Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Laura Hu

Taxis will have to take shortest route under proposed laws

The proposed bill would also mean that people found guilty of certain offences would be automatically disqualified from holding a taxi licence.

TAXI DRIVERS WILL be legally required to take the shortest route possible under new legislation to be debated in the Dáil in the new year.

The Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 is being published to restate and revise the Taxi Regulation Act 2003. It would provide for mandatory disqualification from holding a licence if people are convicted of specified offences, including certain offences under the Road Transport Act, the Sexual Offences (Jurisdiction) Act, and the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act.

The bill would enable the National Transport Authority to authorise the use of cameras and CCTV for the enforcement of taxi regulations and for use as evidence in court proceedings.

The bill would also cease the granting of taxi licenses from the Garda Síochána, leaving it in the hands of the National Transport Authority.

Under the bill, taxi drivers would have to determine and stick to the shortest route available when hired, and also ensure they can facilitate the needs of any person with mobility, sensory or other difficulties.

The bill also provides that it would be an offence for a person not to disclose to the licensing authority information about their physical or mental capacity to hold a licence.

Dispatch operators must also be licenced to do so. The bill will provide that it is an offence for a driver to charge over and above a fare that is agreed before the journey commences.

A passenger cannot be unreasonably refused by a taxi driver, with some exceptions.

The bill will be debated by the Dáil at the beginning of 2013.

Read: 500 taxi drivers protest in Dublin city centre>

Read: Taxi drivers to protest review of fare structure>

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
71 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John
    Favourite John
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 5:42 PM

    Why don’t the Gardaí have this capability rather than a volunteer organisation?

    80
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kinsaleable
    Favourite Kinsaleable
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 5:46 PM

    @John: they tried but someone mentioned GDPR and data protection.

    37
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Link
    Favourite Link
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 8:51 PM

    @John: During a missing person search, you’d be surprised how much is outsourced to voluntary organisations. Mainly due to the fact that they’re very labour intensive and it keeps Gardai free for their frontline roles, also the infrastructure that CD in particular have is top notch and allows for seamless intra-organisation communication.

    25
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Roger Camp
    Favourite Roger Camp
    Report
    Nov 27th 2018, 7:48 PM

    @John: cos theyre too dim to pilot somoethig. Like these high powered things

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Liam Carlin
    Favourite Liam Carlin
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 6:19 PM

    You need a drone license?

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Vocal Outrage
    Favourite Vocal Outrage
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 6:50 PM

    @Liam Carlin: yes, unless you are operating a drone of less than 1kg in Uncontrolled Airspace, below 400ft, in visual flight rules, line of sight, but not further than 300m away, and not over or within 30m of people or vehicles and within a flight area you can control, nor over urban areas. For everything else you need a license, its actualkt quite strict but many flout the rules.
    check out https://www.iaa.ie/general-aviation/drones/drone-regulations-guidance

    35
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John P
    Favourite John P
    Report
    Nov 26th 2018, 11:21 AM

    @Vocal Outrage: where’s a good place to do training?

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Conroy
    Favourite Alan Conroy
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 11:51 PM

    Paul Kehoe isn’t the defence minister, Leo is. Paul is a junior minister, very very junior.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Chief
    Favourite Chief
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 6:12 PM

    Couple of questions for ye folks.

    1. What’s the flight time on that type of drone?

    2. Anyone know the make & model of the car/jeep in the background?

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Shane Halpin
    Favourite Shane Halpin
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 6:17 PM

    @Chief: the 4×4 is a land rover discovery, the drones we use are DJI inspire, Yuneec typhoon and DJI matrice drones, so all spec can be found on their websites

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Chief
    Favourite Chief
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 6:54 PM

    @Shane Halpin: thanks Shane. Reason I asked about the land rover was I did a reverse image search on the drone picture and Google came back with ford escape hybrid as the result. Though it was impressive seen as the image only shows a vehicle wheel. On the drones,, I had a phantom 1, 3 and 4 myself for a while max flight time about 24 minutes, looks like that one in the image after I looked it up does around 37.

    7
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Carolan
    Favourite John Carolan
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 7:14 PM

    @Chief: I’m guessing google picked up the outline of the landrover badge, it’s the same shape as the ford badge…

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Daniel Donovan
    Favourite Daniel Donovan
    Report
    Nov 26th 2018, 6:47 PM

    Another way to spy on us stupid sheep.

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds