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  Self employed people are to be allowed earn an extra €120.00 a week without affecting their P.U.P. payment. This announcement was made during budget 2021. Taxi drivers, being self employed, are included in this. Before considering going back to work, taxi drivers need to read over the figures within this blog.  Figures are average and reflect accurately the current situation Irish taxi drivers are presently in. The figures are based on information gleaned from drivers sitting on ranks over the past two months. These drivers report an average waiting time for a fare of two to three hours and the fares ranging between €10 and €15. Although the taxi apps are hailing they are infrequent and usually accepted immediately they come on screen, giving the driver little chance to react. Radio companies are extremely quiet with most of the work appearing early morning.  The table below shows the breakdown of weekly taxi running costs. It is split into four categories, self owned c...
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Taxis unite

While taxi drivers from across the country prepare to stage a mass rally from the Phoenix Park to Government Buildings in Dublin on the 15th September, protesting at what has been a lack of government support during the Corona virus pandemic, on the 3rd of September Freenow posted a recruitment ad on jobs.ie. Drivers who are currently working report average income at well below minimum wage, some saying they only earn €5/€6 an hour.  Gerard Macken, chairman of the Taxi Alliance of Ireland, said that most taxi drivers were operating at a 20% capacity because of a lack of customers Job Description:  Are you ready to start a career as an independent driver?  At FREE NOW we are making a drive for drivers and are helping new drivers enter the industry every day.  We’re offering all interested parties free access to FREE NOW Manual, our online training platform.  The Manual is an online resource designed to help you become an accredited SPSV driver and get on the road...
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Taxis for school runs

Anyone listening to Sarah McInerney yesterday morning on RTE radio one would have heard a 23 minute interview with minister for transport, Eamonn Ryan.  By now everyone has watched the short video of minister Ryan caught sleeping during a vote in the Dail, seems he must have been sleeping again when he was informed of the McInerney interview because he was extremely ill prepared. If you need proof of a minister who is way out of his depth you only have to listen back to this 20 minute interview.  Here, regarding School transport, is a short excerpt from the interview...   Sarah .    “School transport is a big one (Contradiction). Parents are very worried, piling kids onto buses where there is no social distancing. What is going to happen there?”    Ryan .     “Government accepted the recommendations of NPHET. The need for us to try and ensure safety in all our different transport systems...what is said is we'll have to look at that fu...
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Taxis in crisis

  Traditionally, August is a quiet month for the taxi industry. Now, 2 weeks into August, within a pandemic, we have the bizarre situation of more and more drivers returning to work and signing off the covid 19 unemployment payment.  Reasons for returning are varied but it seems most feel pressured to give up the welfare payments and go back to taxiing.................. • Their insurance company refuse to extend social and domestic cover only, so the driver has to go back to full taxi insurance, which is a lot more expensive, and they consider the only way to cover the cost is to return to work. • The driver has had weekly payment reduced to €203 from €350 because there seems to be no recognition from government that although a taxi is not in use it still costs to have it sitting in the driveway.  • Freenow advising that their app is busy when it clearly is not.  • There's a lot of confusion over the vehicle licence suspension. • Apply for the meagre govern...
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Is the NTA fit for purpose?

Taxi drivers who have returned to work in recent weeks have found themselves earning less than the minimum wage, less than they were getting on the covid 19 pandemic unemployment payment. There has been no advice on this coming from the NTA, the taxi regulator, and no mention of financial assistance for taxi drivers returning to work. Nor has there been any advice as to what requirements there are when returning to work.   Is a dividing screen effective?  How many passengers should be carried?  How to keep the taxi covid free.  Advice should be given on disinfecting etc.   And is there a grant available to purchase a dividing screen and disinfectant, gloves and masks? Issues taxi drivers have regarding the NTA are far to numerous to mention. Within this blog, issues that constantly arise will be discussed, but the immediate issue now is the lack of advice surrounding the covid 19 pandemic and getting back to work.  It seems taxis are not considere...
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