AGGRESSIVE driving and overcharging make up the majority of 348 complaints lodged against taxi drivers so far this year.

 

An unexpectedly high number of aggrieved passengers contacted the Taxi Regulator's Office following unpleasant spins around the country in the first six months of 2007.

The most common complaint was driver behaviour, which prompted 155 passengers to contact the regulator about alleged offences.

Overcharging accounted for a further 124 complaints, while 13 passengers lodged protests about the condition and cleanliness of taxis. A number of passengers using taxis from Dublin Airport complained about a €2 booking fee being applied to the fare.

There were also 56 miscellaneous grievances, the majority of which concerned bookings made where the taxi did not come. The taxi unions said they take all valid complaints very seriously as the regulator's investigations can lead to prosecutions.

She can recommend that the Commission for Taxi Regulation take a case if the person who complains is willing to act as a witness, or issue a formal warning to a taxi driver. All complaints must be made in writing.

There are currently 20 prosecutions against drivers waiting to go before the courts and it is believed the majority are for unlicensed vehicles and overcharging.

These prosecutions are the first brought by the regulator since her office was created last September.

If figures for the second half of 2007 mirror the first six months, there will have been a 40pc increase in complaints against taxi drivers since 2004. In 2004, when the Garda Carriage Office was responsible for driver offences, the public made 425 complaints.

Last night, the taxi unions said they would investigate any valid claims but pointed out that the figures were complaints rather than proven cases of abuse.

A spokesperson at the National Taxi driver's Union said sometimes complaints were made when passengers asked for somewhere like 'Peter's Road', which might be one of three streets of the same name.

She said complaints about overcharging often arose because passengers did not understand the fares system.

In many cases, she said, passengers were not aware that there is a set €2 charge for a pickup when someone phones for a taxi.

"I'm shocked about allegations of bad behaviour as we have over 2,500 members and over 98pc of them are very pleasant. It might have something to do with cultural differences because of the increase in non-national drivers."

The newly-appointed Taxi Regulator Kathleen Doyle said the figures should be taken in context.

"Given there are over 23,500 public service vehicles operating here, the level of compliance is very good."

Kathleen Doyle is the second Taxi Regulator since the role was introduced by the Minister for Transport in 2004.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/sharp-rise-in-complaints-at-behaviour-of-taxi-drivers-740592.html