A chara, - I have attempted to book a taxi in Dublin several hours in advance, to be told the firm simply cannot send a car because they are too busy. This has happened at various times of the day from morning to evening rush periods. At lunchtime the situation is no better. I recently missed a job interview at 2 p.m. because the taxi arrived 40 minutes late. When I made my first call, they took my number. Do you think they had even the slightest courtesy to call me and advise me that my taxi would be unacceptably late? Hardly.
On other occasions, I have been charged extraordinary prices to share taxis from Dublin city centre on a Saturday night. In one case the steward at the taxi-rank insisted that 10 people share the same six-seater car to Glasnevin. We had to pay £3.50 each.
This is not to say that taxi drivers are nasty people. They are simply an elite who invested in a business that was free from competition. This meant they could get away with providing an appalling service and have utter disregard for their customers. Unfortunately for themselves, they misread the situation. For years now it has been apparent that a critical point would eventually be reached and that the ethos of deregulation would prevail.
Like other businesses which have been exposed to the pressures of a deregulated market in recent years (but which may not have been compensated as taxi plate-holders may yet be) they will have to tackle the challenge head on. In any case, I look forward to seeing the taxis queuing for me on a Saturday night in College Green. - Is mise,
Ciaran Mac Aonghusa, Dun Aengus, Na Duganna, Gaillimh.