Taxis - rant

Just The One · 23-05-2006 10:16AM #1

About four weeks ago I got a taxi to go about 13 miles and it cost me €30 on the meter.

Last night I got a taxi (from the same office) and the driver didn't put it on the meter. When I asked him how much the fare was he got on the radio to ask another guy who told him about €45-50.

I questioned as to how it was €30 on the meter a few weeks ago and now it has gone up so much. He started going on about how they are not allowed to put it on the meter when they are crossing the county border and stuff.

Anyone have any experience of this?

Bluetonic · 23-05-2006 10:30AM

For future reference.

Metered Area

If your journey is within the Dublin Taxi Metered Area, the driver must charge the fare shown on the meter, plus extras if applicable. The meter should be engaged at start of hire.
Outside Metered Area

Journeys outside the metered area are by a fee per journey. It is advisable to negotiate the price with the driver before beginning your journey.

Complaints regarding vehicles, drivers, fares charged or queries relating to lost property should be submitted in writing to:

Complaints Section,
Garda Carriage Office,
Dublin Castle,
Dublin 2

Telephone: + 353 (01) 666 9864 / +353 (01) 666 9863
Fax: +353 (01) 666 9870

Details of the complaint should contain:

1. Roof sign number of the taxi concerned
2. Date, time and details of the incident
3. Contact telephone number where you can be reached.

Tha Gopher · 23-05-2006 10:42AM

Aye, when I got a taxi to Maynooth a while back he turned off the meter halfway and said hed charge us a flat 30 euro, which was decent of him seeing as the meter run wouldve probably been 33 or so.

Personally I think taxi drivers are given a hard time re fares etc. Dublin has about 12,000 taxis, one for what, around every 130 people? A huge amount of whom have cars. Its a congested market with high insurance/fuel costs and i wouldnt think they rake in near as much as you think. If a driver is sitting in the taxi rank queue for maybe 20 minutes waiting for his turn to pick up a fare hes making no money. If its only a 5 quid run its barely worth his while. 10 mins there and back to the rank, and wait another 20 for maybe a 7 euro run. 12 euro an hour when your being raped for insurance and fuel is a sh1t wage. Id say most younger taxi drivers are holding down two jobs.

Just The One · 23-05-2006 11:10AM

Tha Gopher wrote:

Aye, when I got a taxi to Maynooth a while back he turned off the meter halfway and said hed charge us a flat 30 euro, which was decent of him seeing as the meter run wouldve probably been 33 or so.

Personally I think taxi drivers are given a hard time re fares etc. Dublin has about 12,000 taxis, one for what, around every 130 people? A huge amount of whom have cars. Its a congested market with high insurance/fuel costs and i wouldnt think they rake in near as much as you think. If a driver is sitting in the taxi rank queue for maybe 20 minutes waiting for his turn to pick up a fare hes making no money. If its only a 5 quid run its barely worth his while. 10 mins there and back to the rank, and wait another 20 for maybe a 7 euro run. 12 euro an hour when your being raped for insurance and fuel is a sh1t wage. Id say most younger taxi drivers are holding down two jobs.

I am not having a go at them. My gripe is that about 4 weeks prior to this it cost me €30 on the meter and then another taxi from the same cab office charged me €40 and would not put it on the meter

Ag marbh · 23-05-2006 11:21AM

Just The One wrote:

I am not having a go at them. My gripe is that about 4 weeks prior to this it cost me €30 on the meter and then another taxi from the same cab office charged me €40 and would not put it on the meter

They're entitled to charge you as it goes across the border. Like a part of my train journey, its 1.35 to drumcondra and 1.95 to Connolly which is only another 2 seconds on the train but if they don't draw the line at some point then where will they draw it? It's unfortunate that you live just over a border and alot of the time you will get sound drivers who will acknowledge your inconvenience.

dubtom · 23-05-2006 11:25AM

Understandable that you feel pissed off.In fairness though most will charge 50 quid from the city centre to Maynooth, you got a bargain at 30, but you could have just refused the offer of 45 and got another taxi or quibbled untill you got a price that suits both.Come September Maynooth will be on the meter as will most other places surrounding Dublin, including Bray. Fares will be increased as will Tarffifs so it could cost you considerably more to travel to Maynooth.

Wing Walker · 23-05-2006 12:43PM

Speaking of Maynooth, had to get a taxi to just outside the town recently, round about 5 miles. The guy, from a local taxi company, charged €18! Not exactly what I'd call value for money. Then again, with the recent increases in fuel, can you blame them? They have to earn a crust.:rolleyes:

Manolo Blahnik · 23-05-2006 01:06PM

Cab - You ring up and book the car to come to you.
Taxi - A car that you jump into, usually costs more.

Pisses me off that some people don't know the difference.

Just The One · 23-05-2006 02:38PM

Manolo Blahnik wrote:

Cab - You ring up and book the car to come to you.
Taxi - A car that you jump into, usually costs more.

Pisses me off that some people don't know the difference.

HackneyYou ring up and book the car to come to you??????????

Sam Vimes · 23-05-2006 02:49PM

Manolo Blahnik wrote:

Cab - You ring up and book the car to come to you.
Taxi - A car that you jump into, usually costs more.

Pisses me off that some people don't know the difference.

i quite often call taxis to my house. do you mean that if you flag him down the car is classed as a taxi but if you call him to the house its classed as a cab? because its the same car with the same guy in it

i think the difference you mean is that hackneys can ONLY be called to a house, whereas a taxi can do either

Ag marbh · 23-05-2006 03:01PM

Manolo Blahnik wrote:

Cab - You ring up and book the car to come to you.
Taxi - A car that you jump into, usually costs more.

Pisses me off that some people don't know the difference.

These are not official labels. I call them a taxi whether it's getting called to the house, pre-booked two days in advance for the airport or whether it's the transportation I vaguely remember getting in at 6 Sunday morning.

Taxis - rant

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