Taxis being driven out of business
Patrick Coyle has been working as a taxi driver in Cavan town for 12 years. He has been spat on, assaulted and done out of fares more times than he can count, yet he still keeps going. The local taxi driver says the reduction in taxi licences is down to a number of factors including the lack of a permanent rank in Cavan Town, changing social habits and the cost of living.
The popular driver has been responding to the news this week that taxi numbers in Cavan Town have reduced by 14% when compared with pre-Covid levels. It’s a similar situation across the region where there has been a 26.5% decrease in licences in Monaghan; 17.8% in Co Meath; 18.4% in Co Leitrim; and 19.4% in Co Longford.
“We need a 24-hour taxi rank, a place where private cars can’t park,” Patrick says before adding that the part-time rank in operation at the bus station “is not sufficient”.
“What I notice in Cavan is that people don’t recognise the taxi ranks at all. In fairness there aren’t proper markings and also there is a perception here that there isn’t a full-time taxi service in the town, which is incorrect.”
The local taxi driver says that when you compare Cavan Town with Mullingar, for example, the situation is very different. “They have three taxi ranks in Mullingar and you could put at least 20 cars in those ranks at different locations where people are coming out of pubs, night clubs, etc. In Cavan there’s no full-time taxi rank and, as a matter of fact, we have nothing what-so-ever on the main street.
“On a busy Saturday night, a taxi ends up driving around because they have nowhere to pull in. In fact, I have often been moved on by the Gardaí - who are simply following the rules - if I’m sitting outside the AIB or a place like that. Taxis are there to provide a transport service home for people whether they are out and about on a Saturday night or doing the shopping in the supermarket and yet we don’t even have a proper rank in this town where taxis can sit and the public knows we are there.”
Patrick says he has written to local councillors about this issue but “not one of them” ever got back to him or acknowledged his concerns. “None of them have done anything about it,” he claimed.
The taxi driver accepts there are other factors feeding into the reduction in tax licences including changing culture when it comes to socialising. “People can no longer afford to go out every weekend,” said Patrick.
There are many reasons drivers also opt not to work late at night.
“I’ve been spat at, called every name under the sun and I have been assaulted. I had a fella one night in the back of the car who grabbed me by the throat.
“Drugs are the big thing these days too. Customers will haggle over the price of the taxi but never with the price of a pint.
“People don’t want to wait anymore either; they want everything now. I have a security camera in the car now and I take card so I don’t have a problem with payment any more. Young ones seem to be a lot more violent too - they get angry very quickly and turn on you and taxi drivers don’t want to put up with that anymore.
“That is why fellas don’t want to drive at night, it’s too much hassle and they won’t put up with it.”
In terms of Saturday nights, Patrick finds the demand is concentrated in a short window.
“You only have two hours on a Saturday night to try and make a few pounds because there’s nothing happening.
“I know people are saying there is a shortage of taxis but you could go up the town at 11pm on a Saturday night and you could find 20 taxis doing nothing. There are taxis and yes there are shortages - but that is only at certain times.”
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