: 6,464 ✭✭✭MOH


    coylemj wrote: »
    You're asking for a recommendation for a 'taxi driver' when what you really need is a taxi company who can guarantee that some of their fleet meet your requirements. Relying on a single driver would leave you high and dry most of the time. You could also try Hailo.

    I'd actually suggest the opposite, if you can get a specific driver.
    I booked a wheelchair accessible taxi from NRC a few years ago to collect my father from a nursing home for an appointment.
    Gave them plenty of notice - taxi never showed.

    I rang them to ask where it was, they didn't know, asked would a regular taxi do instead. :eek:

    Never used them since, but a large company isn't going to give a damn about losing your business, and aren't going to be any more reliable. An individual driver, or maybe a smaller company, might be a better.


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    #5
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,354 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    MOH wrote: »
    I'd actually suggest the opposite, if you can get a specific driver.
    I booked a wheelchair accessible taxi from NRC a few years ago to collect my father from a nursing home for an appointment.
    Gave them plenty of notice - taxi never showed.

    I rang them to ask where it was, they didn't know, asked would a regular taxi do instead. :eek:

    Never used them since, but a large company isn't going to give a damn about losing your business, and aren't going to be any more reliable. An individual driver, or maybe a smaller company, might be a better.

    The dispatcher on duty on the day fcuked up your booking so nobody should ever use any of the bigger taxi companies :confused:

    If you messed up something at work which did not have lasting consequences, would you expect to be fired for it?


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    #6
    MOH
    Registered Users Posts: 6,464 ✭✭✭MOH


    coylemj wrote: »
    The dispatcher on duty on the day fcuked up your booking so nobody should ever use any of the bigger taxi companies :confused:

    If you messed up something at work which did not have lasting consequences, would you expect to be fired for it?

    - It wasn't the first time they'd let me down, but I'd gone with them this time precisely because it was the first time I'd needed to book a wheelchair accessible taxi and I reasoned a large taxi company would have more such taxis available so would be better able to cover if anything went wrong with one of them
    - They, as you so eloquently put it, fcuked up, and failed to offer me any reasonable explanation.
    - They then offered me a completely unsuitable alternative - why on earth would I specifically book a wheelchair accessible taxi, giving 24 hours notice, if a regular taxi would do?
    - Their having a fleet including numerous wheelchair accessible taxis was of zero benefit

    On the other hand, I've used a smaller local company ever since and only once had an issue with a taxi arriving late, which they took the trouble to call in advance to warn me of.

    I'm not quite sure how "in my personal experience a large company may be no more reliable for a particular requirement, and has less to lose by losing the business of an individual customer" translates to "nobody should ever use a large company ever, under any circumstances whatsoever, for the rest of time".

    But, whatever.


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    #7
    Mr.Frame
    Registered Users Posts: 766 ✭✭✭Mr.Frame


    coylemj wrote: »
    The dispatcher on duty on the day fcuked up your booking so nobody should ever use any of the bigger taxi companies :confused:

    You don't know that for certain.For all you know the driver may have run into problems .Unless you know exactly what happened,you cannot say what "happened".
    Then to say "nobody should use any of the bigger taxi companies",is ridiculous and OTT


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    #8
    Losty Dublin
    Registered Users Posts: 13,003 ✭✭✭✭Losty Dublin


    coylemj wrote: »
    The dispatcher on duty on the day fcuked up your booking so nobody should ever use any of the bigger taxi companies :confused:

    If you messed up something at work which did not have lasting consequences, would you expect to be fired for it?

    Taxi radio firms are conduits for work which rely on taxis being available at any one time to cover the work as it turns up. If there isn't a wheelchair assessable taxi free at the time of the pick up or if the ones working at the time are tied up with other fares then one can't arrive for you, regardless of when you booked it. Equally one may have been free but at the wrong end of the city to travel over to you within a reasonable timeframe; e.g. it could have been in Bray and the pickup in the city.

    While I fully agree with you that it is unfair and unacceptable that you were let down, the reality is that there aren't close to enough wheelchair assessable taxis out there and those who are out there are, as self employed people, will take the first work that comes their way, within reason. While the base staff do their best, it is with a skeleton fleet and all too often people are let down.


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