Why don't taxi drivers turn their meters on anymore?

anitaca

Most of the taxis I have gotten in Letterkenny area in the last 2 years (about 20) had their meter turned off. Why is this?

I do not question them as I can get a cheaper fare out of it.

Connavar

If the meter isnt on its not recorded, so either they rip the people off or are avoiding tax
or just too lazy to turn it on

mikemac1

You are paying hackney prices for a taxi, that's what the market up there will support

There are no taxis in our regional town as nobody would pay meter rates
You agree the fee and off you go


Taxis are for cities, ports and airports, not towns

5 euro for a town run in Letterkenny.

If they used the meter, it would be 8 or 9 euro

dowlingm

What is the law in this regard?

In Toronto, the Passengers "bill of rights" specifies as follows:
http://www.toronto.ca/taxitraining/pdf/chapter545.pdf (p64-65)

Every owner shall securely affix to the back of the front passenger seat of his or her taxicab a taxicab passenger bill of rights in a form provided by the Commissioner or his or her designate, which form shall state that taxicab passengers have a right to:
(a) Direct the driver on the route to be taken;
(b) An effective complaints process;
(c) A free ride if the meter is not in a recording position;
(d) A quality taxicab which:
[1] Is in good mechanical and physical condition;
[2] Has a clean passenger area and trunk;
[3] Is heated or air-conditioned on demand;
[4] Has easy access to seatbelts;

(emphasis added)

mikemac1

City folk in commuting forum with their constant talk of taxis flooding their city :pac:

Come rural where taxis do not exist (Letterkenny is one of the largest towns in Ireland so not a good example)

You order a cab and you'll wait 40 minutes to get it
Your driver comes into the pub or hotel reception to get you, drink up he says! I've places to be!

And then it's 3am and you want to go home so you'll be sharing it, 2-3 stops to make before it gets you to your parish

Which is grand, cheaper for everyone

You stand outside Supermacs and see who is going your way and who ordered it
Hackney on your own at 3am? That's rare

It's different in the daytime, you can order a driver no problem

Losty Dublin

The law is that since the national meter area came in in 2006, a meter has to be turned on for a fare; this applies even when a fixed fare is agreed and signed off on by the passenger and driver. If the meter isn't turned on, a driver is liable for a fine. Something that the regulator never checked up on was that taxi's in many towns operated flat fares all the time with no problem whatsoever; the end result of all this was confusion in lots of regions.

Victor

mikemac1 wrote: »

You order a cab and you'll wait 40 minutes to get it

Order it 40 minutes before you need it.

Your driver comes into the pub or hotel reception to get you, drink up he says! I've places to be!

Surely you should be ready?

And then it's 3am and you want to go home so you'll be sharing it, 2-3 stops to make before it gets you to your parish

Which is grand, cheaper for everyone

You realise that if you paid full price (a) you could go directly home without dropping off other people and (b) the taxi drivers might earn a bit more and there would be more taxis available?

mikemac1

Ah Victor, you're taking my post far too seriously

Must be from a city

Zoney

My experience is that if the taxi driver doesn't turn the meter on, you get the cheaper fixed rates that were more common until a couple years ago. It's far nicer too, I much prefer just knowing how much I'll be paying beforehand.

I don't really understand why it's so much of an unknown though whether fixed rates or the meter will be used (also some taxis do or don't apply the other set rates like for late hours or luggage or so on).

In general it all seems a confusing mess compared to how it used to be.

christmas2012

maybe not switching on the meter is a tax dodging move..as payment is not recorded..still if it gives you a cheaper fare and the taxi driver gets off on tax its win win all around ..

Losty Dublin

christmas2012 wrote: »

maybe not switching on the meter is a tax dodging move..as payment is not recorded..still if it gives you a cheaper fare and the taxi driver gets off on tax its win win all around ..

A taxi meter has nothing to do with a tax return.

christmas2012

but sure it records the transactions once the meter is on they cant just take it back..im sure they switch it off for a couple of journeys to have 100% of that cash in hand as opposed to totted up and taxed at the end of the year..

Losty Dublin

christmas2012 wrote: »

but sure it records the transactions once the meter is on they cant just take it back..im sure they switch it off for a couple of journeys to have 100% of that cash in hand as opposed to totted up and taxed at the end of the year..

Nope, it's just there to record a fare as set by law. As it can't allow for tips, discounts, fare runners, road tolls, etc it's not sufficient proof of income for a tax return. Limos, couriers, hackneys, hired buses etc all manage fine without meters.

oisindoyle

ALL taxi journeys MUST have their meter on ,unless a price is agreed upon beforehand where upon a waiver form must be signed by both parties
Any taxi driver driving without his meter on is breaking the law
In other words all the country "taxis" doing jobs for a fiver are breaking the law

Mint Sauce

My memories of living in Letterkenny, and recent visits, that some of the firms had set prices, or Hackey fares, which often worked out cheaper than the meter.

This brings up another question for me. Where have all the actual hackneys gone. Nearly all the taxis I see now all have meters in them, hate it when I go home for the weekend and I see the meter going up and up and up after a night out.

bk

irish-stew wrote: »

This brings up another question for me. Where have all the actual hackneys gone. Nearly all the taxis I see now all have meters in them, hate it when I go home for the weekend and I see the meter going up and up and up after a night out.

All the hackneys became taxis with the the deregulation of the taxi industry. No point in not being a taxi and having the advantage of picking up people along the road.

However nothing stopping you calling up a taxi company or driver you know and asking for a fixed fee for a particular journey, just like you would with a hackney.

Where To

irish-stew wrote: »

My memories of living in Letterkenny, and recent visits, that some of the firms had set prices, or Hackey fares, which often worked out cheaper than the meter.

This brings up another question for me. Where have all the actual hackneys gone. Nearly all the taxis I see now all have meters in them, hate it when I go home for the weekend and I see the meter going up and up and up after a night out.

There's still as many as there always was outside the urban areas.

Since dereg and the surge in taxi numbers people just don't notice us as much.

oisindoyle

irish-stew wrote: »

My memories of living in Letterkenny, and recent visits, that some of the firms had set prices, or Hackey fares, which often worked out cheaper than the meter.

This brings up another question for me. Where have all the actual hackneys gone. Nearly all the taxis I see now all have meters in them, hate it when I go home for the weekend and I see the meter going up and up and up after a night out.

So where do you live when not at home ?

oisindoyle

bk wrote: »

All the hackneys became taxis with the the deregulation of the taxi industry. No point in not being a taxi and having the advantage of picking up people along the road.

However nothing stopping you calling up a taxi company or driver you know and asking for a fixed fee for a particular journey, just like you would with a hackney.

All metered taxis MUST put on there meter for all journeys .If there is a fixed fare ,it must be agreed on by both parties and a waiver form produced and signed ,

Mint Sauce

oisindoyle wrote: »

So where do you live when not at home ?

In a house in the town of my place of work.

jumbone

I know that sone taxi companies in letterkenny such as swilly cabs hire drivers on a wage or percentage of fares and they supply the cars, meters and diesel. It could be these drivers turning off the meters and pocketing cash fares. The passenger says nothing cos they save money on their trip

steph1

oisindoyle wrote: »

All metered taxis MUST put on there meter for all journeys .If there is a fixed fare ,it must be agreed on by both parties and a waiver form produced and signed ,

Oisin I know where you are coming from. There is no such thing as a fixed fare with me but I have to discount. So say its 6 on the meter the punter will usually slap a fiver on the dash and thats all they will pay. These now would be local runs around the town.
I do put on the meter and it gets me into bother with some people as they dont want it on but I tell them its the law to have it on and I could be fined 250 euros if I am stopped at a checkpoint and that usually shuts them up!
Some people will ask me for a deal if they are going way out of town. And what I do is still put on the meter and give them a discount. There is no way at 3 and 4am in the morning that I am asking drunks to sign waiver forms. I know what I would be told!

prettygurrly

aaaah some of my fondest memories of nights out "at home" are the randomers you meet in the hackney bus on the way home....

foggy_lad

prettygurrly wrote: »

aaaah some of my fondest memories of nights out "at home" are the randomers you meet in the hackney bus on the way home....

And the fights and rows with strangers:D

prettygurrly

foggy_lad wrote: »

And the fights and rows with strangers:D

exactly all part of the craic