Why are Taxis allowed to use bus lanes?

patrickpc

When did society decide that Taxis should be allowed to use bus lanes?

Isn't this just another case of the richer in society (those who can afford to take taxis) benefitting at everyone's else expense?

Not to mention the likes of Michael O'Leary who had his own private Taxi back in the boom.

Does anyone else think this is wrong?

AdolfHipster

Sounds like one of those days were you need a pint.

Mr.McLovin

because taxi drivers own the fcuking road

Ray Palmer

They were always allowed use them as are cyclists. They are actually commuter lanes but named bus lanes for convenience. Some are strictly bus lanes that only busses can us, counter-flow one are the only such ones AFAIK

endacl

patrickpc wrote: »

When did society decide that Taxis should be allowed to use bus lanes?

Isn't this just another case of the richer in society (those who can afford to take taxis) benefitting at everyone's else expense?

Not to mention the likes of Michael O'Leary who had his own private Taxi back in the boom.

Does anyone else think this is wrong?

I dunno.... Tenner for a taxi. Few grand for a car....

Wazdakka

This..

patrickpc

endacl wrote: »

I dunno.... Tenner for a taxi. Few grand for a car....

..couple of euro for a bus..

B.A._Baracus

Because its public transport, op.
How well do you think taxis would work if they had to wait in traffic with all the other cars? With the meter still ticking? :pac:

patrickpc

Wazdakka wrote: »

This..

nope - just asking a question.

Birneybau

Public transport?

patrickpc

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

Because its public transport, op.
How well do you think taxis would work if they had to wait in traffic with all the other cars? With the meter still ticking? :pac:

Ok by the same logic - buses would work better if there weren't taxis in the bus lanes.

gramar

Taxi drivers are ****e drivers so anything that keeps them out of your lane has to be a good thing.

It also helps to keep their misguided sense of self importance and superiority well inflated.

Alf. A. Male

Because taxis claim to be public transport. They are in me bollix.

Santa Cruz

Birneybau wrote: »

Public transport?

Meaning no control over what type of scum sits beside you. I'll pay for a taxi instead

B.A._Baracus

patrickpc wrote: »

Ok by the same logic - buses would work better if there weren't taxis in the bus lanes.

No, they wouldn't.
The idea of bus lanes is to allow public transpot vehicles to flow. So they don't get bogged down in regular traffic. So they can just wizz on by.

It's not like there are a million taxis in Dublin. All parking in Bus lanes 24/7 :pac:

seamus

Well if you're being reasonable about it, taxis are operating a business which depends on the ability to move about on the roads, much like busses. If they cannot move about freely on the roads, then their ability to carry out their business is effectively crippled and they go under.

As much of a pain in the ass taxi drivers are, they do provide a valuable function to the economy by providing direct public transport between areas which may not be linked by other forms of public transport. This is vital for the tourism sector. They also provide a valuable social function by allowing those who are infirm to make trips from their home when they might otherwise be unable to do so. People on dialysis for example may have to go to the hospital multiple times per week. They're too sick to take the bus (or live nowhere near a bus stop) but not so sick that they should tie up an ambulance. Taxis fill in this gap.

Private vehicles by contrast provide minimal benefit to the economy at large, since the vast majority of commuters in the Dublin region drive by choice rather than necessity. A private commuter driving to work costs the economy money, whereas a taxi operating on the roads contributes to it.

I would support light commercial vehicles using bus lanes in the city centre during certain times for the same reason that taxis can use them.

super_furry

Nothing I like more that putting on my top hat and monocle, having my tuxedo freshly pressed and sitting in the back of a taxi to laugh at the peasants.

Ray Palmer

patrickpc wrote: »

Ok by the same logic - buses would work better if there weren't taxis in the bus lanes.

The main objective is to reduce the number of cars used on the road. Make it quicker to get a bus or a taxi along with cyclists.

Some of remember when there were none and less cars and buses took much longer to move around.

They really should enforce the correct use.

Greenmachine

PSV licence. Public service vehicles.

Hotale.com

Have taxis become an upper class thing?

I can still get to anywhere in my town for a fiver in a taxi, that's not exactly gonna break the bank.

minotour

I'd like to see proposals for High Occupancy Vehicles in bus lanes during commuter hours. I watch the N11 in the morning and its mostly single occupant cars lined up as far as the eye can see, surely with the right incentive people could car pool and get to work in a fraction of the time.

gramar

Hotale.com wrote: »

Have taxis become an upper class thing?

I can still get to anywhere in my town for a fiver in a taxi, that's not exactly gonna break the bank.

Yeah but if your town only has main st. then great but get a taxi from the airport into o'connell st and see if a fiver will cover it.

smellmepower

Shouldn't be allowed use bus lanes during rush hour,people should be encouraged to use mass public transport instead.

Taxi drivers should also be punished for the way they grind Dame Street to a standstill every Friday and Saturday night by parking and waiting for fares wherever they like.

endacl

super_furry wrote: »

Nothing I like more that putting on my top hat and monocle, having my tuxedo freshly pressed and sitting in the back of a taxi to laugh at the peasants.

You'd wear a top hat with a tuxedo? Between the hours of 7am to 7 pm? The tuxedo is only to be worn from dusk to dawn. Where did you go to school?

My dear chap, I very much fear that it is you the peasants might be laughing at!

c_man

seamus wrote: »

A private commuter driving to work costs the economy money, whereas a taxi operating on the roads contributes to it.

I cost the economy money by driving to work...? Care to explain that one

Hotale.com

c_man wrote: »

I cost the economy money by driving to work...? Care to explain that one

If everyone used public transport we'd all get around more quickly and therefore productivity would increase, therefore by using your own car you cost the economy money.

Tail Docker

seamus wrote: »

Well if you're being reasonable about it, taxis are operating a business which depends on the ability to move about on the roads, much like busses. If they cannot move about freely on the roads, then their ability to carry out their business is effectively crippled and they go under.

As much of a pain in the ass taxi drivers are, they do provide a valuable function to the economy by providing direct public transport between areas which may not be linked by other forms of public transport. This is vital for the tourism sector. They also provide a valuable social function by allowing those who are infirm to make trips from their home when they might otherwise be unable to do so. People on dialysis for example may have to go to the hospital multiple times per week. They're too sick to take the bus (or live nowhere near a bus stop) but not so sick that they should tie up an ambulance. Taxis fill in this gap.

Private vehicles by contrast provide minimal benefit to the economy at large, since the vast majority of commuters in the Dublin region drive by choice rather than necessity. A private commuter driving to work costs the economy money, whereas a taxi operating on the roads contributes to it.

I would support light commercial vehicles using bus lanes in the city centre during certain times for the same reason that taxis can use them.

I can hear the roars of the Truck-drivers from here.

Turtyturd

Santa Cruz wrote: »

Meaning no control over what type of scum sits beside you. I'll pay for a taxi instead

That's as big an issue in taxis.

c_man

Hotale.com wrote: »

If everyone used public transport we'd all get around more quickly and therefore productivity would increase, therefore by using your own car you cost the economy money.

Still don't see it, lot of therefores I don't see eye to eye on I'd be more productive if my morning trip was via public transport?

How much money would my car cost the economy? And how come this money is being removed from the economy?

Teyla Emmagan

They are only supposed to use the bus lanes if they are occupied. Despite what observation would lead you to believe.

MattD1349

If I recall correctly the taxi drivers had one of their infamous stoppages in the late '90's (1998 I think). They wanted access to the bus lanes & the govt of the day caved in. I remember they brought town to such a standstill I had to walk from O'Connell st to Heuston station as the quays were blocked by them.

Santa Cruz

endacl wrote: »

You'd wear a top hat with a tuxedo? Between the hours of 7am to 7 pm? The tuxedo is only to be worn from dusk to dawn. Where did you go to school?

My dear chap, I very much fear that it is you the peasants might be laughing at!

Leave the poor bugger alone. He was my fag at Winchester. His Grandfather was with the Dragoons at Maafeking. Jolly good show too

seamus

Tail Docker wrote: »

I can hear the roars of the Truck-drivers from here.

I'm not talking about trucks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_commercial_vehicle
Anything bigger than a van should need a permit to enter the city. There's no good reason to be driving trucks onto narrow city streets unless you're carrying a piece of cargo that won't fit in a van.

doolox

Taxis will not park all day in scarce car park in spaces in the congested city centre, most taxi drivers know their way around the city better than most occasional visitors so it is better to encourage the use of taxis in trips to town rather than have a car parked all day in city ctr. I imagine some group such as city council,business group etc came up with the idea. Gardai and ambulance can also use bus lanes.

Spook_ie

patrickpc wrote: »

When did society decide that Taxis should be allowed to use bus lanes?

Isn't this just another case of the richer in society (those who can afford to take taxis) benefitting at everyone's else expense?

Not to mention the likes of Michael O'Leary who had his own private Taxi back in the boom.

Does anyone else think this is wrong?

Thinly veiled "Taxis can use the new bridge I can't Boo Hoo" thread

patrickpc

Spook_ie wrote: »

Thinly veiled "Taxis can use the new bridge I can't Boo Hoo" thread

Don't know where you got that from. Didn't know taxis could use the new bridge and never mentioned Dublin in my OP.

sTroll on.

longhalloween

How do taxi's bog down busses, when they move faster than busses?

If anything there should be dedicated taxi lanes. Reduce your fare and travel time in one fell swoop!

ezra_pound

Ray Palmer wrote: »

They were always allowed use them as are cyclists. They are actually commuter lanes but named bus lanes for convenience. Some are strictly bus lanes that only busses can us, counter-flow one are the only such ones AFAIK

No they were not always allowed to use them.

RobbingBandit

Taxi drivers are moaning fcuks, it was a feeble attempt to shut them up complaining.

Agricola

Hotale.com wrote: »

If everyone used public transport we'd all get around more quickly and therefore productivity would increase, therefore by using your own car you cost the economy money.

True. The flip side however is that if more people used public transport, then less people would own cars, which would be a major loss of revenue to the state, which is heavily dependent on penal motor tax rates and excise on fuel.

mad m

A taxi can use a normal (with-flow) bus lane only while it is operating as an SPSV – carrying a passenger, on the way to pick up a pre-booked customer, or plying for hire. Taxis must not use bus lanes if they are not operating as an SPSV – for example, driving home at the end of a shift, travelling on personal business, or transporting only goods and not passengers.

Taxis are not allowed to use contra-flow bus lanes (in which traffic travels in the opposite direction to the traffic beside it) under any circumstances.

Hackneys and limousines are not permitted to use bus lanes.

Frank Lee Midere

mad m wrote: »

A taxi can use a normal (with-flow) bus lane only while it is operating as an SPSV – carrying a passenger, on the way to pick up a pre-booked customer, or plying for hire. Taxis must not use bus lanes if they are not operating as an SPSV – for example, driving home at the end of a shift, travelling on personal business, or transporting only goods and not passengers.

Taxis are not allowed to use contra-flow bus lanes (in which traffic travels in the opposite direction to the traffic beside it) under any circumstances.

Hackneys and limousines are not permitted to use bus lanes.

That's absolutely impossible to police. I mean the guards can't know if a taxi driver is on his way to a pickup.

patrickpc

mad m wrote: »

A taxi can use a normal (with-flow) bus lane only while it is operating as an SPSV – carrying a passenger, on the way to pick up a pre-booked customer, or plying for hire. Taxis must not use bus lanes if they are not operating as an SPSV – for example, driving home at the end of a shift, travelling on personal business, or transporting only goods and not passengers.

Taxis are not allowed to use contra-flow bus lanes (in which traffic travels in the opposite direction to the traffic beside it) under any circumstances.

Hackneys and limousines are not permitted to use bus lanes.

The above means that Taxi drivers can use bus lanes pretty much whenever they like. They can easily claim to be on the way to pick up a pre-booked customer and what guard is ever going to bother verifying it.

patrickpc

longhalloween wrote: »

How do taxi's bog down busses, when they move faster than busses?

If anything there should be dedicated taxi lanes. Reduce your fare and travel time in one fell swoop!

Any other vehicle, other than a bike maybe, would delay buses using a bus lane. That is the main reason we don't have carpool lanes on our city bus lanes.

Paulzx

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

It's not like there are a million taxis in Dublin.

Jaysus........every taxi driver i talk to says there is:D

seamus

Agricola wrote: »

True. The flip side however is that if more people used public transport, then less people would own cars, which would be a major loss of revenue to the state, which is heavily dependent on penal motor tax rates and excise on fuel.

Less private vehicles would mean far less infrastructural costs and better health

Swings and roundabouts. The state doesn't actually bring in enough in motor tax and fuel excise to cover the cost of the roads.

dixiefly

the OP has a fair point and it is one that also often crossed my mind.

Why should a taxi with one or two persons in it have priority over a car with 4 or 5 persons in it?

In Phoenix AZ, the fast lane is for commuters with more than one person in the car. I am not advocating that here as the roads in Phx are 2 or 3 lanes wide.

patrickpc

dixiefly wrote: »

the OP has a fair point and it is one that also often crossed my mind.

Why should a taxi with one or two persons in it have priority over a car with 4 or 5 persons in it?

In Phoenix AZ, the fast lane is for commuters with more than one person in the car. I am not advocating that here as the roads in Phx are 2 or 3 lanes wide.

Finally someone who agrees with me!

The answer to your question is that the person in the Taxi has paid for the right to take priority over every other vehicle on the so-called Public road. That is what I think is wrong, regardless of car occupancy. I mean, most/all road users are paying for the roads.

longhalloween

patrickpc wrote: »

The answer to your question is that the person in the Taxi has paid for the right to take priority over every other vehicle on the so-called Public road

Well its a public transport road. And taxis are public transport.

I thought the idea of bus lanes was to encourage people to leave their cars at home. Even if 4 people are in a private car, its still an extra car coming into the city.

K.Flyer

Mr.McLovin wrote: »

because taxi drivers think they own the fcuking road

Fixed your post!

ezra_pound

longhalloween wrote: »

Well its a public transport road. And taxis are public transport.

I thought the idea of bus lanes was to encourage people to leave their cars at home. Even if 4 people are in a private car, its still an extra car coming into the city.

No it's not a public transport road. It's a BUS LANE originally conceived to benefit buses and bikes not cars or vans.

Taxis driving in bus lanes do not encourage me to leave the car at home. They make my cycle to work slower, more stressful and much more dangerous.


The only thing taxis in bus lanes incentivise people to do is take taxis. Taxis are cars or vans. We're trying to reduce our dependence on cars and vans.

What's the benefit of leaving my car at home to pay someone else to drive me in their car. I don't see your point?