Taxi Operating Out of Area Question?

1233j

Hi all,

I live in kerry and will hopefully be getting my taxi license soon. No luck with the jobs so far :rolleyes:

Anyway, I've heard from one or two people saying something about specific operating areas for the taxi licenses, like how the dublin taxis have the D stickers on their cars. Apparently you're only allowed to operate in whatever specific area you have the sticker, or something, for.

Can anyone tell me if this is true? Can you still drop people off in other counties?
Is there an actual penalty, for it? Or is it even taken seriously?

reason I'm asking is because I'd be hoping to go to limerick alot of weekends and take the taxi with me to get business there, and given how there's almost always a lack of taxis in the country, my experience anyway, I don't quite understand this.
Thanks for any info guys!

TheBandicoot

1233j wrote: »

and given how there's almost always a lack of taxis in the country

?? I would say the exact opposite, but maybe it is different outside of Dublin.

1233j

Sorry, maybe I worded that badly I was referring to rural counties, not the whole country, my bad. When I lived in limerick and even maynooth, even here, there seemed to always be a long wait for taxis.

MrDerp

I seem to recall a bit of controversy a few years ago regarding non-Galway based taxi drivers descending for the races in August.

Without knowing the business at all, I would say that if there is rules today, the risk of enforcement is next to zero, like most regulations in this country.

Having seen the amount of taxis present in Cork and Dublin at the weekends, however, I would have thought you'd be far better served doing a few rural pub runs at the weekend than cruising and queueing around the city centre?

00112984

You can get a licence for Limerick aswell, often see roof signs with multiple location stickers on them.

1233j

MrDerp wrote: »

I seem to recall a bit of controversy a few years ago regarding non-Galway based taxi drivers descending for the races in August.

Without knowing the business at all, I would say that if there is rules today, the risk of enforcement is next to zero, like most regulations in this country.

Having seen the amount of taxis present in Cork and Dublin at the weekends, however, I would have thought you'd be far better served doing a few rural pub runs at the weekend than cruising and queueing around the city centre?

Thanks for the reply, I was confused myself about the enforcement of it all especially. I can't seem to find much of anything online about the rules or penalties for it.
I'd say so, not in Dublin or Cork myself, but the lenghty rural journeys would make good money.

1233j

00112984 wrote: »

You can get a licence for Limerick aswell, often see roof signs with multiple location stickers on them.

Thanks but I would assume that means another seperate exam for that particular county. Which would take another while to get and pass. I spend some weekends with my girlfriend and step-daughter in limerick, hence why I'm wondering exactly what the rules are, like picking up/dropping off, can you take bookings, reprecussions etc

Peppa Pig

1233j wrote: »

Thanks for the reply, I was confused myself about the enforcement of it all especially. I can't seem to find much of anything online about the rules or penalties for it.
I'd say so, not in Dublin or Cork myself, but the lenghty rural journeys would make good money.

You haven't searched that hard.
All in here

1233j wrote: »

Thanks but I would assume that means another seperate exam for that particular county. Which would take another while to get and pass. I spend some weekends with my girlfriend and step-daughter in limerick, hence why I'm wondering exactly what the rules are, like picking up/dropping off, can you take bookings, reprecussions etc

The rules are simple, if you want to be a taxi in Limerick you have to pass the local knowledge exam. From both your posts above, this doesn't seem to worry you as long as the penalty is small.

ganmo

Ask the regulator for clarification
But I've seen many plates with 2 counties on them (mostly LH and MH)

But as far as I know the restrictions apply to where ya can pick up ppl up not dropping them

1233j

Peppa Pig wrote: »

You haven't searched that hard.
All in here

The rules are simple, if you want to be a taxi in Limerick you have to pass the local knowledge exam. From both your posts above, this doesn't seem to worry you as long as the penalty is small.

Thank you for the link. With all due respect, I did research, but couldn't find exact information even on that website itself about the exact circumstances of the rule. But again, thank you.
Sorry if I gave a bad impression, I'm not looking to deliberately break the rule, but it would obviously take time to get that exam take and pass that exam after I hopefully pass the one for kerry, and whether it is a fine-able or prosecutable offence, or something that guards would let off with leniency, if even, while being between the two exams was just one of my questions.

1233j

ganmo wrote: »

Ask the regulator for clarification
But I've seen many plates with 2 counties on them (mostly LH and MH)

But as far as I know the restrictions apply to where ya can pick up ppl up not dropping them

Thank you for the reply. I think you might be right on that.

billie1b

1233j wrote: »

Thank you for the link. With all due respect, I did research, but couldn't find exact information even on that website itself about the exact circumstances of the rule. But again, thank you.
Sorry if I gave a bad impression, I'm not looking to deliberately break the rule, but it would obviously take time to get that exam take and pass that exam after I hopefully pass the one for kerry, and whether it is a fine-able or prosecutable offence, or something that guards would let off with leniency, if even, while being between the two exams was just one of my questions.

If you get your licence for Kerry, you can pick up from Kerry and drop them off in Donegal, the rule is that your not allowed pick up a fare on the way back from Donegal, only in Kerry. Same as taxi-drivers in Dublin, they cannot pick up from outside Dublin or Dublin Airport either.

1233j

billie1b wrote: »

If you get your licence for Kerry, you can pick up from Kerry and drop them off in Donegal, the rule is that your not allowed pick up a fare on the way back from Donegal, only in Kerry. Same as taxi-drivers in Dublin, they cannot pick up from outside Dublin or Dublin Airport either.

Perfect, thanks a million for explaining that, appreciate it!

billie1b

1233j wrote: »

Perfect, thanks a million for explaining that, appreciate it!

No problem, best of luck with it

foggy_lad

AFAIK you can apply to ply for hire in up to 4 different areas/counties. You may only pick up passengers or join a rank in one of these areas but you can drop passengers off wherever they want to go.

AlekSmart

1233j wrote: »

Thanks but I would assume that means another seperate exam for that particular county. Which would take another while to get and pass. I spend some weekends with my girlfriend and step-daughter in limerick, hence why I'm wondering exactly what the rules are, like picking up/dropping off, can you take bookings, reprecussions etc

I would suggest a little specific market research in whatever areas you wish to target.

You might find yourself at cross-purposes with individuals of high standing within that "local" Taxi community who might have a far more...."pro-active" approach to the notion of deregulated competition than any Regulatory body....;)

I would tread carefully in the first instance....:)