Biggest surge in taxi trips recorded in Cork following easing of Covid restrictions

Mobility app Free Now has said taxi trips were up 250% last weekend compared to the same weekend in 2021, with the biggest increase in service occurring in Cork.

The easing of Covid-19 restrictions on Saturday led to it being the busiest day in January on record for the company, which reported a 60% uplift in ride-hailing requests compared to the previous weekend.

Cork experienced the largest increase in service demand with requests for taxis almost doubling in the county last weekend compared with the previous weekend.

Corkonians also enjoyed the latest nights with 2am being the most popular time for ride-hailing requests on the app. 

City centre nightlife hot spots in Dublin, Limerick and Galway came in just under Cork as the most popular drop-off locations.

1am on Sunday was the busiest hour of the weekend with over six requests made per second to book a taxi on the Free Now app.

“The past 20 months of the pandemic and national restrictions have weighed heavily on every aspect of life in Ireland - but it is uplifting to see the country opening back up again and regaining a sense of normality,” Niall Carson, general manager of Free Now Ireland commented.

“Free Now and our driver partners are committed to keeping the nation moving with flexible transport in the coming weeks and months as they get from A to B - whether it’s their workplace, local pubs and restaurants or various other destinations that we will be returning to in 2022.” 

The company said it predicts that bookings will continue to rise as the month goes on as the end of January will mark the first payday of the year for many across the country.