Dublin the Number of Taxis Was a Mistake

With thousands more licensed taxis than New York City, Dublin Ireland is facing a glut of idle cabs.

1 minute read

December 2, 2008, 6:00 AM PST

By Michael Dudley


"The most visible sign of the Irish recession is not the endless 'For Sale' or 'Price Reduced' signs that line residential and business streets; it is the sheer number of idle taxis. At some taxi stands in central Dublin, the cars are lined up a two dozen deep, their drivers bored rigid behind the wheel.

No wonder: There are about 16,000 licensed taxis in Dublin, up from about 2,800 in the late 1990s. That's a lot of taxis. New York City, which is 7 or 8 times bigger than Dublin (population 1.2-million), has about 13,000 licensed cabs.

A decade ago, Dubliners complained about having to wait an hour or longer for a cab. So the city deregulated the licensing process. Almost anyone could get in the taxi game and the numbers grew enormously. [Then] the recession...hit and drivers are getting desperate. Dublin could do with half the number of taxis."

Monday, December 1, 2008 in The Globe and Mail

Aeriel view of white sheep grazing on green grass between rows of solar panels.

Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US

The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.

April 24, 2024 - Columbus Dispatch

Large blank mall building with only two cars in large parking lot.

Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House

If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.

April 18, 2024 - Central Penn Business Journal

Workers putting down asphalt on road.

U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause

A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.

April 18, 2024 - Los Angeles Times

Texas

Dallas Surburb Bans New Airbnbs

Plano’s city council banned all new permits for short-term rentals as concerns about their impacts on housing costs grow.

51 minutes ago - FOX 4 News

Divvy Chicago

Divvy Introduces E-Bike Charging Docks

New, circular docks let e-bikes charge at stations, eliminating the need for frequent battery swaps.

1 hour ago - Streetsblog Chicago

Freeway sign with "severe weather - use caution" over multilane freeway in rainy weather.

How Freeway Projects Impact Climate Resilience

In addition to displacement and public health impacts, highway expansions can also make communities less resilient to flooding and other climate-related disasters.

2 hours ago - Transportation for America

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.