If you ask a taxi driver to bring you to a particular address and he does not know where it is, you should get out and seek another driver.
This is the view of Mike Cubbard, who is standing as an Independent candidate in Galway City Central for the 2009 Local Elections.
Mr Cubbard, who attended last Saturday’s protest march and rally by taxi drivers, said the ease with which people can attain a taxi licence is “scandalous”. He is calling for a new system where each individual is scrutinised to the maximum to ensure that only the “most qualified and most reliable people” are granted taxi licences.
“I cannot comprehend how some drivers can be allowed to park up in the rank and then not know where a particular destination is,” he said. “We need a proper system in place to put an end to this madness.”
Mr Cubbard said a start can be made by people “refusing to use these particular taxis”. He said: “The people must begin to show support for the good, hard working, honest, taxi drivers of this city.”