Shortage of taxis hitting pubs and restaurants

BY EIMEAR O’DWYER AND KIERAN O’MAHONY

A SEVERE lack of night-time drivers, combined with a difficult testing regime, high insurance, and competition from unlicensed operators are all leading to a massive shortage of taxis in West Cork which is, in turn, affecting the tourism and hospitality industries.

The lack of taxi cabs, especially at night, is having a knock-on effect on bars and restaurants in the area, because many people are now opting to drink at home, a number of publicans have said.

And tourists are finding it increasingly difficult to get back to their accommodation by taxi in the evenings, because of the shortage of drivers willing to work unsocial hours.

A further factor in the current crisis in West Cork is the difficult aspect of the ‘knowledge tests’ which often include questions on parts of Cork city which local drivers say are totally irrelevant to them.

The tests on industry and local area knowledge must be passed before drivers can get an SPSV taxi licence from the National Transport Authority (NTA).

Area knowledge involves studying county maps, and noting important landmarks, street names and being aware of the most direct routes, for instance.

Sandra Regan O’Shea and her family have owned and managed Beara Cabs for over 20 years and she told The Southern Star that the exams are preventing people from entering the profession.

‘It’s very difficult for drivers to get licences with the exams they have to sit and study,’ she said.

Rosscarbery taxi driver John O’Sullivan said it is also ‘impossible’ to get drivers for night shifts.

On Saturday nights, between 11.30pm and 2am, demand is extremely high, he said.

‘On a Saturday night now I stay local. I do Rosscarbery and Clonakilty that’s it – you can’t go any further at peak times,’ he said.

‘Nobody wants to work at night,’ agreed Sandra, ‘and having drivers free and available in the morning is not feasible if they have worked through the night.’

One taxi driver in Bantry said they do not offer any services at night because it is too difficult to get drivers and the night-time trade is unpredictable.

Eric Murphy, who has been running Murphy Cabs in Bandon for 28 years, no longer operates at night because he just cannot get drivers to work.

‘Going back 20 years ago, I would have probably had six or seven cars on the road at night and all the lads were on cash, so the cash driver is gone,’ he said.

‘Covid put it to bed for a while and then you had a scenario where people were getting too much money on the PUP payment. Anytime I went advertising for drivers the first question I would get is how much cash can I give them, or can they be hired off the books.’

After lockdown, people didn’t want to work more than 40 hours a week, he said.

There seems to be a ‘stigma’ about taxi driving at night, he added, but insurance issues are also affecting the business.