Overcharging top taxi complaint

Almost two-thirds of complaints made about taxi drivers to the taxi regulator this year have related to overcharging, according to new data.

A total of 158 complaints were filed with the Commission for Taxi Regulation during the first four months of 2010 as against 476 complaints filed for 2009 as a whole.

Some 69 per cent of complaints filed in 2010 relate to overcharging while 17 per cent concern conduct and/or behaviour of drivers. A further 11 per cent of complaints related to the hiring of a small public service vehicle (SPSV) while 3 per cent concern the condition and cleanliness of vehicles.

The commission undertook 31 prosecutions during the first four months of 2010. The regulator undertook a total of 84 prosecutions for the whole of 2009. Additionally, it has issued 103 fixed-charge penalties in 2010, compared to 401 charges for 2009 as a whole.

The Commission for Taxi Regulation today published its Action Plan for 2010-2011 which includes a planned review of the maximum taxi fare.

Also included in the plan is the introduction of a fleet licence to bring greater transparency and accountability to multiple vehicle licence holders and the rental sector and the roll-out of a new driver ID for all SPSV drivers.

An online register of active vehicle, driver and dispatch operator licence and the launch of a new website which includes an online fare estimator and a register of taxi ranks nationwide are also contained in the action plan.

Following reforms announced last October, a number of new regulations will come into force next month.

These include the introduction of a new category of wheelchair accessible hackneys and a restriction on the issuing of new SPSV licences to vehicles that are not wheelchair accessible.

As of May 1st there are a total of 26,483 active SPSV licences nationally. This includes 19,406 taxis, 1,535 wheelchair accessible taxis, 4,298 hackneys and 1,244 limousines