As and from April 2006, the Commission for Taxi Regulation will be rolling out a new national licensing system for small public service vehicles (SPSVs). As part of the system a new national licence number will be issued for every SPSV. This will be a unique identification number. The first licence numbers will be issued to all SPSV vehicle licence holders in Galway and Cork in April 2006, and thereafter on a phased basis around the rest of the country. It is planned that all existing SPSV licence holders will receive notification of their new vehicle licence number no later than end of June, 2006. The licence number itself will comprise of a unique five digit number, starting from 10,001.
The Commission will require taxi vehicle licence holders to update the licence number on their roof signs within 28 days of receipt of the number. (Taximeter receipts will be required to display the new vehicle licence number from 25th September 2006 onwards in conjunction with the introduction of the new National Taxi Fare on that date).
The following diagrams illustrates how the new licence number should be
displayed on the roof sign:
1. Presentation of the taxi roof sign in English (non
wheelchair-accessible vehicles)
2. Presentation of the taxi roof sign in Irish (non
wheelchair-accessible vehicles)
Figure 1.1 Presentation of taxi roof sign – non
wheelchair-accessible vehicles
Note: Representative body details can be displayed in this panel but their telephone numbers should not be included to avoid confusion for passengers or potential passengers
Figure 1.2 Presentation of taxi roof sign in Irish –non wheelchair-accessible vehicles
Requirements in relation to the size and positioning of text on a taxi roof sign will be outlined in regulation and include:
- The dimensions of the sign shall be such that the surface of the sign which is capable of being illuminated shall not be more than 120 millimetres approximately and not less than 110 millimetres approximately in height and not more than 1,100 millimetres approximately in length.
- The front and rear faces of the sign shall each be divided into three sections of equal size.
- The central sections on each face of the sign shall display the word ‘TAXI’ or, in the Irish language, ‘TACSAI’ in yellow letters on a dark blue background of low light transmittance. No letter shall be more than 90 millimetres high or more than 16 millimetres in stroke width.
- The sections of the sign on the left of the sign as viewed from the rear of the vehicle and on the right of the sign as viewed from the front shall have a yellow background and shall display on that background in black letters or numerals as the case may be:
- The licence number, each numeral of which shall be approximately 89 millimetres in height; the strokes for each numeral shall be approximately 16 millimetres broad; the total width of every numeral except the numeral "I" shall be approximately 63 millimetres and the spacing between the nearest parts of adjoining numerals shall be approximately 7 millimetres,
- To the left or right hand side of the licence number, the words ‘licence number’ or, in the Irish language, ‘uimhir cheadunais’
- The sections of the sign on the right of the sign as viewed from the rear of the vehicle and on the left of the sign as viewed from the front shall have a yellow background and shall be kept blank, except in the following circumstances: o Where the vehicle is licensed as wheelchair-accessible, a symbol denoting wheelchair accessibility must be displayed as illustrated in the diagram on the previous page o Where the vehicle licence holder wishes to display the name and contact details of the dispatch centre through which the vehicle can be booked, or, the name of any representative body (contact details of representative bodies should not be included to avoid confusion for passengers or potential passengers)
- No letter or numeral displayed on the remaining sections of each face of the sign shall exceed 70 millimetres in height.
It should be noted that this explanatory leaflet is designed to give practical guidance in relation to taxi roof signs that will be given effect by regulation as part of the reform of the SPSV licensing system. It does not purport to be a legal interpretation of the relevant legislation.
Further information, including a technical guide on meter and receipt
information relating to the new national taxi fare, is available from the
Commission for Taxi Regulation at the contact details below: Commission for
Taxi Regulation
35 Fitzwilliam Square
Dublin 2
Tel. 01 6593800
Fax. 01 6593801
Email:
commission@taxiregulator.ie
www.taxiregulator.ie