Who to complain to? - Taxi driver (Old thread)

Esoteric_ · 18-05-2013 2:45am #1

I normally never have reason to criticise taxi drivers, always have good experiences in general, but this is something I need some advice on!

Got in a taxi (registered AFAIK, I took down the details on the window on my phone, and it had one of the green and blue banner stickers on the doors) with three friends.

We were going on a journey that was very short, as we were all in heels and had sore feet! The same journey at midnight had cost us just under 9 euro.

The taxi driver, after we got into the taxi and told him where we were going, told us to get out of the taxi, that he wasn't going such a short distance. I pointed out that he was going to get around a tenner from us for literally going up one road. He then muttered something under his breath, including the words 'drunk cows,' and started to drive. None of us were drunk, btw. I wouldn't be typing so coherently if I were drunk! :pac:

As he was driving, I noticed the meter wasn't on, and asked him why it wasn't on. He flat out ignored me. I asked him several times, he continued to refuse to speak to us.

We got to our destination, where he demanded 17 euro. :eek: Now, I know taxi prices go up a bit at night, but we've all taken that journey before and have never paid over 10 euro for it, even during this time of night.

I asked him how he could charge us that when it wasn't metered, and he told us to pay the money and get out of his 'bloody taxi so I can do my job.'

I threw a tenner at him and we got out of the car, with him shouting after us.

So, is this worth complaining about? Who do I complain to? I have his name, license number and reg plate. Is that enough?

Thanks in advance. And please don't see this as a taxi driver bashing thread, I have never, ever had any issues with taxi drivers in the past, and I take taxis quite regularly!

starviewadams · 18-05-2013 2:50am

Defo worth complaining about,you can lodge a complaint here:

http://transportforireland.ie/taxi/taxi-compliments-complaints

The Backwards Man · 18-05-2013 3:19am

There's a handy app to check if a driver is properly licenced for android and iphone, remember though that it is not necessarily the registered owner that is driving the taxi so take note of the number on the dashboard ID as well.

Please Kill Me · 18-05-2013 3:34am

If you have all his details, get onto the carriage office!! What a tosser! :rolleyes:

Complaints

When making a complaint it is be essential that you have the licence number of the vehicle and the name of the driver if possible in order that the complaint can be investigated. Enforcement is a matter for the Gardaí. Complaints about taxis, hackneys and limousines, including those of overcharging, in taxis, should be made to the Gardaí. The Carriage office in Dublin Castle handles complaints relating to Dublin taxis only. Complaints can be made to any Garda station, or to the relevant Garda PSV officer on a local or regional basis.

Dublin:-
Complaints Section, Garda Carriage Office
Dublin Castle, Dublin 2. Tel: 01 - 666 9864

mgbgt1978 · 18-05-2013 5:03am

A Taxi Driver can not charge any more than the amount shown on the Meter.
If there is no amount shown then he is not entitled to anything.
OP make a complaint to the regulator, and if this ever happens again refuse to pay anything and phone the Guards....they may, or may not, ask you to pay what you feel is the regular fare and the driver will get a boll%&*ing.

foggy_lad · 18-05-2013 9:24am

The only way such poor behaviour can be stamped out is by people making proper complaints to the taxi regulator rather than just ranting on the internet like so many end up doing. You should check out the NTA website for all the information you will need to make a complaint.

Esoteric_ · 18-05-2013 11:04am

foggy_lad wrote: »

The only way
such poor behaviour can be stamped out is by people making proper
complaints to the taxi regulator rather than just ranting on the
internet like so many end up doing. You should check out the NTA website
for all the information you will need to make a complaint.

Well, that's why I'm asking how to go about it.

cheers for the info. Used that app that the backwards man posted and he's legit, so gonna go ahead and make a complaint.

Cheers.

Spook_ie · 18-05-2013 1:30pm

Please Kill Me wrote: »

If you have all his details, get onto the carriage office!! What a tosser! :rolleyes:

Complaints

When making a complaint it is be essential that you have the licence number of the vehicle and the name of the driver if possible in order that the complaint can be investigated. Enforcement is a matter for the Gardaí. Complaints about taxis, hackneys and limousines, including those of overcharging, in taxis, should be made to the Gardaí. The Carriage office in Dublin Castle handles complaints relating to Dublin taxis only. Complaints can be made to any Garda station, or to the relevant Garda PSV officer on a local or regional basis.

Dublin:-
Complaints Section, Garda Carriage Office
Dublin Castle, Dublin 2. Tel: 01 - 666 9864

Carriage office, which is now in Santry, deal with actual licensing,

Information about the Carriage Office
The Carriage Office no longer deals with lost property. There are 5 designated Garda stations in the Dublin area that manage property that has been found in taxis. The stations are:

Irishtown: 01 666 9600
Store Street: 01 666 8000
Finglas: 01 666 7500
Tallaght: 01 666 6000
Shankill: 01 666 5900

Any person wishing to trace property left in a taxi should contact any of the above Garda stations or their local Garda station.
____________________________________________________________

The Carriage Office provides services in the following areas:

Licensing of large Public Service Vehicles (PSVs).
The Taxi Regulator is now responsible for the first step for applications for small PSV licences. Please see www.spsvtest.ie for further details of the process.
Carrying out technical examination of vehicles that are the subject of Garda investigation, such as fatal and serious injury traffic collisions and Garda fleet vehicles involved in road traffic accidents.

Vehicles registered with the Carriage Office (Dublin County) as of 1st January 2012:

11,669 Taxis
103 Hackenys
501 Wheelchair accessible taxis
340 Limousines
758 Large Public Service Vehicles
17,845 Small Public Service Driver Licences (for the Dublin area, these are held at the Carriage Office).
38,121 licensed PSV drivers are also registered countrywide, and records of all licences are maintained at local PSV Offices.

The Carriage Office has a staff of 5 - 1 Sergeant, 1 Garda and 3 clerical officers.

Contact Details for the Carriage Office:

The Carriage Office has re-located from Dublin Castle to The Garda Complex, Shanowen Road, Santry, Dublin 9.

Telephone contact numbers are:

General Office: +353 1 666 4115
+353 1 666 4116
+353 1 666 4117

Fax: +353 1 6664105

Public Opening hours:

Monday to Friday - 9.30am - 12.45pm and 2.00pm to 4.30pm

See also www.taxireg.ie for further information.

Complaints of a non criminal nature ( over charging, civility, non compliance etc.) are dealt with by Transport for Ireland

http://transportforireland.ie/taxi/taxi-compliments-complaints/

corkonion · 15-11-2013 1:16am

its a waste of time complaining, nothing will come of it. the nta and the taxi regulator really have zero interest in these types of complaints and thats why some drivers are happy to overcharge etc as they know they can do so without any consequences