New rules come into play in the taxi sector from today (Thursday, 1st September).
The journey fares are rising by 12% as the National Transport Authority (NTA) reviews the maximum fare every two years. (See the price breakdowns here).
Added to that there’s also the formal introduction of in-car cash-less payment facilities, with all drivers now obliged to have a card payment machine.
Vincent Kearns represents the Taxi Dispatch Operator’s Association and says it may take a while for technology to be adjusted in some cars to the new rates, noting “You could have a situation whereby you get into one taxi tomorrow and you do exactly the same journey the following day and there would be a difference of 12% whereby somebody may think that they’re being overcharged but unfortunately there’s nothing that can be done this moment in time to avoid a scenario such as that”.
He adds that drivers will continue to accept cash despite the growing use of debit cards; “If a taxi is going to an outlying area the mobile phone signal is pretty poor in some of these areas and if the signal is poor the terminal cannot transact the credit card, it is I suppose one potential hazard that a driver will face, now in that situation if the terminal doesn’t connect the driver will insist on cash”.
See the NTA’s taxi fare estimator here
