Taxi fares will increase by 9% on December 1st, the National Transport Authority has confirmed. 

The NTA said the increase ‘reflects the rising costs’ of working as a taxi driver since the last fare review two years ago. 

On The Hard Shoulder, National Private Hire and Taxi Association spokesperson Jim Waldon said drivers do not set their own fares. 

“Taxi drivers don’t have a say in actual taxi fare,” he said. 

“The taxi advisory committee advises the National Transport Authority and between them, they come up with a conclusion. 

“I have to tell you that, it’s a long time been said that taxi drivers representatives should be sitting in a room with either the Minister or the NTA to discuss what a fair increase is.” 

When asked if taxi drivers would be happy with the increase, Mr Waldron said taxi drivers continue to be poorly paid. 

“I can’t say I’m happy with the 9% because we had no input into it,” he said. 

“It’s based on a low figure to start with, based on if a driver was to work 40 hours per week and was engaged for the 40 hours a week, they would earn about €14 an hour. 

“There’s no taxi driver who works 40 hours a week and who is engaged for that 40 hours a week. 

“So, I would suggest a taxi driver is only earning about €8 per [hour].” 

A line of taxis in Dublin city centre, 13-05-2021. Image: Artur Widak/NurPhoto

Mr Waldron said if the State wants to help taxi drivers earn a decent living, there are a number of things they could do. 

“We could sit down with the NTA and suggest things that could bring the fare down for the customer and would save the taxi driver money,” he said. 

“If we got in and took the VRT off the car, that would be a solution straight away - [but] it’s not even considered like.” 

Last year, there were an estimated 25,000 taxi drivers in Ireland.

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Main image: A row of taxis driving. Picture by: David Jackson/Alamy