TAXI FARE INCREASES of 3.22% come into effect today.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) passed the 3.22% increase in September after the Taxi Fares Review which said that costs of operating a taxi had increased by this amount since the last price rise in 2015.

Under the new NTA rules, the set initial charge for all taxis will rise from €3.60 to €3.80 during standard hours, and €4 to €4.20 during premium hours.

As the new fares take effect, your journey into town, or into work, that costs €18, will cost around €18.70.

Here’s a breakdown of how it’ll affect your journey:

• An €8 journey rises to around €8.40
• A €10 journey rises to around €10.50
• A €15 journey rises to around €15.65
• A €20 journey rises to around €20.80
• A €30 journey rises to around €31

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Taxi driver concerns

Taxi drivers have warned that the cost of this rise can be high.

Some taxi drivers that TheJournal.ie spoke to when the announcement was made, however, said the fare increases will act as a deterrent for people to get taxis and that the cost of recalibrating the taxi metre means that it’s not worth the hassle.

All taxi metres will need to be recalibrated to adjust to the new fare system.

Getting that done can cost up to €100, some taxi drivers informed us.

Furthermore, the devices need to be checked by the National Standards Authority of Ireland’s Legal Metrology Service. This costs a further €86 to be done by the NSAI’s chosen “accredited verifier”.

If a taxi meter is not calibrated correctly, the driver is liable to a fine of €250. And if the device is not “sealed” by an accredited verifier, then a fine of €80 applies.

Bill McSweeney, from Irish Taxi Tours, told TheJournal.ie that while the cost of operating a taxi is indeed rising, a rise of 3% is “totally negated by the cost associated with having to recalibrate and reseal the metre”.

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