A taxi driver who has a strict “no card” policy and has his vehicle emblazoned with “cash only” signs has appealed the revocation of his Public Service Vehicle licence.
William Wyse, of Onslow Gardens in Commons Road, Cork, who has driven a taxi for over 40 years, appeared before Cork District Court on Friday.
Mr Wyse, who is in his late sixties, said that he has not had a bank account since 2010, due to the economic crash. He has little faith in the institutions and prefers to deal in cash.
He told the court that, arising out of his decision not to have a bank account, he cannot take payment by card.
Mr Wyse stressed that he always makes people fully aware of his no card policy when they get in to his taxi.
“I say it to people verbally because sometimes they might be vision impaired. That has happened. I say ‘I don’t take card’.
“There is nothing in the Constitution that says that I need to have a bank account. I don’t have a bank account, a credit union account or a post office account.”
Judge Mary Dorgan put it to Mr Wyse that he was not in compliance with the law in that the National Transport Authority made it compulsory in September 2022 that taxi drivers accept card payments.
Mr Wyse has received fixed penalty notices where there were complaints of him not accepting card payments in his taxi. He has opted not to pay the fines.
The judge said that she presumed the logic behind the regulations was to facilitate people getting home safely by tapping their card when they had run out of cash late at night.
Garda Conor McDermott said that they had taken a “nicely nicely” approach in relation to the case and had met with Mr Wyse to discuss his predicament.
“We have tried everything we can to try to get Mr Wyse to comply with the regulations.”
Judge Dorgan adjourned the case until November 28th to allow for submissions from the State. She wondered if it was “disproportionate to deny (Mr Wyse) his livelihood when sanctions are in place under the regulations”.
She told Mr Wyse that it would be “brilliant” if he could get “an old bank account” before the next court hearing.
She added that anyone could opt not to have a bank account, “but if you are a taxi driver you have to have a bank account to facilitate cashless payments”.
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