Taxi drivers robbed and attacked, says union

AT LEAST 34 taxi drivers have been physically attacked or, robbed so far this year, according to the country’s largest taxi drivers’ union.

In one incident, a driver was threatened with a machete while another had a Vodka bottle smashed over his head.

The National Taxi Drivers’ Union said yesterday it would be writing again to Justice Minister Michael McDowell, requesting a meeting to discuss violence against its members.

The union is also concerned about the time delay between incidents and when they are heard in court.

Figures compiled by the NTDU show the date of attacks and, where possible, the plate number of the vehicle involved.

The union, which reportedly has more than 3,500 people on its books, only began compiling its own statistics regarding attacks on drivers at the end of last year.

Its figures relate overwhelmingly to incidents in the greater Dublin area and catalogue syringe attacks, physical assaults and other incidents where knives were used.

Official statistics are being compiled by the Carriage Office, but Tommy Gorman of the NTDU said attacks and robberies on union members had increased this year.

“These are only the incidents we are hearing about,” he said. “I think it’s worse than before. Some of these attacks are horrific.”

He said that since deregulation, when the trade was opened up and the number of taxi drivers increased, many people who were unwanted by existing taxi drivers had entered the sector.

He said passengers had increasingly bad experiences with taxi drivers because of this, combined in many cases with drink and drug abuse on the part of the passenger.

“In many cases, these people never go back to work again,” he said.

Mr Gorman said the NTDU had received an acknowledgement from the Department of Justice when they requested a meeting with Mr McDowell six months ago, but would be writing again in the next two weeks.

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice said yesterday that a detailed reply would be sent to the NTDU shortly.

One Dublin taxi firm, Expert Taxis, has installed security cameras in more than 280 of its vehicles in a bid to improve safety for drivers and passengers.

Vinnie Kearns said that, in the 13 months since cars were fitted with cameras, drivers were attacked on just two occasions and the culprits apprehended with the aid of in-car images.

“People are concerned about safety post-deregulation, and women are definitely wary of assaults in cabs,” he said.

“Installing the cameras proved to be of great benefit to both drivers and passengers.”