A taxi driver who refuses to accept card payments is at risk of losing his licence. 

Willie Wyse, who doesn't have a bank account, says he will continue to only take cash for fares. 

He has received a warning from Gardaí to accept cash – although he plans to dispute this warning that threatens to take away his taxi licence. 

Mr Wyse said he does not blame Gardaí for doing their job - but he feels persecuted by the National Transport Authority. 

Since September 2022, taxi drivers have been required to accept card payments as well as cash. 

A row of taxis driving. Image: David Jackson/Alamy

Mr Wyse, however, said many taxi drivers are older and unable to accept card payments. 

“There's a lot of us driving taxis that are 60-odd plus,” he said. 

“Some of them wouldn’t have what you’d say the wizardry of technology or would know about phones and card readers and stuff.” 

He also noted many older taxi drivers don’t have bank accounts – including himself – and therefore cannot accept card payments. 

“A lot of these pensioners get paid in the post office, not the bank – they don’t have bank accounts,” he said. 

“Something in the region of 20% of cab drivers are pensioners.” 

Mr Wyse has not had a bank account since 2010, telling the Irish Examiner that there is “nothing in the Constitution to say we need one”. 

“Even our own former Taoiseach didn’t have a bank account.” 

Taxi drivers and card payments

In the first half of 2023, the NTA received 291 complaints about taxis not accepting card payments. 

The NTA had also issued 79 fines following roadside checks for 'cashless payment device' offences. 

National Private Hire & Taxi Association Spokesperson Jim Waldron said not accepting credit cards is a common complaint from passengers every year. 

“There are times though, I have to say, that credit card machines let people down and I would ask people to be patient with drivers if they know them,” he previously told Newstalk. 

According to Minister Eamon Ryan during Dáil questions last year, cashless payments in hackneys and limousines are “provided at the discretion of the vehicle's operator”.