Rapid Cabs marks 25 years
Rapid Cabs marks 25 years
Rapid Cabs, celebrates its 25th anniversary in business. In 2000 you’d have met your friends in Red Square to go shopping, or gone out later with them to Rubys or Merlins. A lot can change in 25 years, and some things not at all. We’re still losing to Tipperary in the Championship, you still meet your friends in Geoff’s after to complain about it, and you’ll still get there and get home safe with Rapid Cabs.
Eric O’Brien, just a young fella in 2000, now runs Rapid Cabs and remembers just how much has changed over the years. “Night life in the city mightn’t be what it was then, but people are booking taxis for different reasons now. With over 125 drivers we’ve more than ever working for us. The systems have changed too, we’ve 35,000 registered App users and now people have the personal option of a live operator or a much faster AI service for getting somewhere safely. WIT has become SETU, but we’ve still got a great relationship with the university and it’s students’ union.
“The industry has really changed, now we’re not only the largest local taxi company in Waterford, we’re nearly the only Irish owned taxi company in the city. It’s become much more regulated too, which in the main is a good thing. They don’t just give anyone a licence so you know who is taking you or your son or daughter home at night. Of course we’d like a bit more control over our own business, like how much to charge, but you cannot have everything.” 25 years ago the O’Briens had just changed their business name from City Cabs to Rapid Cabs, had five taxi drivers and while they had plenty of plans, they never thought they’d reach where they are now. Computerising in 2002 set a standard for the business which would continue right through to today.
Rapid Cabs has always been ahead of the curve, pushing technology in order to be a step ahead of the competition. This attitude to technology and business resulted in Rapid Cabs launching the first taxi App in the south east in 2013, followed by an on-line payment system in 2015 and the launch of the Messenger booking service in 2019. Though Eric says it’s not all about technology, “Personal relationships are essential too. Our relationship with SETU Students’ Union and the ‘Home safe’ campaign is very important, as is our links with Purple Flag and the city centre traders. Three quarters of our staff have been with us for over fifteen years. That kind of loyalty and experience is irreplaceable, and it is obviously working as we’ll make over 270,000 journeys this year. “We’ve a great relationship with other locally owned taxi businesses around the country. We share ideas, trends, problems to be resolved and often lobby together for the right to offer a better service.”
Full of ideas and plans, the next twenty five years looks bright for Rapid Cabs. Rapid Cabs is a licensed taxi dispatch operator by the National Transport Authority and all of its drivers are fully Garda vetted, insured and licensed. The business has been shortlisted for Taxi Company of the Year every year for the Taxi Summit Awards, and won the overall award in 2023.
Open and accessible 24 hours a day 365 days a year, Rapid Cabs also has a computerised booking dispatch system from its local taxi call centre and has installed in-car driver devices in all of its taxis to ensure as such efficiency as possible. Its App is available for free on Apple and Android, and you can now even order your taxi on WhatsApp on the usual number 051858585
