Taxi driver protest

ecom · 02-10-2009 09:48AM

confused-dazed wrote: »

it's not the G.R.A. that people need to talk to ,it's the T.D.'s the people in government.

i didnt specifically mean the GRA, I just meant the guards themselves (a superindendent or someone of similar rank)....they are responsible for enforcing law so why arent they enforcing it?

Kintarō Hattori · 02-10-2009 10:01AM

dub_commuter wrote: »

Still, the Gardai were actually doing somthing tonight, running after and grabbing Jaywalkers around the O'Connell Bridge area, one female Gardai ran quite a distance to get someone who jaywalked saying he could cause an accident or hold things up, yet they were perfectly happy for these selfish taxi drivers to hold the whole city centre to ransom.

They were really stopping people for Jaywalking? Seriously? I've never seen anyone stopped for this, possibly because 90% of the Gardai are guilty of it themselves. I'm off to the Emergency Forces forum!

positron · 02-10-2009 10:01AM

Un'effing'believable!! Guardaí standing around diverting traffic so that a small number of rogues could just hold the busiest part of the country in ransom?

If I had any sort of power, I would have the taxi drivers who caused this arrested, cars towed away, fined for causing intentional stress, trauma and despair to so many ordinary people. And the Gardaí should also be put thru the same scrutiny, and someone has to held accountable for what their inaction yesterday and punished for what they did.

If the system fails to work, and compels public to take action - I am certainty not suggesting anything here.. - but this is how they react in certain parts of the world..! http://www.jedburghgroup.com/_html/caltrop.htm

confused-dazed · 02-10-2009 10:02AM

ecom wrote: »

i didnt specifically mean the GRA, I just meant the guards themselves (a superindendent or someone of similar rank)....they are responsible for enforcing law so why arent they enforcing it?

well hopefully these questions will be asked now across the board.

TaxiManMartin · 02-10-2009 10:05AM

positron wrote: »

Un'effing'believable!! Guardaí standing around diverting traffic so that a small number of rogues could just hold the busiest part of the country in ransom?

If I had any sort of power, I would have the taxi drivers who caused this arrested, cars towed away, fined for causing intentional stress, trauma and despair to so many ordinary people. And the Gardaí should also be put thru the same scrutiny, and someone has to held accountable for what their inaction yesterday and punished for what they did.

If the system fails to work, and compels public to take action - I am certainty not suggesting anything here.. - but this is how they react in certain parts of the world..! http://www.jedburghgroup.com/_html/caltrop.htm

The problem is that most of the drivers expect money to just be given to them.
If they all worked like me instead of hassleing the travelling public they might earn their money, but no they want the easy option as usual

adrian522 · 02-10-2009 11:44AM

Can somebody back up this claim that there are more taxis in Dublin than there are in new york?

According to Wikipedia, referenced by the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (2006-03-09).There are 13,087 taxis operating in New York City, not including over 40,000 other for-hire vehicles.

Are you claiming that there are over 50,000 taxis and hackneys in Dublin?

Show me the source for this or stop making this claim.

Taxipete29 · 02-10-2009 12:18PM

adrian522 wrote: »

Can somebody back up this claim that there are more taxis in Dublin than there are in new york?

According to Wikipedia, referenced by the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (2006-03-09).There are 13,087 taxis operating in New York City, not including over 40,000 other for-hire vehicles.

Are you claiming that there are over 50,000 taxis and hackneys in Dublin?

Show me the source for this or stop making this claim.

Just to clarify, the 13,087 are the yellow medallion taxis which are the only ones permitted to respond to a street hail. In that way thats the only comparable figure.

The other 40,000 vehicles include commuter vans, limos and other vehicles.
The fact remains that Dublin does have more taxis than New York.

Mimikyu · 02-10-2009 12:20PM

This post has been deleted.

adrian522 · 02-10-2009 12:23PM

Taxipete29 wrote: »

Just to clarify, the 13,087 are the yellow medallion taxis which are the only ones permitted to respond to a street hail. In that way thats the only comparable figure.

The other 40,000 vehicles include commuter vans, limos and other vehicles.
The fact remains that Dublin does have more taxis than New York.

Is there a source for the number of Dublin taxis?

Taxipete29 · 02-10-2009 12:27PM

adrian522 wrote: »

Is there a source for the number of Dublin taxis?

The regulators office. I saw it on the quarterly newsletter we get sent. Not sure if the figure is available online.

positron · 02-10-2009 12:31PM

http://www.taxiregulator.ie/files/publications/Industry%20Newsletter%20Issue%2011_16_07_09.pdf

Co. Dublin - 11,800

Taxipete29 · 02-10-2009 12:42PM

positron wrote: »

http://www.taxiregulator.ie/files/publications/Industry%20Newsletter%20Issue%2011_16_07_09.pdf

Co. Dublin - 11,800

Its actually 12504, you have to add in the number of wheelchair taxis also as they operate in the same way.

Dublin Taxis-12504 Population- 1.2m??

New York Taxis 13087 Population 12m ??

There is a huge difference here obviously.

hmmm · 02-10-2009 12:48PM

Apparently Department of Transport officials are meeting the taxi drivers in O'Connell Street. So there you have it, if you have a grievance all you have to do is illegally block the streets of Dublin and you will get attention with no consequences.

adrian522 · 02-10-2009 12:53PM

But its > 13,000 for Dublin?

Edit: Eh, didn't refresh to read previous posts...

Ham'nd'egger · 02-10-2009 01:00PM

positron wrote: »

http://www.taxiregulator.ie/files/publications/Industry%20Newsletter%20Issue%2011_16_07_09.pdf

Co. Dublin - 11,800

The figure of taxis in Dublin that the Regulator states there is will always be flawed as the Regulator's Office actually has no idea as to many taxi drivers are actually operating in Dublin or indeed Ireland. The best they can give is the amount of Taxi Plate licences held by people giving Dublin addresses but this obviously doesn't take into account of people living in other counties who operate in Dublin or those who own more than one plate. The next best they can say is the amount of people issued with "active" PSV licences for Dublin but this won't take into account those are part time, no longer driving, licenced but not driving due to other work, illness etc so it is totally unreliable as an indicator of how many people are working in the trade.

According to the above newsletter, this number is 47, 529. The population of Ireland according to the 2006 census is 4,239,848.

petergfiffin · 02-10-2009 01:01PM

I seriously think the people of Dublin should hold their own day of protest by people using alternative transport (bus, train, getting a lift) on that day to show their anger with the taxi drivers. It would only need to be one day to get the message across and I reckon it would make them think twice about blocking up the city again. I know you could argue that you'd hit the ones who have no part in this but the taxi unions aren't exactly being discriminating about who they hurt.

I'm absolutely sick and tired of listening to the whinging that taxi drivers go on with, if you can't make money it's because there's too many of you same as any industry e.g. plumbers, electricians. I still remember the days pre deregulation and any problems the taxi industry have are purely self-inflicted because of their inability to compromise.

adrian522 · 02-10-2009 01:02PM

Taxipete29 wrote: »

Its actually 12504, you have to add in the number of wheelchair taxis also as they operate in the same way.

Dublin Taxis-12504 Population- 1.2m??

New York Taxis 13087 Population 12m ??

There is a huge difference here obviously.

Yes but you are conveniently forgetting the Limos etc that make up a huge part of the New York market, 40,000 or so according to the above post.

sliabh · 02-10-2009 01:11PM

Taxipete29 wrote: »

Its actually 12504, you have to add in the number of wheelchair taxis also as they operate in the same way.

Dublin Taxis-12504 Population- 1.2m??

New York Taxis 13087 Population 12m ??

There is a huge difference here obviously.

Not to criticse you Tasipete29 or anyone else, but personally I don't think it is a valid comparison for 2 reasons.

First New York City (pop 8.3m) is very dense, and has a well developed subway system reducing the need for taxis. But any New Yorker will tell you how hard it is to find a taxi there as well.

Secondly, who cares how many taxis there are in New York?

It is hardly the gold standard or benchmark of ideal taxi availability. Maybe we should use Mumbai where there are over 56,000 taxis and god only knows how many auto-rickshaws for 14m people.

Each city needs to figure out for itself how many it needs based on its own situation, and whether or not a cap is even needed.

positron · 02-10-2009 01:15PM

Sorry, I might have missed some posts, but does anyone know what are these illegally parked taxi drivers who disrespect everyone else, are demanding?

Boom_Bap · 02-10-2009 01:20PM

sliabh wrote: »

Not to criticse you Tasipete29 or anyone else, but personally I don't think it is a valid comparison for 2 reasons.

First New York City (pop 8.3m) is very dense, and has a well developed subway system reducing the need for taxis. But any New Yorker will tell you how hard it is to find a taxi there as well.

Secondly, who cares how many taxis there are in New York?

It is hardly the gold standard or benchmark of ideal taxi availability. Maybe we should use Mumbai where there are over 56,000 taxis and god only knows how many auto-rickshaws for 14m people.

Each city needs to figure out for itself how many it needs based on its own situation, and whether or not a cap is even needed.

in an attempt to clear this up, Dublin has more taxi's per capita than New York

adrian522 · 02-10-2009 01:25PM

Well that's an entirely different claim from what was posted earlier in this thread and TBH does not really mean a whole lot. Theres no reason why NY would have a higher per capita amount of taxis.

sliabh · 02-10-2009 01:26PM

Boom_Bap wrote: »

in an attempt to clear this up, Dublin has more taxi's per capita than New York

Correct.

And New York has more trains per capita. So it is apples and oranges really

bangersandmash · 02-10-2009 01:26PM

Had the pleasure of passing through O'Connell St twice this morning. It gave me plenty of time to admire the many 'No to Lisbon' placards, stickers and posters which the taxi drivers where sporting.

You have to wonder whether those drivers honestly believed that inconveniencing commuters in this way would encourage people to be sympathetic toward their side of the Lisbon debate, or indeed have any sympathy for their grievances with the government or the regulator.

crocro · 02-10-2009 01:29PM

The new DTA bill is at discussion stage so maybe this is a good time to insert an amendment allowing for the revocation of taxi licences and confiscation of vehicles where the owner has used the vehicle to blockade a road, railway, airport or cause public disruption.

adrian522 · 02-10-2009 01:29PM

I'm sorry, but I don't see what any of this has to do with the Lisbon treaty. Theres nothing in there about Taxis or regulation or capping numbers etc.

Maybe they want a no vote to p!ss off the government but all the Opposition advocate a Yes vote too so I don't really see where they are coming from with this.

Ham'nd'egger · 02-10-2009 01:31PM

sliabh wrote: »

Not to criticse you Tasipete29 or anyone else, but personally I don't think it is a valid comparison for 2 reasons.

First New York City (pop 8.3m) is very dense, and has a well developed subway system reducing the need for taxis. But any New Yorker will tell you how hard it is to find a taxi there as well.

Secondly, who cares how many taxis there are in New York?

It is hardly the gold standard or benchmark of ideal taxi availability. Maybe we should use Mumbai where there are over 56,000 taxis and god only knows how many auto-rickshaws for 14m people.

Each city needs to figure out for itself how many it needs based on its own situation, and whether or not a cap is even needed.

Regardless of other public transport options, the fact remains that the taxi/population ratio between Dublin and other cities is far lower here and the fact remains that regulation in Ireland doesn't want to allow the market to find any standards or level ground, either directly by non issuing working licences on a hiatus, indirectly to increase service standards of drivers and facilitate better those who want to leave the trade or by enforcing sane industry rules to allow legal taxis to operate safely.

While many of taxi drivers concerns are self involved (lower takings, longer hours worked, inability to invest in new cars), many of them are customer related (Drivers working in poor cars, illegal drivers, drivers working unsafe hours, unskilled drivers with poor route/driving knowledge).

beeno67 · 02-10-2009 01:34PM

sliabh wrote: »

Not to criticse you Tasipete29 or anyone else, but personally I don't think it is a valid comparison for 2 reasons.

First New York City (pop 8.3m) is very dense, and has a well developed subway system reducing the need for taxis. But any New Yorker will tell you how hard it is to find a taxi there as well.

Secondly, who cares how many taxis there are in New York?

It is hardly the gold standard or benchmark of ideal taxi availability. Maybe we should use Mumbai where there are over 56,000 taxis and god only knows how many auto-rickshaws for 14m people.

Each city needs to figure out for itself how many it needs based on its own situation, and whether or not a cap is even needed.

Of course the question should be "how many licenced taxi drivers are there in New York?" The answer is 42,900 as of 2005.

MOH · 02-10-2009 01:35PM

oisindoyle wrote: »

Fact for you ,,,At present Dublin has MORE taxis than New York,,,,
So slag off taxi drivers all you like ,but try and get SOME facts right

Any source for this "fact"? This is the sort of wild claim some taxi drivers make that gets everyone's back up.

Commission for Taxi Regulation shows 12,504 taxis in county Dubiln, as at end of June.

The New York TLC 2008 annual report shows 13237 medallion vehicles, and over 46000 licensed medallion drivers. There's also over 40000 other for-hire vehicles which include those servicing pre-bookings, which is business that regular taxis get over here.

beeno67 · 02-10-2009 01:36PM

One of the big problems is that taxi driving is a semi-skilled job. There is very little to stop me setting up as a taxi driver and setting myself up in business. So it is not why are taxi drivers now earning so little but why did they ever earn so much?

Ham'nd'egger · 02-10-2009 01:37PM

beeno67 wrote: »

Of course the question should be "how many licenced taxi drivers are there in New York?" The answer is 42,900 as of 2005.

As of June 2009, Ireland has 47, 529 and the population of Ireland according to the 2006 census is 4,239,848.

Taxi driver protest

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