NTA’s fare increase will harm night-time economy and fail to solve taxi shortage, says Uber

Uber has expressed concern over the National Transport Authority’s (NTA) decision to increase taxi fares by 9% from December 1st, while the extra €1 charge on pre-booked trips (i.e. all taxi booking apps) will bring the increase to over 10%.

The company believes this move will negatively impact the night-time economy and fails to address the ongoing taxi shortage.

The NTA’s decision to increase pre-booking fees and extend peak-time rates will significantly increase the cost of taxi journeys, particularly for those who rely on taxis to get home safely at night.

This will disproportionately affect workers in the hospitality, entertainment, and nightlife sectors.

Uber also point to the NTA’s Taxi Driver Survey published in August 2024 which found that only 14% of current drivers would be encouraged to start driving nights with increased prices, while only 19% of drivers stopped working nights as it was not financially worth it.

In September, the NTA announced that fares are to increase by 9% from December 1st.

In addition to the 9% fare increase, the fee for pre-booking a taxi will also increase from €2 to €3.

The “special rate,” which currently applies to taxi fares during Christmas and New Year’s, will be extended to weekend peak times, meaning that taxis taken at this time will cost users €2 per kilometre, on top of the pre-booking charge and the initial charge.

Head of Uber Ireland, Kieran Harte said “Raising taxi fares will have significant negative consequences for night-time economy workers who depend on taxis for safe transportation.

“Being the only door-to-door public transport service, taxis are a vital part of Ireland’s transport network, especially at night.

“This decision will not only discourage people from enjoying the night-time economy but will also harm businesses that rely on late-night trade. Ireland is already more expensive compared to the UK, France, USA and Australia while this decision will penalise users further”.

Uber, as a member of the Taxis for Ireland Coalition, argues that increasing fares is not a sustainable solution to the taxi shortage.

Instead, they say they are calling for practical measures to attract and retain more drivers, such as improving driver and customer safety, reducing the cost of entry for new drivers and updating the SPSV Driver Entry Test’s specific geography-based knowledge requirements.

To alleviate the financial burden on customers during the festive season, Uber also says it is offering a 20% discount on all trips throughout December with the promo code ‘BEATTHEHIKE’.

This initiative aims to encourage people to continue using taxis, enjoy the festive season and support local businesses.