Poll: Would you pay more for a taxi if it was easier to hail a cab at busy times?
Industry figures say such a move could entice more people to work as drivers.
THE IRISH BOSS of cab-hailing app Mytaxi has suggested that drivers should be free to hike fares at busy times.
In an interview with the Irish Times, Alan Fox said that so-called ‘surge pricing’ would entice more people to work in the sector.
This could ease driver shortages and ultimately help people get to their destinations quicker at peak times because they’d spend less time trying to hail a cab.
Fox argued that passengers would be happy to pay more for a taxi in certain situations like “cold, wet Saturday nights”.
Maximum fares are set by the National Transport Authority, which already permits drivers to charge premium rates in the evening and early morning, and super premium fares at Christmas and around the New Year celebrations.
The premium rate, which kicks in from 8pm to 8am, allows taxis to charge customers an initial fee of up to €4.20 and a tariff of between €1.45 and €1.80 per km. This is compared to the standard €3.80 fee and €1.14 to €1.50 per km tariff.
With that in mind, we’re asking Fora readers this week: Would you pay more for a taxi if it was easier to hail a cab at busy times?
