Taxi driver facing loss of licence agrees to use card app

A taxi driver who faced losing his Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licence as he would only accept cash from customers has agreed to use an app to facilitate card payments.

Willie Wyse, of Onslow Gardens, Cork, who has driven a taxi for more than 40 years, appeared before Cork District Court last September to appeal against the revocation of his licence.

Mr Wyse had for some time employed a strict "no card" policy in his taxi.

He does not have a bank account and his vehicle was emblazoned with "cash only" signs.

Mr Wyse previously told Judge Mary Dorgan that he closed his bank account following the economic crash of 2010 having lost his faith in the institutions.

As a result of not having a bank account he had been unable to take payment by card.

At the September hearing, Judge Dorgan asked Mr Wyse what would happen if he won the lottery, and he replied that he would have a "very happy wife" as the funds would go into her bank account.

Judge Dorgan adjourned the case to give Mr Wyse time to consider his position. She urged him to get a bank account.

Mr Wyse appeared before Cork District Court again today where he told Judge Dorgan that having gone through all of the sections of the relevant Taxi Legislation Act, he understood he would have to set up a card payment system.

He said that in 42 years of driving he had never had a summons imposed against him.

Mr Wyse said he still does not trust banks or have a bank account. However, he had found a novel way of staying compliant with the taxi regulations.

He reached a solution by allowing passengers to pay by card in his taxi through the Sum-Up card reader system which is used by many taxi drivers.

'Bundle' of fines

Mr Wyse indicated that he had acquired a "bundle" of fines arising out of his decision not to accept card payments.

However, he stated that Judge Joanne Carroll had previously imposed a fine of just €150 on him.

Judge Carroll also convicted him on just one summons.

Mr Wyse said that he knew he needed to set up the Sum Up system in his taxi as "the law is the law and I can't go against it".

Mr Wyse thanked Judge Carroll for her "wisdom, courtesy and compassion" when dealing with the bundles of fines he had received.

He also thanked Judge Dorgan whom he noted had been very fair.

Appeal not about 'beating law'

Mr Wyse said that he was delighted to be able to use the Sum Up Card reader, which means that he still will not have to have a bank account.

His said his appeal was not about "beating the law".

He said: "What I was saying that the Taxi Regulation Act of 2013 should have been more specific.

"19% of the taxi fleet in Ireland are pensioners. Not everyone has a bank account.

"They brought in legislation on (mandatory card payments in taxis) on 1 September 2022.

"What provision did they supply for the people who are not up to date with technology?

"Overnight they were expected to do this (use card readers). They had a duty of care to their service providers."