[Letter] Taxis and the Aircoach service

Victor

Now, I think scam is a bit much, but its easy for people in such situations to hand over money.

Should taxis be banned from picking up at bus stops? Ther eare other issues - at times thay are blocking the buses from using these stops, thereby delaying them and their passengers.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2009/0507/1224246048794.html

Taxis and the Aircoach service

Madam, – Last Friday (May 1st) I was waiting for an Aircoach bus to take me from Leeson Street Bridge to Dublin Airport. I had just arrived at the bus stop when a taxi pulled up beside me. The driver said he would take me to Dublin Airport for the same fare as Aircoach, provided he could pick up two or three other passengers to make it worth his while. He said that if he could not get other passengers he would drop me off at O’Connell Street with no charge to me.

I was caught off-guard and got into the taxi. On the journey into the city he pointed out another taxi driver trying to pick up passengers at the Aircoach bus-stop on Suffolk Street. My taxi driver failed to get other passengers. When we arrived at O’Connell Street he then offered to take me to Dublin Airport for €20. I had planned to give him €10 for taking me to O’Connell Street. As the Aircoach would have cost me €7 from there, I decided to stay in the taxi for the sake of an extra €3.

I deeply regret my decision to take the taxi. I am a regular and very satisfied customer of Aircoach. The company provides a very frequent, efficient, friendly service and their coaches are very comfortable. However, thinking back on the incident I am appalled that taxi drivers are now attempting to “steal” passengers from Aircoach.

The purpose of this letter is to alert others not to be caught by what I now believe to be a scam. I ended up paying €20 for a trip for which I had intended to pay €8. Of much greater importance is the threat to the Aircoach company which could easily be forced out of business if this practice by taxi drivers is not stopped immediately. – Yours, etc,

mdebets

I see them everytime I take the Aircoach from O'Connell street early in the morning.
normally picking up 5 tp 6 people. If they charge 7 € for each of them, that must be surely illegal, as this cost more together than if they would charge the regular fare.

I was thinking about trying to scam these scamers, by taking their offer and then demand at the airport, to pay the price on the meter (I have never seen them sign any waiver, which you need to arrange a fare off the meter, and I presume they haven't switch on the meter for these journeys).
Does anyone know where I stand, if a taxi driver doesn't switch on the meter and has no proof that I agreed to a fare beforehand? Is there a standard fare, or do I just have to pay the price on the meter 0.00 €?

You can agree to a set fare before hand I think.

mdebets

Deleted User wrote: »

You can agree to a set fare before hand I think.

yes, but you have to write a waiver that you agree with this fare

zagmund

Sez the taxi driver - "I'll take you to O'Connell Street for free if I don't get any other passengers"

Sez yer one - "I was going to give him €10 for getting me to O'Connell Street."

From Leeson Street to O'Connell Street . . . sure the meter fare wouldn't even be that much and he was already willing to do it for free. Why on earth would anyone volunteer to pay the tenner ?

I haven't taken the Aircoach for a while now, but a few times when I took it during peak hours it was full by the time it got to Dawson Street and flew past customers all the way through town. I'm not sure that being dropped in O'Connell Street would be any advantage in these circumstances. Do Aircoach put on extra vehicles during the peaks to pick up excess load at the stops in town ?

z

amtaxi

The legal situation is that a taxi can ply for hire while driving and can pull in if flagged down, however, they cannot tout for business i.e. pulling in when not flagged! Also a fare can be agree in advance from rank or street but the driver may not charge more than the metered fare, The wavier form can be signed when a fare is pre-booked and fare agreed in advance - in this case the meter does not have to be used in all other cases the meter must be used - the driver can charge less than the metered fare but not more.

S.I. No. 710 of 2007
(5) In circumstances other than where the taxi or wheelchair accessible taxi
is standing for hire or plying for hire, where there is a prior written agreement
between the driver or operator and the consumer confirming—
(a) the charge for a pre-booked service, and
(b) that the consumer waives his or her right to have the fare calculated
on the taximeter,
the fare may be calculated other than by means of the taximeter.

dub_commuter

It's been going on for god knows how long, personally I would never take the taxi offer up because I know people who have, and have been given higher fares, and it's not ethically right either.

It happens at Dublin Bus Airlink stops, but not at the one outside O'Connell Street (I wonder why) occasionally also, but more so at the Aircoach stops.

The possible worst thing is the doiwnright lies the taxi drivers will spread to get passengers, such as "Aircoach is not running today" and "Aircoach have a poor safety record" and "Aircoach are brits so you are not supporting the Irish ecnonomy" and this kind of thing. However taxi drivers have not been the only people to spread these kind of things.

Fact is you are better off with Aircoach anyway, because on the way back the taxi driver is not going to give you a discount for the trip back to the city centre, and you'll end up paying more than you would for a return fare for both trips combined.

I agree that they should not be allowed to pick up from bus stops unless they are hailed, and when they've done it to Dublin Bus normally the Guards seem to deal with this on occasions, however they seem less bothered about other operators.

latenia

I ended up doing this the last time I went to the airport; I had been waiting at the O'Connell St stop from 10 minutes before the bus was due (at 4.45AM so unpredictable traffic was hardly an issue) until 20 minutes after. There were two German tourists waiting there before me looking distinctly unimpressed. A taxi pulled in with a woman already in the back; the deal was done with the 3 of us and we were in the airport 10 minutes later. My only gripe was being cramped with all the luggage-but we all just happened to have both large suitcases and carry-on bags.
As for the woman thinking she's been scammed-maybe she should take a metered journey from Leeson St Bridge to the airport and see how much that costs.

Irishrossoblu

I have got Taxi's from the Aircoach stop on many occasions. Usually from Leeson Streer Bridge or O'Connell Street. I have never been asked to pay more that €7 a go. Even when the driver could only find one more passanger. On one occasion i was on my own in the car and I still paid €7.

True I perfer getting the aircoach for the return ticket ect, and the lack of Taxi Driver rant about the 12,000 Taxi's in New York. But I have to say that the Aircoach service has become terrible in the last two years, and I have nearly missed flights waiting for 45mins at the stop for the coach.

This 'drop off at O'Connell Street' must be a new thing.

dub_commuter

Irishrossoblu wrote: »

But I have to say that the Aircoach service has become terrible in the last two years, and I have nearly missed flights waiting for 45mins at the stop for the coach.

Can't say I've had this problem, most I've been waiting is 15 minutes in the last couple of years, once 20 minutes but this was due to traffic like mad in the city centre.

Don't really have sympathy for people who say have a flight at a particular time and plan to arrive at airport say 60 minutes before flight leaves. I always make sure I am there at least 90 minutes before.

Victor

dub_commuter wrote: »

It happens at Dublin Bus Airlink stops, but not at the one outside O'Connell Street (I wonder why) occasionally also, but more so at the Aircoach stops.

Theres often someone from Dublin Bus on the kerb there and there usually a garda within a stone's throw.

Wishbone Ash

zagmund wrote: »

Do Aircoach put on extra vehicles during the peaks to pick up excess load at the stops in town ?

No - but there is one every 15mins.

antoinolachtnai

As I understand it, there are two services serving the city centre, and each of these services has a 15 minute frequency, but I could be wrong.

MiniD

Twice in the last week I have witnessed taxi drivers approach passengers waiting for the bus to the airport.

On Ormond Quay at the 748 stop a taxi driver pulled up offering to take passengers for the same price. They declined. Then yesterday, on Dawson Street at the Aircoach stop, a taxi driver offered to take passengers. They accepted and got in. There appeared to be two people already in the car ( it was a large van type taxi).

If this is happening regularly then it must be having a serious impact on Aircoach and Dublin Bus.

dearg lady

dub_commuter wrote: »

Don't really have sympathy for people who say have a flight at a particular time and plan to arrive at airport say 60 minutes before flight leaves. I always make sure I am there at least 90 minutes before.

I don't think it's too much to expect the bus to turn up on time! 60 mins is the max I'd leave myself in the airport, but then I always check in online.

I thought it IS illegal for taxis to pick up at bus stops, but then so many laws in this fair country aren't enforced...

dirtynosebeps

i saw this last week when stuck in traffic on o'connell street. people carrier taxi pulled up to the aircoach stop. the first two in the Q agreed then the taxi driver went down the whole Q asking if anyone else wanted to go to the airport. luckily everyone else declined.

godtabh

Did any one report the taxi they saw breaking the law?

confused-dazed

kearnsr wrote: »

Did any one report the taxi they saw breaking the law?

who exactly are you going to report this to k? the regulator :rolleyes:.and wheres the proof? i'm sure they know damn well whats going on but couldn't give a rats arse. and if a taxi gets caught at the aircoach stop, what next.ohhh you cant be doing that mr. taxi driver now go on your way.