Earnings of 50-60 euro per day not uncommon
A SIZEABLE number of Limerick taxi drivers are living on the bread line, with some earning less than the minimum wage, it has been claimed.
According to one taxi driver, who did not wish to be identified, colleagues are considering leaving the business and going on the dole.
“Excuse the pun, but we don’t know what road we are going down. Our very livelihoods are at stake.
“Two years ago, it was not unusual for taxi drivers to make 100-150 euro per day…it is now down to 50-60 euro per day”.
Accepting that the downturn in the economy had affected business, their situation was exacerbated, he added, by the fact that the Regulator continues issuing plates.
The taxi drivers cause has been taken on board by Limerick City South Fianna Fail candidate Tom O’Callaghan, who has called on the Regulator to grant a special exemption for Limerick and stop granting taxi licenses
He has written to the Commissioner Ms. Kathleen Doyle, pointing to the increasingly difficult environment in which taxi drivers are forced to operate.
“There simply are too many taxi plates operating. It’s crippling those people who are trying to earn a living and support their families. There simply isn’t enough work to go around.
“If some decide to go on the dole not only will we be paying out a lot more in social welfare payments, but there will be fewer cars on the roads and people will start finding it very difficult to get a cab as they’ll be so few about”.
The taxi owner who contacted the Limerick Post said that the cost factor of operating a taxi was extremely high.
Typical outgoings are: Insurance 2,000 euro; car depreciation, 2,000 euro; petrol for year 5,000 euro; car loan, 3,000 per year; taxi plate renewal 125 euro, repairs 500 euro; accountant 300 euro; general maintenance (car wash, etc) 200 euro.
To lease a radio cost an additional 3,600 per year.
“Let us look at earnings where a driver is going home with 60 euro per day over 360 days, amounting to 21,600 per annum.
Subtract overheads and he/she is lucky to come out with 9,000 euro.
“On the dole, he/she would have 180 euro per week, plus 70 euro rent allowance, giving 13,000 euro per year”.
He also pointed out that it was not possible for unemployed taxi owners to sign on at the unemployment exchange. “Try to sell your license and you will find there are no buyers out there and that leaves you in a catch-22 situation”.
Taxi drivers, he added, were obliged to work crazy hours, for little return.
“Just look at the number of cabs outside the railway station or other designated taxi ranks in the city and see how many are out looking for business.
“You could sit for three hours and get a fare of 10 euro.
“Night time trade has almost disappeared, and with fewer people shopping in the city centre there are less runs to our housing estates. Something needs to be done…immediately”.
