WORLDWIDE TAXI FOCUS from Ireland


RECORD NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT IRISH CABBIES LAST YEAR


Irish taxi drivers faced a record number of complaints last year, alongside a 15 per cent increase in fines issued to licence holders, according to new figures from the National Transport Authority. The NTA recorded 1,815 complaints in 2025, which marks a 6 per cent increase from the previous year. Most of these complaints involved fare disputes at 54 per cent, followed by hiring issues at 22 per cent, driver behaviour at 20 per cent, and vehicle condition at four per cent. Dublin accounted for 77 per cent of all complaints, while counties Cavan, Monaghan, and Leitrim did not receive any. Following initial investigations, about six out of ten complaints required no further action, whereas 165 led to fines, 28 were sent to other agencies like An Garda Síochána, and two resulted in criminal prosecutions regarding fare disputes and driver behaviour. Compliance officers also carried out more than 16,700 face-to-face roadside audits and thousands of remote checks, resulting in 1,043 on-the-spot fines for rule breaches. These penalties included fines for failing to maintain vehicle standards, refusing cashless payments, and unlawfully denying rides to passengers with guide dogs or wheelchairs. The NTA stated it was committed to ensuring compliance with legislation governing small public service vehicles as well as ensuring public safety and that legitimate professional taxi drivers do not have to compete with “others operating to lower standards”.


from Uganda


11 CABBIES ARRESTED IN NIGHT RAID AFTER UGANDA ROAD TRAGEDIES


Eleven commuter taxi drivers have been arrested during a night enforcement operation at Maya along the Kampala-Masaka Highway for allegedly engag- ing in dangerous loading. Traffic Police spokesperson Michael Kananura stated that drivers


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deliberately travel at night to avoid checkpoints, warn- ing that carrying excess passengers or loads destabilises vehicles and in- creases the risk of fatal crashes. The crackdown follows a string of deadly incidents, including a crash in Lwera where a commuter taxi collided with a truck, killing all fourteen passengers on board, and another collision days later at Kakira Junction that left two people dead. Official figures show that Uganda recorded 26,044 road crashes in 2025, resulting in more than 5,300 deaths, with over 40% of incidents linked to reckless driving. Addressing the operation, Michael Kananura said: “We have started a crackdown against dangerous loading and anyone found violating this shall be arrested and prosecuted. “No journey is worth risking human life.”


from Spain


UK TOURIST ARRESTED FOR ATTACKING TWO CABBIES AT PALMA AIRPORT


A British tourist was arrested outside Palma airport last month after violently attacking two taxi drivers and damaging a cab. The violence began when a taxi driver reprimanded pedestrians for crossing on a red light, prompting the British man to open the moving cab’s passenger door. When the driver pulled over to ask why, he was punched in the face and knocked to the ground. A colleague who rushed to help was struck in the chest and abdomen, while the tourist repeatedly smashed the bonnet, front door, and wing of the second vehicle, causing around 400 euros of damage. A third driver and bystanders stepped in to subdue the agitated tourist until airport security and the Policia Nacional arrived. Both injured drivers suffered pain from the assaults and required medical treatment at a health centre, while the suspect was detained on two counts of assault and criminal damage.


SEPTEMBER 2026 PHTM


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