Over 2,000 Dublin taxi drivers are set to bring the capital to a standstill at rush hour in a protest over Uber.
The ride-share app launched its fixed taxi taxi price service in Ireland earlier this year, which means that if the meter goes over the fixed sum the passenger will pay the previously fixed sum. (e.g. if a fare that was ordered for €20 has a final meter reading of €25, the passenger will only pay the €20).
The launch of the service, which Uber have said will reduce ‘meter anxiety’ for customers, has angered taxi drivers in the capital, who’ve said that the move breaches regulations and ‘constitutes a predatory commercial practice.
Following a protest outside Leinster House on Saturday, drivers are set to protest after a reported failure to meet an ultimatum on Monday evening.
Up to 2,000 taxis are set to drive down the following three separate routes at 4.30pm on Thursday (November 27) with the protest expected to last two hours during peak rush hour traffic:
If the final price on the meter ends up costing less than the initial price, users will pay the lower price. However, the taxi service has warned that changes after the booking will result in the price changing.
This would include adding extra stops, changing the destination or requesting an alternate route. These changes can be made in the Uber app to show the new fixed price.
Uber began operating in Ireland in 2014 and 10 years later, it had over 6,000 drivers working with the service.
