Taxi industry calls for political action on safety, rising costs and threats to driver livelihoods

Taxi industry calls for political action on safety, rising costs and threats to driver livelihoods

Industry leaders call on election candidates to prioritise policies that future- proof the viability of taxis as a critical part of Ireland’s public transport sector

Taxi representatives have today (18.11.24) issued a joint letter to General Election candidates setting out key policy supports required to secure the future viability of the industry. The measures identified aim to address unprecedented safety threats, rising operational costs, and complex VAT issues that threaten driver supply.

Signatories of the letter include industry representatives and dispatch operators from across Ireland including Taxi Drivers Ireland, FREENOW, Lynk, Hola Taxis, and East Coast Cabs. The group is urging candidates to support and champion policies that protect drivers and passengers while ensuring a high-quality, accessible, and safe taxi service across the country.

The letter highlights the urgent need for practical solutions, such as:

• Establishing a dedicated Garda Helpline for drivers.

• Ensuring Ireland’s regulatory standards and safety protocols are upheld.

• Enacting a requirement for operators to invoice drivers from within Ireland to avoid VAT liabilities.

• Increasing financial support for electric and wheelchair-accessible vehicles, which would support a more sustainable and accessible fleet. 

Driver representatives have also criticised the Taxis for Ireland Coalition, led by Uber and Bolt, for a lack of engagement with drivers and its call to deregulate the industry - including the scrapping of the wheelchair-accessible vehicle requirement. There is growing concern that the position of the coalition does not accurately represent drivers' and passengers' needs or address the real challenges faced by the industry. 

Signatories to the letter point out that the lowering of Ireland’s regulatory standards, as campaigned for by Uber and Bolt, would reduce the number of wheelchair-accessible taxis in Ireland and damage the passenger experience, with drivers requiring less knowledge of their area before receiving their licence. 

Founder of representative group Taxi Drivers Ireland, Derek O’Keeffe said: “Ireland’s taxi drivers are facing the biggest challenge to their livelihoods for decades, and our voices are not being heard in discussions about the future of the industry. We have more than 27,000 SPSV licence holders across the country and one of the strongest taxi supplies around Europe. Despite this, there are groups campaigning to lower driver-entry standards and safety while unknown VAT liabilities threaten to block drivers from renewing their licences.

“We are calling on election candidates to support our recommendations to protect and strengthen Ireland’s taxi trade, so we can continue to offer a best-in-class passenger experience.”

Danny O’Gorman, General Manager at FREENOW Ireland, said: “We believe the negative impact of industry deregulation is not something to be taken lightly and it would trigger a detrimental outcome for drivers as well as passengers. We work closely with our driver partners to understand their challenges, and FREENOW surveys have shown significant concerns about the impact a change in regulations would have on their livelihoods. More than half of drivers stated they would consider leaving the sector if it was opened to unlicensed drivers. 

“As Ireland’s No. 1 taxi app, our priority continues to be supporting our driver partners and ensuring the best service for our passengers. We urge election candidates to support policies that protect Ireland’s taxi drivers and aid the industry’s transition to a more accessible and sustainable fleet.”

Advocacy Manager for the Irish Wheelchair Association, Joan Carthy said: “Ensuring accessible taxis are available for people with disabilities is not just a convenience; it's critical to their inclusion, mobility and independence and is a right enshrined under the UNCRPD (United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities). The wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) requirements for new taxis and the existing WAV Grant Scheme are crucial to ensuring the accessibility of Ireland’s taxi fleet.

“We believe calls on the government to scrap measures designed to make taxis more accessible will result in increased isolation of people with disabilities from their communities. Therefore, Irish Wheelchair Association supports FREENOW in their call on all political candidates to support the maintenance of WAV taxi requirements and extension of the WAV Grant Scheme to ensure Ireland’s taxi fleet is truly accessible.”

ENDS

Note to Editors: 

• The letter from taxi representatives to Ireland’s General Election Candidates is available here

About FREENOW

FREENOW is Europe’s multi-mobility app with taxi offering at its core, available in 9 European markets and over 150 cities. FREENOW users can access various mobility services within a single app, including taxis, PHV, carsharing, car rental, eScooters, eBikes, eMopeds and public transport. FREENOW partners with numerous mobility brands and aggregates their offering with the ambition to make urban mobility more efficient and sustainable without adding new vehicles on the street. The Germany-based company is backed by the BMW Group and Mercedes-Benz Mobility. FREENOW is led by CEO Thomas Zimmermann.

Visit our Website for further information and download the FREENOW app for iOS or Android