Ireland’s taxi driver numbers reach ten-year high as electric and accessible fleets expand

Ireland’s National Transport Authority says taxi availability is improving as licensed driver numbers rise and more wheelchair accessible and electric vehicles enter the SPSV fleet.

Ireland’s small public service vehicle sector recorded its highest number of licensed drivers in a decade during 2025, according to new data published by the National Transport Authority (NTA).

The authority’s latest SPSV Bulletin, supported by taxi driver and consumer research conducted in March 2026, shows growth across the taxi, hackney and limousine market. The publications point to improving passenger availability, an expanding accessible fleet and continued adoption of fully electric vehicles.

A total of 1,893 new driver licences were issued during 2025, taking the number of licensed SPSV drivers to 27,891. The NTA said newer entrants were more likely to work during peak weekend periods, potentially increasing capacity when demand from Ireland’s nighttime economy is strongest.

Consumer research found that 76% of passengers considered it easy to secure a taxi for their most recent journey. The proportion describing the experience as “very easy” increased to 34%.

Passenger perceptions of personal safety also remained high. According to the findings, 97% of passengers felt safe while waiting at a taxi rank, while 89% felt safe when hailing a vehicle on the street.

The wheelchair accessible segment reached a new record following continued support through the NTA’s Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Grant Scheme. The authority issued 519 grants during 2025, with the number of wheelchair accessible vehicles reaching 4,781 by the end of the year.

Accessible vehicles represented 23% of the total SPSV fleet and 26% of the combined taxi and hackney fleet. The figures will be closely watched by disabled passengers, operators and policymakers as the NTA seeks to improve both the availability and geographical coverage of suitable vehicles.

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The transition to electric vehicles also continued. Ireland had 3,306 fully electric SPSVs operating at the end of 2025, representing a 25% increase compared with the previous year.

Drivers using electric vehicles reported average operating-cost savings of €95 per week. However, the commercial case for further adoption will continue to depend on vehicle purchase prices, suitable charging infrastructure, operating patterns and access to financial support.

The findings will inform the SPSV Regulation Action Plan 2026-2028. The NTA plans to open a series of public consultations later in 2026 covering dispatch operator regulation, advertising rules and fleet decarbonisation.