Branding for Ireland’s Taxi Fleet is a necessary initiative for a professional service

Fine Gael TD for Kildare North, Anthony Lawlor, warmly welcomes the announcement yesterday (Wednesday) by Public Transport Minister Alan Kelly that all taxis will have to bear a branding signage. This branding will ensure a more accountable and professional service and curb the tendency for rogue drivers to ‘moon light’ as taxis.

“In recent times I have had a number of local taxi drivers approach me with regard to the negative impact of rogue drivers on their business. Most taxi drivers provide a legitimate service, adhering to the terms of taxi regulations and paying large sums of money for their licence. It is becoming increasingly difficult for many of them to continue to do business when they are competing against rogue drivers.

“Last June I raised with the Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar, the need to curtail this practice and also appealed to the Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, to increase her Department’s vigilance on social welfare fraud in terms of taxi drivers.

“I was therefore delighted to learn yesterday that a major new step has been taken by the National Transport Authority whereby taxis’ will have to bear a generic brand signage on the driver and passenger’s doors inclusive of the individual car’s licence number. This will be phased in from January 2013 and I am hopeful that it should assist all taxi driver’s in these tough times by readily identifying them as a legitimate service provider”.

ENDS