Taxi fares will increase by just over 8 per cent from November, the Commission for Taxi Regulation announced today.
The standard and premium initial charges and subsequent tariffs will increase by 8.3 per cent and the soiling charge is being increased by €15 to €140.
The changes mean the initial charge displayed when a customer hires a taxi will be €4.10 at the standard rate and €4.45 at the premium rate.
The premium rate is applied from 8pm to 8am every day and all day on Sunday and bank holidays.
In addition, taxis hired between 8pm on Christmas Eve and 8am on St Stephen's Day and from 8pm on New Year's Eve to 8am on New Year's Day will now be charged at the premium rate. This is due to "undersupply" on these days, according to the Commission.
Charges for booking a taxi or for having extra passengers will remain unchanged.
The increase in fares comes after a public consultation process which took place in April. The views of consumers, industry representatives, the Advisory Council to the Commission and other key stakeholders were taken into account. Economic consultants also reviewed the costs of operating a taxi.
Taxi fares last increased in September 2006.
The fare increase announced today "reflects the increased costs of owning and operating a taxi since then" according to the Commission.
The new fares will come into effect on November 1st and drivers will have a three-week period from that date to make sure their taximeters are calibrated with the new fare.
The new fare is a maximum fare and drivers can offer discounts if they wish.
Asked why the fare increase was necessary since the last increase in 2006, the Commissioner for Taxi Regulation Kathleen Doyle said taxis were the "only mode of transport that had not increased its fares in the last two years."
"Other modes of transport – buses, trains and the Luas – have all increased their fares in that time. Bus fares alone have increased by 8.9 per cent," she said.
She added that consumers accepted there were increased running costs associated with operating a taxi.
"Consumers accept there are increased running costs. But they expect a high quality of vehicle and service in return. We are addressing this through our national vehicle standards which any new taxi must meet and skills development courses for drivers," she said.
Full details of the new fare structure as well as the national vehicle standards for Irish taxis are available on the Commission for Taxi Regulation web site
www.taxiregulator.ie.