EXCLUSIVE: Complaints against Louth taxi drivers include fare overcharging, bad driving, and threatening behaviour
41 complaints were made against taxi drivers in Louth between 2020 and 2024
Bad driving, overcharging fares, and abusive and threatening behaviour from drivers were just some of the 41 complaints made against taxi drivers and Small Public Service Vehicle (SPSV) drivers in Louth between 2020 and 2024, the Dundalk Democrat can exclusively reveal.
The figures released to the Democrat by the National Transport Authority (NTA) under FOI show that action was taken against the driver in twelve of these cases.
The actions taken varied, ranging from fines and cautions, to advice being given to the driver.
The remaining cases did not result in any reprimands , with the most common reasons including the driver being found not to have been at fault, or an investigation not being carried out due to insufficient information provided in the complaint.
The largest number of complaints, 22, were made in relation to “fare matters,” 13 were due to “driver behaviour,” five because of “hiring matters,” and a further one due to “vehicle condition.”
A breakdown shows that 2024 saw 10 complaints made in Louth, 2023 saw 10 complaints, 2022 saw 10 complaints, 2021 saw five complaints, and 2020 saw six complaints.
Two complaints made in 2020 related to fare disputes that saw both drivers cautioned after an investigation. In one case, the driver charged €10.40, but the passenger stated that other drivers only charge €7. In the other case, the passenger stated that the fare charged earlier in the day had cost €7, and later it cost €12.
2020 also saw two complaints made about driver behaviour. In the first complaint, another driver stated that the taxi driver ignored a sign and drove along a road that was too narrow for two cars to pass. The NTA said advice was given to the taxi driver in this case.
In the second complaint, the passenger stated that the driver was rude when asked to provide a receipt and failed to do so. In this case a Fixed Payment Notice was issued to the driver.
In 2021, a driver was cautioned in a case where passengers booked a taxi and when it arrived they acknowledged it and then returned to the venue. When they came out again the taxi had left.
In 2022, a passenger was charged more than the metered fare as the driver increased the price for having to drop off another passenger at a different location. The driver was cautioned in this instance.
Another case saw a driver cautioned after the passenger was charged more than the fare quoted on the dispatch operator app.
That same year, another driver was also cautioned for refusing a passenger at a rank as the driver would not go to the passenger’s destination.
In another incident in 2022, a driver who had requested payment upfront reportedly became abusive and threatening when questioned. This resulted in a Fixed Payment Notice being issued to the driver.
In 2023, a driver was issued with advice when a passenger stated the driver did not have ID on display and became aggressive when asked to show identification.
Meanwhile, 2024 saw another instance where a driver requested payment upfront, and when the passenger queried this the driver became abusive and threatening. The driver was issued with a Fixed Payment Notice.
In another 2024 case, a passenger was charged more than the fare quoted on the dispatch operator app resulting in the driver being cautioned.
A number of complaints over the five-year period were unable to be investigated as the complainant did not provide sufficient information. These included:
A case where a driver allegedly made discriminatory comments regarding passersby at a taxi rank, and the passenger decided not to take the journey as a result.
Another case involved a passenger who booked a taxi through a dispatch operator app and claimed the driver allowed different passengers into the taxi. As the passenger had to cancel the journey they were charged a cancellation fee by the dispatch operator.
An instance where the driver did not have a cashless payment device in the vehicle, and the driver asked the passenger to stop at an ATM to withdraw cash to pay for the journey.
Additionally, there were five complaints where no evidence of any offence was found and the investigation concluded the driver was not at fault.
Among these was a case where the passenger alleged that the driver made racist comments and, when questioned, threatened to take the passenger back to the pick-up location.
In another case, the passenger stated that the driver did not follow the correct route and believed that he missed turns deliberately.