Ordering a taxi on your phone is about to get even more expensive...
Taxi app FREENOW has announced a new fee for those who use their taxi app.
The so-called €1 "technology fee" will be added to all successfully completed taxi trips booked through the app.
According to FREENOW, the move is necessary "to allow for the introduction of new mobility services such as eBikes and eScooters, provided by our mobility partners through the Free Now app."
It goes without saying that this move is not without controversy. FREENOW app users are already subject to a €2 booking fee and an additional €5 charge if they cancel on a taxi driver.
The charge also follows widely reported taxi-driver shortages late at night and a planned 12% increase to all taxi fares from September 1st.
The move hasn't gone down well with users of the app, with many taking to Twitter to voice their annoyance:
In line with the new #FreeNow "technology fee", I will now be charging you €1 to read my tweets
*retires*— Rory Donnelly (@roryd) July 18, 2022
Edging up towards a tenner before you even get in the taxi with #freenow ?♂️?♂️?♂️ technological advancements are supposed to make things cheaper, unless there is a monopoly of course - ireland badly needs uber/bolt #RipOffIreland pic.twitter.com/hPcJRb7csx
— Brendan Kilpatrick (@bren_kilpatrick) July 18, 2022
That’s on top of a €2 booking fee #Freenow
— Dan Heaslip (@DanHeaslip) July 18, 2022
Not enough the 15% or so they take from drivers @FreeNow_IE also want to charge customers a technology fee. Bad move #freenow #taxi pic.twitter.com/hU8YRSZx0r
— Corrina Brereton (@Ceybriar) July 18, 2022
We think it's time to dust off the bicycle in the garage and get cycling again!
