Uber in Dublin

Confucius say

Hi all. I lived in London for years but upon returning to London recently for a visit, everyone was using Uber. This seems to have spread like wildfire since I left 2 years ago, it seems every 2nd car is an uber Prius.

Anyway I just installed it here in Dublin. I quoted a fare from Raheny to Dame St and it said €26.40?!? What's up with that? It's usually about €15.

Is it actually being used much here? I hope so, at lower fares. I know taxi drivers here earning 7 or 800 euros a week that barely pay any tax at all. It's a bit much for such an unskilled job.

So I for one welcome our uberlords if it's going to be cheaper... but is it actually something people use here yet?

Dodge

Uber, as you know it in London, isn't available in Dublin. You will be using a metered taxi that just happens to be signed up to receive business through Uber.

Irish law won't allow Uber (yet) as it works in most cities

Confucius say

Dodge wrote: »

Irish law won't allow Uber (yet) as it works in most cities

Why not? Are the gov afraid of losing out on tax or something?

Dodge

Confucius say wrote: »

Why not? Are the gov afraid of losing out on tax or something?

Nothing to do with tax, more to do with licenses.

Confucius say

Dodge wrote: »

Nothing to do with tax, more to do with licenses.

So do you think we'll see uber cars as they are in London happening here any time soon? Or will the Taxi cartel stand in the way?

frag420

The sooner the better! Living in London and UBER is a godsend for a cheap late night booty call commute!!

Confucius say

frag420 wrote: »

The sooner the better! Living in London and UBER is a godsend for a cheap late night booty call commute!!

it was all about the illegal minicabs when I lived there

Yggr of Asgard

Uber in dublin operates 2 variants, uber taxi and uber black, that's all.

Uber taxi is normal taxi and you get charged what is on the meter (no 2€ PUC however), in London that would be uber taxi.

Uber black is limo's and usually better cars and is more expensive, in London that is UberEXEC/UBERLUX.

Giving the price you quote, I think you estimated the uber black option.

There is no private drivers/cars on uber in Ireland. All drivers/cars are either licensed taxi or licensed limo (for black) with drivers that have a PSV License. There is no Pool or XL variant here.

So if you order a taxi you get a taxi and pay what's on the meter (similar to what hailo does), if you order a black you get a limo (hailo calls it executive in their app) and you pay a big surcharge for ordering a black. Also black in Ireland can be extremely good cars (151 Long wheel base Merc) or an older 2010 E Class Merc), there is no different card types as in London with exec or lux.

frag420

Confucius say wrote: »

it was all about the illegal minicabs when I lived there

Can never find those guys and the only time I did he wanted me to buy cocaine from him as it was part of his "offering"!

Confucius say

frag420 wrote: »

Can never find those guys and the only time I did he wanted me to buy cocaine from him as it was part of his "offering"!

they used to hang around every high st badgering you after the pubs closed. Coke and a lift home sounds good to me though :pac:

magicbastarder

coincidentally, a story about how uber established themselves in london:
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/apr/27/how-uber-conquered-london

one thing worth noting; the situation in london prior to uber arriving seems quite different to that in dublin; in a period where the population doubled, the number of black cabs went from something like 17,500 to 22,000; obviously there was the minicab system too, but the article is worth a read.

Mr.Frame

Confucius say wrote: »

Anyway I just installed it here in Dublin. I quoted a fare from Raheny to Dame St and it said €26.40?!? What's up with that? It's usually about €15.

Nothing wrong with that, 26 euro sounds about right is definitely NOT 15euro.

Confucius say wrote: »

Is it actually being used much here? I hope so, at lower fares. I know taxi drivers here earning 7 or 800 euros a week that barely pay any tax at all. It's a bit much for such an unskilled job.

Really you know these drivers earning 800 a week and "barely pay any tax".
Sounds like you are one of those armchair critics who knows nothing about nothing but posts just to rile people.

Losty Dublin

Dodge wrote: »

Uber, as you know it in London, isn't available in Dublin. You will be using a metered taxi that just happens to be signed up to receive business through Uber.

Irish law won't allow Uber (yet) as it works in most cities

Irish law states that anybody who takes payment for offering a lift must have their car licenced, taxed and insured for public hire. The driver must have a valid PSV licence to operate a public service vehicle as well. For Uber to be legalised the law would have to change.

OU812

Hails is more popular here as they arrived first

Confucius say

Mr.Frame wrote: »

Nothing wrong with that, 26 euro sounds about right is definitely NOT 15euro.



Really you know these drivers earning 800 a week and "barely pay any tax".
Sounds like you are one of those armchair critics who knows nothing about nothing but posts just to rile people.

15e or less from Sybil Hill Raheny to town, yes. I do this both ways regularly. Where are you getting your figures from?
If anyone tried to charge me €26 I'd call the police!
And yes I do know such taxi drivers.
Have I hit a nerve?

magicbastarder

i would expect to pay about €11-€15 for a taxi home, and i live near DCU - raheny seems to be about 1km longer a trip.

secondly, claiming to know someone 'earning €800 a week' is relatively meaningless without knowing if this includes expenses such as fuel and other vehicle costs, and how many hours worked to earn this.

roverrules

Confucius say wrote: »

15e or less from Sybil Hill Raheny to town, yes. I do this both ways regularly. Where are you getting your figures from?
If anyone tried to charge me €26 I'd call the police!
And yes I do know such taxi drivers.
Have I hit a nerve?

TfI website gives a fare somewhere in the range of €10.80 to €22.60 depending on time of day, traffic etc.

https://www.transportforireland.ie/taxi/taxi-fare-estimator/

J.pilkington

Ubers loading could have a factor? if there is a shortage of drivers in the area they jack up / load the fare.

As they have so few drivers in Dublin it's likely their algorithm calcs a high price if the driver has to travel away from a popular area. They actually pay drivers a fee to hang around areas which are typically busy for customer retention

Dodge

J.pilkington wrote: »

Ubers loading could have a factor? if there is a shortage of drivers in the area they jack up / load the fare.

As they have so few drivers in Dublin it's likely their algorithm calcs a high price if the driver has to travel away from a popular area. They actually pay drivers a fee to hang around areas which are typically busy for customer retention

Again, for standard "uber" (ie non-executive), they don't have any say in pricing as it is metered

devnull

Is there an option for UBER drivers who are on the exec option to do a fare at normal rates if it comes in or something like that?

This happens with HAILO and both ways yesterday I got a cab that was a Hailo+ or Hailo Exec as free upgrade becaue of lack of taxis

Bray Head

Road space reserved largely for the use of licensed taxis (aka bus lanes) is also a big reason that Uber would never take off.

Uber also thrives in cities where taxi prices are high and/or supply is scarce due to local regulations.This isn't the case in Ireland. Taxi prices are low by international standards and it's generally easy to find one since the deregulation of the early 2000s.

afatbollix

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Irish law states that anybody who takes payment for offering a lift must have their car licenced, taxed and insured for public hire. The driver must have a valid PSV licence to operate a public service vehicle as well. For Uber to be legalised the law would have to change.

All cabs in London are Licenced, Taxed and insured they have to have stickers in the windows to that effect.

No one can just download the app and hop in a car.

Grolschevik

Mr.Frame wrote:

Nothing wrong with that, 26 euro sounds about right is definitely NOT 15euro.

I do Smithfield to Portmarnock in the small hours several times a month, for several years. Average fare is about 25.

roverrules

afatbollix wrote: »

All cabs in London are Licenced, Taxed and insured they have to have stickers in the windows to that effect.

No one can just download the app and hop in a car.

The problem is that Uber have categoricly stated that they want to change the PSV legislation in Ireland to allow for things like Uberpop and Uberpool.


http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/business/200953/Uber-drivers-to-be-on-Limerick.html

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/uber-will-need-government-approval-to-roll-out-peer-to-peer-car-sharing-1.2492513

n97 mini

Mr.Frame wrote: »

Nothing wrong with that, 26 euro sounds about right is definitely NOT 15euro.

€26 will get you from Dame Street to Main Street Leixlip.

ross81

Uber would be a great, flexible option for me as a disabled person on welfare to actually get off state aid & make some sort of income. Really wish our politicians would make it happen. Don't they always talk about Ireland being "open for business"?

magicbastarder

i've seen a few articles on cost/benefit analysis which suggest that uber drivers make far less than minimum wage in other countries though.
are you unable to get a taxi licence?

n97 mini

I used uber a lot in the US. It's a supplemental income for most drivers, i.e. to earn a bit of extra money. They were all happy to have the opportunity.

I used it in Belfast recently. Former taxi driver. Says he makes more doing uber as he spends a lot less time between fares as he's never at a rank and his next fare begins close to where the previous one ended.

Uber, like cafe bars, will never gain a foothold. Too many vested interests who want to block it.

ross81

magicbastarder wrote: »

i've seen a few articles on cost/benefit analysis which suggest that uber drivers make far less than minimum wage in other countries though.
are you unable to get a taxi licence?

Well due to my neurological condition I have difficulty handling cash and a large part of regular taxi work is being able to do this. Chasing down fair dodgers for example would be out of the question for me. That Uber rating system is a good thing and works well from what I've read. It would be great just to be able to do a few hours a day too due to fatigue issues related to my condition. Despite my illness I believe I am a good & conscientious driver. My last accident ironically was 17 years ago before I even had this condition. For disabled drivers especially, I think Uber is just a more attractive & flexible option.

Del2005

ross81 wrote: »

Well due to my neurological condition I have difficulty handling cash and a large part of regular taxi work is being able to do this. Chasing down fair dodgers for example would be out of the question for me. That Uber rating system is a good thing and works well from what I've read. It would be great just to be able to do a few hours a day too due to fatigue issues related to my condition. Despite my illness I believe I am a good & conscientious driver. My last accident ironically was 17 years ago before I even had this condition. For disabled drivers especially, I think Uber is just a more attractive & flexible option.

You can do Uber in a taxi. Just don't pick up fares off the street and you won't have to handle cash.

I doubt many taxi drivers chase down fare dodgers, too much risk to them and their car, it's a cost of doing business.

n97 mini

Del2005 wrote: »

You can do Uber in a taxi. Just don't pick up fares off the street and you won't have to handle cash.

I doubt many taxi drivers chase down fare dodgers, too much risk to them and their car, it's a cost of doing business.

Last time I checked, uber was showing bigger fares than mytaxi for the same journey. No incentive to use uber here. I expect it'll be gone from Ireland by the end of the year.

Mr.Frame

n97 mini wrote: »

Last time I checked, uber was showing bigger fares than mytaxi for the same journey. No incentive to use uber here. I expect it'll be gone from Ireland by the end of the year.

Where are you getting your information from? All fares must be shown on the meter and no fare can be greater than shown on the meter.

Losty Dublin

n97 mini wrote: »

Uber, like cafe bars, will never gain a foothold. Too many vested interests who want to block it.

Like who?

spacetweek

I hope they don't legalise Uber in Ireland, it's an awful idea. It took a long time and a lot of legislation to get taxis in Ireland to the point they're at and Uber rolls all that progress back.

n97 mini

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Like who?

Publicans torpedoed cafe bars when McDowell tried to introduce them.

n97 mini

Mr.Frame wrote: »

Where are you getting your information from? All fares must be shown on the meter and no fare can be greater than shown on the meter.

The apps. For the same journey uber usually gives (gave) a higher estimate than mytaxi. (I realise the current version of uber no longer gives estimates for its basic offering)

Del2005

n97 mini wrote: »

The apps. For the same journey uber usually gives (gave) a higher estimate than mytaxi. (I realise the current version of uber no longer gives estimates for its basic offering)

It doesn't matter what either app estimates as you pay what's on the meter, so use whichever gets a car to you quickest.

n97 mini

Del2005 wrote: »

It doesn't matter what either app estimates as you pay what's on the meter, so use whichever gets a car to you quickest.

Moot point as uber doesn't give estimates anymore. Though the mytaxi estimates I looked at earlier seem a bit on the low side for journeys I've actually done.

bk

A lot of terrible mis-information on this thread!

Uber is absolutely available in Dublin.

Uber offers two services in Dublin:

UberTaxi - A regular taxi, you pay what is on the meter. Exactly the same fare as MyTaxi/Hailo or if you waved a taxi down on the street.

UberBlack - Fancier Black car service. All cars on this service most be fully licensed small public service vehcile, usually either a hackney or limousine license.

The reason why Uber never launched the service they have in the US here is because it is extremely easy to become a Taxi or hackney in Ireland and there are already way too many Taxi's in Ireland, so there was no demand for such a service here. Anyone who wants to drive for a living already has a Taxi license.

ross81, you can just get a Taxi license and just use UberTAXI service and you will never have to handle cash. It is relatively easy and cheap to get a taxi license. A Taxi license costs €6,300, though it is just €125 for a license for a wheelchair accessible car.

http://www.taxi.ie/applying-taxi-license-Dublin.shtml

By comparsion, it can cost over 1 million to get a Taxi license in some parts of the US and in the past taxi licenses use to go for more then €100,000 in Ireland!

Many Taxi drivers now do the job just part time, similar to Uber in the US.

One thing though, Taxi (and Uber) drivers would normally be expected to help with luggage etc., it is pretty normal part of the job, so your neurological condition might not help with that. Also I would wonder if it might effect your ability to get a SPSV license on health grounds.

n97 mini, there is zero cost difference between UberTaxi, MyTaxi and waving down a taxi yourself. You just pay the meter in all cases.

Personally I prefer UberTaxi to MyTaxi/Hailo as I tend to get a better quality of car from that service.

n97 mini

bk wrote: »

A lot of terrible mis-information on this thread!

Uber is absolutely available in Dublin.

...

n97 mini, there is zero cost difference between UberTaxi, MyTaxi and waving down a taxi yourself. You just pay the meter in all cases.

Personally I prefer UberTaxi to MyTaxi/Hailo as I tend to get a better quality of car from that service.

While technically Uber is available, there is no UberX which is what Uber is famous for elsewhere. There is no UberPool either as they haven't been able to launch it. It was supposed to be trialled in Limerick, but the NTA don't answer enquiries from Uber, which is holding them up. I read an interview where the man in charge of Uber in Ireland said he has written to the NTA four times and is yet to receive a reply.

You get a better car with Uber because their standards as regards cars are higher. You get the same taxi drivers though, which ironically can have criminal convictions, or in the case of non-Irish drivers no background checks, and still operate perfectly legally as taxis. Not to mention drivers who never sat a driving test.

bk

n97 mini wrote: »

You get a better car with Uber because their standards as regards cars are higher. You get the same taxi drivers though, which ironically can have criminal convictions, or in the case of non-Irish drivers no background checks, and still operate perfectly legally as taxis. Not to mention drivers who never sat a driving test.

Which of course applies to any taxi you sit into in Ireland!

At least with Uber, you can see the ratings that other users gave the taxi driver before it arrives (and cancel if you aren't happy) and you can also share the details of the taxi you are taking and your location with family or friends.

Also I believe Uber interviews drivers who are going on the service and may decide to not allow a driver on the service per their own rules. If a driver gets bad reviews then they can drop him/her from the service.

Also they confirm that the driver has a valid SPSV license and link it to the actual vehicle. Which eliminates the issue of fake taxi's that absolutely exists in Ireland.

So no guarantees of course, but I would argue FAR safer then any random average taxi you might take in Ireland. When my daughter gets old enough to take Taxi's by herself, it will certainly be Uber or a similar service that she will be instructed to take.

Losty Dublin

n97 mini wrote: »

Publicans torpedoed cafe bars when McDowell tried to introduce them.

What has this got to do with Über again?

Cookie_Monster

Losty Dublin wrote: »

What has this got to do with Über again?

It's an example of how vested interests prevented progressive new business / tech.
I would have thought that was pretty obvious...

Do you honestly think the taxi unions or Dublin Bus* wouldn't try similar tactics to block Uber?

* Yes - Uber also runs what is essentially a bus service in some cities. Just being launched in Wellington currently.
overview:
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/dec/09/uber-uberhop-bus

Losty Dublin

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

It's an example of how vested interests prevented progressive new business / tech.
I would have thought that was pretty obvious...

Do you honestly think the taxi unions or Dublin Bus* wouldn't try similar tactics to block Uber?

* Yes - Uber also runs what is essentially a bus service in some cities. Just being launched in Wellington currently.
overview:
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/dec/09/uber-uberhop-bus

Except it is not obvious as alcohol licences and cafe bars have nothing to do with public transport licensing in Ireland. Taxi unions have not blocked Uber from operating in Ireland as they do in the US, a point that has been made several times in thread here. Sure, taxi unions here are toothless and couldn't block a toilet

usernamegoes

bk wrote: »

A lot of terrible mis-information on this thread!

The reason why Uber never launched the service they have in the US here is because it is extremely easy to become a Taxi or hackney in Ireland and there are already way too many Taxi's in Ireland, so there was no demand for such a service here. Anyone who wants to drive for a living already has a Taxi license.

My understanding is that Uber are trying to launch UberX in Ireland but can't due to our crazy licencing rules.

They tried to get the government to allow them use Hackneys for the service but were told all new hackneys would need to be wheelchair accessible cars.

Losty Dublin

usernamegoes wrote: »

My understanding is that Uber are trying to launch UberX in Ireland but can't due to our crazy licencing rules.
.

What is so crazy about the taxi licencing rules here?

Mr.Frame

Mr.S wrote: »

An UberX service here would be a dream. But can you imagine the uproar from Dublin taxis, they'd grind the city to a halt.

Would seriously kick them into gear if Uber launched properly here, sick of getting taxis in bad condition and back to the days of queuing for a taxi at the weekend :eek:

Taxis in Dublin are of a far greater standard and condition than ever before.
You say "back to the old days of queuing for a taxi at weekends.
On a previous thread about taxis last month people were complaining there was too many taxis "clogging " up the streets at night.
Seems to have escaped you.

n97 mini

Mr.Frame wrote: »

Taxis in Dublin are of a far greater standard and condition than ever before.
You say "back to the old days of queuing for a taxi at weekends.
On a previous thread about taxis last month people were complaining there was too many taxis "clogging " up the streets at night.
Seems to have escaped you.

Mr.Frame, can't but help think you're a taxi driver or are closely related to one?

n97 mini

bk wrote: »

A lot of terrible mis-information on this thread!

...

The reason why Uber never launched the service they have in the US here is because it is extremely easy to become a Taxi or hackney in Ireland and there are already way too many Taxi's in Ireland, so there was no demand for such a service here. Anyone who wants to drive for a living already has a Taxi license.

Just spotted this. UberX didn't launch here due to regulations prohibiting it from doing so. They have tried (Google is your friend).

To say there is no demand for an unknown product is disingenuous. It's like saying there was no demand in Ireland 30 years ago for bell peppers. There absolutely wasn't, until they were introduced to the market and now every corner shop has them.

MOH

n97 mini wrote: »

Mr.Frame, can't but help think you're a taxi driver or are closely related to one?

Or possibly just somebody who remembers the availability of Dublin taxis before deregulation, and the state of them then, compared to now, when both are a million times better.

Can't help but think you're an Uber shareholder or closely related to one :rolleyes:

monument

n97 mini wrote: »

Mr.Frame, can't but help think you're a taxi driver or are closely related to one?

You have been warned about this before and you are well aware of the rule of against focusing on who the user is, rather than focusing on the points. So, that's a two day ban.

We have the rule for good reason -- because focusing on the poster just results in dragging everything off topic...

-- moderator

MOH wrote: »

Or possibly just somebody who remembers the availability of Dublin taxis before deregulation, and the state of them then, compared to now, when both are a million times better.

Can't help but think you're an Uber shareholder or closely related to one :rolleyes:

Please don't reply again to posts like the one you did, its against the charter and you responding in the same vain of the offending post will end up with you being sanctioned too.

-- moderator