Date Published: 22/09/08
A Guide to the National Maximum Fare. Format: PDF
Guide to the National Maximum Fare - text format
National Maximum
Taxi Fare Effective from
1 November 2008
Since 2006, all taxi journeys throughout Ireland are subject to a National Maximum Taxi Fare.
In order to ensure appropriate supply of taxi services, but also a fair return to taxi operators
in light of operating costs, the Commission has committed to revising taxi fare rates at least
every two years.
In April 2008, the Commission for Taxi Regulation commenced a public consultation process
on the existing National Maximum Taxi Fare. Over 400 submissions were received, following
which meetings with representative bodies and other stakeholders were held nationally.
The Commission also sought expert economic consultant advice and formal advice from the
Advisory Council to the Commission on the matter.
The Commission is making a Maximum Fares Order under Section 42 of the Taxi Regulation
Act 2003 to provide for a revision of existing fare charges. This revised National Maximum
Taxi Fare comes into effect on 1 November 2008.
INITIAL CHARGE
Includes 1km or 170 secs
TARIFF A
Next 14km or 40 mins
Up to €23.45
TARIFF B
Next 15km or 42 mins
Up to €47.05
€4.45 Fixed
€1.35 per km or
€0.48 per min
€1.57 per km or
€0.55 per min
TARIFF C
Over 30km or 85 mins
Over €47.05
€1.77 per km or
€0.63 per min
INITIAL CHARGE
Includes 1km or 170 secs
TARIFF A
Next 14km or 40 mins
Up to €18.70
€4.10 Fixed
€1.03 per km or
€0.36 per min
TARIFF B
Next 15km or 42 mins
Up to €38.90
€1.35 per km or
€0.48 per min
TARIFF C
Over 30km or 85 mins
Over €38.90
€1.77 per km or
€0.63 per min
Booking fee €2.00.
Extra adults: second
and additional
passengers €1.00 each.
Extra children
under 12:
1 free
2 or 3 €1.00
4 or 5 €2.00
6 or 7 €3.00.
Road toll charges
as incurred.
Soiling charge
€140.00.
Distance rate applies unless
speed drops below 21 km/h
when time rate applies.
*A special premium rate applies between Christmas Eve 20:00h to St. Stephen’s Day 08:00h
and New Year’s Eve 20:00h to New Year’s Day 08:00h. During these periods Tariff C is applied
immediately after the premium rate initial charge.
Premium rate
20.00h–8.00h & Sundays & public holidays*
National Maximum Taxi Fare Effective from 1 November 2008
Standard rate
8.00h–20.00h
Extras Where relevant
The National Maximum Taxi Fare
is just that – the maximum that
can be charged.
Revised National
Maximum Taxi Fare
The Commission has set a
revised National Maximum Taxi
Fare that will apply to all taxi
fares from 1 November 2008.
The fare structure underpinning
this consists of:
1 An initial charge
2 A charge for further travel
based on either distance
travelled or the time elapsed
and calculated across three
graduated tariffs
3 A premium at certain
times and on certain days
4 Extra charges, where
applicable
The National Maximum Taxi Fare
will continue to be revised every
two years.
Initial charge
The initial charge is the amount which appears on
the meter at the beginning of the journey. In most
cases it is made up of two distinct elements:
• A hiring charge, and;
• A fixed charge for an initial distance or initial
time travelled.
This initial charge includes 1km or 170 seconds.
Further travel
After the allowance for distance or time that is included
in the initial charge has been exceeded, the fare for further
travel is calculated at small portions of the journey. At low
speeds, or when a taxi is stationary, the fare is calculated on
the basis of time. This compensates the driver for the costs
of operating in periods of traffic congestion, or for waiting
time. Once the taxi exceeds a certain speed, the fare is then
calculated according to the distance travelled. The speed at
which charges switch from being distance-related to being
time-related is known as the changeover speed.
It is important that the changeover speed is set at the
appropriate level to compensate the driver for operating
at times of congestion, or for delays encountered on
request of the passenger. However, the changeover speed
should not be so low as to encourage unnecessary slowing
of the vehicle to generate a higher fare. The changeover
speed in the national fare is set at just above 21 km/h.
A graduated structure of three tariffs allows all journeys
to be appropriately charged. Journeys that travel beyond
the initial time or distance covered by the initial charge
and that are short in distance and duration will be subject
to Tariff A, the lowest rate. For medium length journeys,
the latter stages of the trip will be charged at a higher
rate: Tariff B. Very long journeys will have the end of the
trip charged at Tariff C, the highest rate. The reason for the
graduated fare structure is to incentivise a driver to return
empty after completing a long journey as such trips often
end in suburban or rural locations.
Fare Existing New
element initial charge initial charge
Daytime €3.80 €4.10
Unsocial hours €4.10 €4.45
All extras are discretionary. The
operator does not have to apply
them if he or she so chooses.
Rates for further travel
From 8.00h to 20.00h, the rates for Tariff A will be €1.03
per km and €0.36 per minute for the next 14km or 40
minutes after the initial charge. At premium rates, travel
within Tariff A will be €1.35 per km or €0.48 per minute.
This tariff together with the initial charge should not cost
more than €18.70 (or €23.45 at premium rates)1 or exceed
either 14km or 40 minutes.
When the initial charge and Tariff A are exceeded, the
meter will record further travel on Tariff B. From 8.00h to
20.00h, the rates for Tariff B will be €1.35 per km and €0.48
per minute. At premium rates, travel within Tariff B will be
€1.57 per km or €0.55 per minute. This tariff together with
the initial charge and charges under Tariff A should not cost
more than €38.90 (or €47.05 at premium rates)1 or exceed
either 30km or 85 minutes.
Longer journeys in excess of Tariff B will be charged on the
basis of the rates in Tariff C. Tariff C is not subject to any
premium during unsocial hours, and is calculated on the
basis of €1.77 per km or €0.63 per minute at all times.
Premium charge
A premium to taxi fares is charged at certain times to
encourage greater supply. These are generally known as
unsocial hours rates and apply in particular to taxi operation
at night and throughout the day on Sundays and public
holidays.
The Commission is also conscious of the difficulties in
ensuring supply at particular times during Christmas and
New Year. As part of the revised fare it has introduced
a higher premium rate between the following times to
encourage supply:
• 20.00h on Christmas Eve through
to 08.00h on St. Stephen’s Day
• 20.00h on New Year’s Eve through
to 08.00h on New Year’s Day
During these periods, Tariff C will apply immediately
after the premium rate initial charge.
Extras
Booking charge
When a taxi is booked by telephone, email, fax, text, (or
any method other than by hailing in the street or engaging
at a taxi rank or transport terminal), a booking fee may
apply. The purpose of this charge is to incentivise drivers
to provide such a service, usually through a dispatch
operator. It also compensates and incentivises drivers for
travelling the distance necessary to collect the passenger.
A booking charge may not be charged when engaging
a taxi at a taxi rank, including airport or other transport
terminal ranks, or if you hail a taxi in the street.
Extra passenger charge
An additional charge of €1.00 may be charged by taxi drivers
for each additional passenger. Two children under twelve will
be charged as one adult. (If only one additional passenger
under twelve is travelling, there is no extra charge.)
Toll charges
If the chosen route is subject to toll charges, the driver
is entitled to include the toll charge as incurred in the
fare charged to you. Such toll charges should be recorded
on the receipt.
Tips
Customers may give tips to reward good service at their
discretion. Tips may be recorded in handwriting on the
receipt.
Discounts
Drivers may give discounts on fares. The driver will have
the right to charge the maximum amount calculated on
the meter or a lesser sum at his or her discretion. Customers
will have the right to request discounts before engaging a
taxi. Any discounts given may be recorded in handwriting
on the receipt. In the absence of any arrangement on
discounts agreed in advance, the customer will be liable
to pay the amount calculated in full by the meter.
Soiling charge
A soiling charge is payable by passengers who dirty or
damage a taxi to the extent that it has to be taken out of
service or will incur a cost to clean or repair. Such soiling or
damage can incur significant costs for drivers or operators
and a loss of earnings due to downtime. To discourage such
soiling and compensate drivers or operators an increased
soiling charge of €140 will apply as part of the revised
national taxi fare from 1 November 2008.
1 Unless extra charges apply, or a discount
has been agreed at the start of the journey.
For more information (including more
information on background research
regarding taxi fares) or for copies
of all Commission documents, you
are invited to visit our website
www.taxiregulator.ie or contact us
at commission @ taxiregulator.ie
Lo-call consumer information line
1890 60 60 90
Lo-call industry information line
1890 347 347
Commission for Taxi Regulation,
35 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin 2
© Commission for Taxi Regulation.
All rights reserved.
Disclaimer: This information leaflet is not
a legal document and does not claim to be
a legal or technical interpretation of taxi fares.
A technical fares document is available for
taximeter programmes and other interested
parties from the Commission by contacting
it directly or visiting www.taxiregulator.ie
