New NTA figures confirm taxi driver numbers fall by 19% in Mayo
New figures from the National Transport Authority (NTA) reveal that Mayo has still not recovered their pre-Covid taxi driver numbers as it experienced a 19% drop since 2019.
The figures show that despite Ireland’s population growing by 8.5% from 2019 to 2024 and inbound tourism numbers rising by 5% from 2023 to 2024, taxi driver numbers have remained stagnant or in sharp decline in many areas.
Nationally, the total number of taxi drivers has increased by only 1% yet actual taxi vehicle numbers operated by drivers have dropped 4.4% from 2019 to 2025.
The figures show that taxi driver growth is overwhelmingly concentrated in Dublin, exacerbating existing inequalities and leaving both urban and rural communities, which have limited public transport alternatives, disproportionately disadvantaged.
Regional analysis shows alarming declines since 2019, as follows:
- Border region (Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan) down nearly 20%, with continued stagnation from 2023 to 2024
- Connaught dropped 6.3% from 2019-2024, with little to no improvement in counties like Leitrim (0%), Mayo (-1.1%) and Sligo (0%) from 2023-2024
- Munster experienced slight overall growth (+1.1%) but declines in four out of six counties (including a 4% decrease in Cork) highlights that this growth is significantly concentrated
-Leinster experienced growth of 3% from 2019 to 2024, but when Dublin is excluded, the province experienced a 14.9% decline. Despite a small recovery from 2023 to 2024 (+3.05%), this is insufficient to overcome the broader downward trend.
- Significant taxi decreases were seen in Monaghan (down by 28.6%), Wexford (down by 24.4%), Longford (down by 20.9%), Offaly (down by 20.1%) and Kildare (down by 19%)
- Dublin, Limerick and Kerry have shown moderate growth, but 10 counties showed no growth or continued decline even from 2023 to 2024, including Donegal, Wexford and Waterford. Despite an increase in the three counties referenced, the lack of availability is affecting the tourism, hospitality and night-time economies
CRISIS
“We are still facing a taxi shortage crisis,” said Adrian Cummins, CEO of the Restaurants Association of Ireland and founding member of the Taxis for Ireland Coalition. “It’s being hidden behind a modest urban recovery, but the reality in regional areas and at urban peak times is that people are stranded.
“In rural Ireland, hospitality businesses are being devastated. Without taxis, people stay home. The WAV rule is locking out the very drivers we need. We need a modern, flexible, and inclusive taxi system. Right now, the system works for no one – not the drivers, not the passengers, and not our economy.”
The Taxis for Ireland Coalition identifies the requirement for new taxis to be Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAVs) as the primary barrier to new drivers entering the market. WAVs typically cost over €60,000, and grant assistance from the NTA is highly oversubscribed. In 2025, the WAV grant closed within 15 minutes of opening, following similar occurrences in 2024 and 2023.
The NTA acknowledges that converting the entire SPSV fleet to WAVs would take approximately 25 years and cost €297 million – an unrealistic target which fails to target WAVs to WAV users, and conflicts with the government’s electric vehicle goals given the limited availability of electric or hybrid WAV models.
In contrast, limousine licences, which do not face a WAV restriction, have increased significantly by 27% since 2019, growing from 2,110 to 2,687. This further highlights the negative impact the WAV policy has on new taxi entrants.
Notably, WAV targets set by the National Sustainable Mobility Policy (NSMP) have already been exceeded well ahead of schedule, underscoring the urgent need to reassess current legislative barriers. WAVs currently make up almost 25% of the overall taxi fleet, but the real need is to ensure that these WAVs are directed to WAV users, rather than competed for by all passengers amidst a limited supply of taxis.
“The current requirement for all new taxi entrants to operate wheelchair accessible vehicles, while well-intentioned, is having the opposite of its intended effect,” says Kieran Harte, head of Uber Ireland. “It's creating a significant barrier for many would-be drivers who simply cannot afford or access these specialist vehicles. As a result, fewer new drivers are entering the industry, and the overall supply of taxis in Ireland is stagnating.
“At the same time, wheelchair users – who this policy is meant to support – are now facing increased competition for accessible vehicles from passengers who do not need them. This has left many wheelchair users waiting longer and struggling to find the service they depend on.
“The Taxis for Ireland Coalition strongly believes that the WAV grant programme must be protected and enhanced, but with a sharper focus. Grants should be increased and prioritised for those who are committed to providing accessible service to wheelchair users, rather than being issued on a first-come, first-served basis. We need a system that actually improves access for those who need it most, while also allowing more people to join the industry and help meet Ireland's growing transport demand.”
The Taxis for Ireland Coalition is calling for the following: remove the WAV requirement for all newly registered SPSVs; retain and refocus the WAV grant to serve actual WAV users; modernise the Driver Entry Test, especially geography-based knowledge tests given the accessibility of modern technology; set a national goal to increase SPSV numbers by 30% from 2024 levels by 2027; develop a national taxi strategy that addresses rural accessibility, seeks to increase the taxi fleet and analyses night-time supply.