Public complaints against taxi drivers are increasing, but a new taxi regulator will try to change all that, writes Róisí Ingle
Everyone has a taxi story. Ask around and you'll soon get an idea of the challenges facing newly appointed taxi regulator Gerard Deering, the man charged with developing a safe, efficient and customer-friendly taxi service.
"I got into a cab and the driver was steering with one hand and eating a kebab with the other," says one woman, responding to an informal Irish Times survey. "I asked the driver for my change and he roared abuse and threatened me," says another.
"Twice this week I have been in taxis where the driver has been smoking or there was a smell of smoke in the car and when I challenged them they tried to intimidate me," says a disgruntled male passenger. Complaints were made in none of these cases. But even when they are there is no guarantee they will be followed up.
Gráinne was travelling home from a party one weekend in what she describes as "a clapped-out, smelly taxi". Driving at breakneck speed, the driver explained there was a problem with his gearbox and he couldn't drop below third gear.
"When we arrived home, just as we were paying, my boyfriend mentioned to the driver that his car was below standard and he should do something about it," she recalls. The driver became agitated and abusive, and when they got out he revved his engine and shouted, "I know where you live". Gráinne emailed the Carriage Office in Dublin with the complaint but never received a reply.
While introducing a taxi driver's uniform and making all taxis yellow are on the agenda, the biggest challenge for Deering is wiping out this kind of behaviour by a minority of drivers and encouraging the public to complain. A total of 309 complaints have been made so far this year, a significant increase on recent years, according to a Garda source. With almost 13,000 taxis and hackneys on the streets of Dublin alone, long waits for taxis are virtually unheard of since deregulation. Overcharging tops the list of most commonly heard customer complaints, despite the introduction of electronic receipt machines. "Many drivers just don't issue receipts," says the source.
In cities such as Waterford, where the number of taxis on the road is in the low hundreds, John Allen of Rapid Cabs agrees that overcharging is the main complaint from customers. "But it's a small number of complaints, it's not a big problem," he says.
Abusive behaviour, refusing fares and dangerous driving are other common complaints. With a record number of taxis and hackneys on the road since deregulation, there is a perception that standards have dropped and that the numbers of drivers with criminal records has risen. In reality, only one in seven applicants for Public Service Vehicle licenses have criminal records, most of those for minor offences. A few high profile cases - there was uproar when, two years ago, Gerry Hutch, known as "the Monk", won a court battle for his licence - have added to the perception that the industry is a haven for serious criminals.
Legislation being introduced by Minister for Transport Seamus Brennan later this year will mean drivers convicted of serious offences, such as rape, murder or dangerous driving, will be automatically disqualified from holding a licence.
But, from September, the buck will stop with Gerard Deering, and those in the industry will be watching his every move.
"I think it is a very good thing to appoint someone to control the situation," says Liam Casey, manager of National Radio Cabs in Dublin. "We need better check-ups on those in the industry; we carry out these checks ourselves because abusive behaviour, dirty cabs or smoking in cars shouldn't be tolerated.
"With new technology we are improving the service all the time. I would hope the regulator will help the public become more informed about the positive aspects of the industry."