The recent fare increases for taxis, specifically during late hours, are expected to entice more drivers to work over the Christmas period, according to the Irish Taxi Drivers’ Federation.
Vice-President James Maguire also said late Dart, Luas and commuter services from Irish Rail over the festive season will “alleviate the pressure”.
“The taxi fare increases after 11pm will definitely entice a lot more drivers to get out there,” he said.
“In Dublin at the moment, specifically after the assault of two off-duty guards, there is a fear factor out there.
“However, I think there will be enough taxis available over the Christmas period, especially due to the fare increase for unsociable hours, which was needed.
“There won’t be a panic, and people need to understand that fewer people go into town during Christmas week and tend to stay local, so it balances out,” he added.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) introduced a taxi fare increase of 9pc from December 1, and extended an additional year-round ‘special rate’ for peak weekend hours, from midnight to 4am.
This rate was previously only applied on Christmas Eve, St Stephen’s Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.
In July of this year, the NTA published a review which found overall costs associated with operating a taxi increased by approximately 9-11pc between 2022 and 2024.
Taxi fares have now been increased by 9pc, while those pre-booking through apps will also have to pay an extra €1 fee for this service, with the booking fee increasing from €2 to €3.
The NTA said the decision to extend the special premium rate to include weekend peaks throughout the year is an effort to incentivise more drivers to service the night-time economy.
However, the Taxis for Ireland Coalition has urged newly elected TDs to prioritise increasing the number of taxis nationwide to prevent issues of insufficient availability during periods of high demand.
The group clarified that it is not advocating for deregulation, but is instead seeking an increase in taxi numbers to meet growing demand.
“As celebrations intensify across the country, we anticipate the number of available taxis will fall well short of demand,” they said.
“This shortage not only causes inconvenience for passengers but also creates significant safety risks.”
The Taxis for Ireland Coalition also said the fare increases will “not address” the ongoing taxi shortages facing urban and rural Ireland.
“While acknowledging the need for fare increases to account for rising inflation to assist taxi drivers, the Coalition questions the National Transport Authority’s assumption that this measure will incentivise more drivers to alleviate taxi supply issues,” the group said.
“The Coalition contends that the NTA is aware that previous fare increases have failed to alleviate the taxi supply problem.
“The regulator’s continued reliance on this strategy shows a lack of understanding of the root causes of the shortage,” they added.
