Northern Ireland’s taxi industry is facing a ticking time bomb with dwindling numbers of drivers set to drop dramatically in the next few months.
Official figures from the Department For Infrastructure (DFI) released last week show that there are now 7,482 taxi drivers across Northern Ireland, compared to 15,000 ten years ago.
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Numbers have dropped by more than 100 in the last quarter alone.
However, Stephen Anton, communications manager at Fonacab, told the Irish News the reality is likely to a lot less, as these figures include dormant licences which remain valid for five years but are not actively being used.
He said: “A taxi licence has a lifespan of five years and during the pandemic some drivers put their licence in a drawer and found work elsewhere. So despite not working as a taxi driver for four years their licence will still show up in the statistics meaning the actual figure of active taxi drivers is much lower than the 7,500 shown.
“Halfway through 2023 figures from the DFI showed 7,679 taxi drivers in Northern Ireland - but only 5,791 were active.
“Every year the industry loses drivers through retirement, sickness and so on, but this number could increase as dormant licences from 2019 and 2020 drop off. We could be looking at a drop of 20% more each year.”
| Year | Taxi Driver Licences |
|---|---|
| 2013/14 | 15,802 |
| 2014/15 | 14,462 |
| 2015/16 | 13,438 |
| 2016/17 | 12,255 |
| 2017/18 | 11,328 |
| 2018/19 | 10,268 |
| 2019/20 | 9,590 |
| 2020/21 | 8,781 |
| 2021/22 | 8,152 |
| 2022/23 | 7,716 |
| 2023/24 | 7.586 |
| 2024/25 | 7,482 |
Stephen added driver recruitment is being hampered by changes to the testing system with includes long waits and rigorous testing.
“We need a process that gets people into the taxi industry much quicker - the new system takes about six months to get a single person through,” he explained.
“It is still, in our opinion, too expensive, too difficult and too long a wait to become a taxi driver. That’s something we are working very hard with the DFI to try and fix.”
“If action isn’t taken now then the situation is only going to get worse in years to come”
— SDLP Cllr Paul Doherty
SDLP Councillor Paul Doherty said that the “dramatic fall” in the number of registered taxi drivers in recent years is “concerning” for a number of reasons.
“Many people, including older people or those with disabilities, rely on these services to get to important appointments, to do their shopping and other errands or simply to live their lives,” he said.
“A lack of available taxi drivers also hurts our economies and sectors like tourism and hospitality, with more and more people choosing to stay in due to the struggle to get home.
“If action isn’t taken now then the situation is only going to get worse in years to come.
“I have much sympathy for taxi drivers who are often expected to undertake work in dangerous conditions for low pay, while paying large insurance premiums, fuel costs and car upkeep.
“We need to look at ways we can remove barriers and costs to drivers entering the industry, while ensuring that the safety and experience of passengers remains paramount.”
A spokesperson for the DFI said it has “no direct role in the recruitment or retention policies” that taxi operators may have in place, but it “remains committed” to playing its part to address the range of issues faced.
“The Department is responsible for the regulation of the taxi industry to ensure that their services are provided safely for customers,” they said.
“This role includes the licensing of drivers, operators and their vehicles, together with ensuring ongoing compliance within the industry, and undertaking enforcement action against those found to be non-compliant.
“DfI remains committed to working within this remit to play its part alongside those in the taxi industry, to address the range of issues the industry faces.”
