A total of 180 illegal taxis or private hire vehicles have been found operating on Irish roads over the past two years.
Figures from the National Transport Authority show that bogus taxis and private hire vehicles were caught out driving 96 times in the first 10 months of this year.
The number of detections is already well ahead of last year, when the NTA nabbed 84 drivers operating illegally.
The figures show that in 30 of the cases, the driver was operating without a valid driver licence.
In another 91 cases, the car was being driven without a vehicle licence and in 50 cases, the person involved had neither a valid driving licence nor a valid vehicle licence.
There were a further nine cases of an unlicensed driver or a vehicle being allowed to operate on the country’s roads.
Of the 180 total cases, more than two-thirds – or 124 detections – were in Dublin, according to data released under FOI.
There were nine cases in Co Cork, three in Co Kerry, two in Co Limerick, two in Co Waterford, and just a single detection in Co Galway.
Counties with above average levels of enforcement included Westmeath (8 cases), Kildare (6 cases), and Kilkenny (also 6 cases).
The data from the NTA also showed that the months with the highest levels of detection this year were March with 19 unlicensed operators collared, and April and May, both with 13 cases.
The National Transport Authority said that in order to operate a taxi, or any private hire vehicle, a driver had to hold both a valid driver licence and licence.
It said: “Detections are often related to expired licences where the individual has held a licence but is detected operating after the expiry date.
“Where there is [an] absence of both licences … [these] are vehicles and drivers that [are] operating completely outside of the licensing ‘regime’.
“These are, however, never taxis and are ‘private hire vehicles’, mainly advertised locally or online or through social media.”
The NTA said in cases like this, vehicles had to be hired by compliance officers with money handed over to prove an offence had taken place.
“They are more complex and time-consuming operations as a result,” they said.
The NTA also said the figures did not include cases taken by An Garda Síochána, who also have enforcement powers for dealing with bogus taxis and private hire vehicles.
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