West Cork towns with a population of 5,000, or less, could be in line for a new rural taxi service – dubbed a ‘ruxi'.
WEST Cork towns with a population of 5,000, or less, could be in line for a new rural taxi service – dubbed a ‘ruxi’.
That’s according to Fine Gael TD, Jim Daly, who has put his ruxi proposal to the Minister for Transport Shane Ross TD.
Jim Daly, the Minister of State at the Department of Health, said discussions with Minister Ross about the lack of public transport in small rural towns across the country has already taken place and that the minister is ‘well disposed’ to his proposal. The Cork South West TD, told The Southern Star his proposal is to create a new kind of taxi service that is less expensive and less cumbersome than the taxi and hackney services that are regulated by the State.
Under the ‘ruxi’ system, Mr Daly said: ‘The car would need a valid NCT, the driver would need to be garda-vetted; and the service would only be authorised to serve within a radius of 15km of the town centre.’
The junior minister said that any driver with a full licence, who would like to be involved in providing the service, would have to apply to go on a register and that the car would be summoned using a mobile phone app.
Minister Daly said he believes such a system is needed. ‘I am constantly hearing from many people who say they cannot get a spin home after going out for a night. These people would love to an Uber-style taxi service available in their locality.’
He also said that such a service would also allow some people to ‘earn some extra income’ particularly over the weekends.
