At least five taxi drivers were found to be taking a road less travelled in order to make more money when ferrying passengers from Dublin Airport into the city centre on Monday.
As part of a clampdown against rogue drivers profiting from tourists and others unfamiliar with the fastest ways into Dublin, the Garda Síochána has been setting up checkpoints near the airport. In the most recent operation, gardaí charged all taxi drivers who were bringing passengers from the airport via Malahide Road with not using the shortest route.
Taking Malahide Road instead of approaching the city from Drumcondra or Ballymun can add €10 to a fare. The offence can result in a prosecution and a fine of up to €2,500.
In addition to the summonses issued to the five drivers, gardaí established that two others were guilty of overcharging their passengers, an offence that attracts a €60 fixed-charge notice. A taxi driver will have been overcharging if his meter shows a booking fee even though the journey began at a rank or after being hailed in the street.
During a similar operation last week, six taxis were found to have failed to use the shortest route and three drivers were fined for overcharging.
The vast majority of taxis stopped were following the law, according to the Garda, which says it will continue to tackle overcharging taxi drivers throughout the summer. It advises passengers to establish the likely cost before taking a taxi. “They should also examine the receipt, to ensure that date and time are accurately recorded and all additions applied are valid.”
