Irish Wedding Blog

Pat Feeney from Getaway Wedding Cars offers advice on booking your wedding cars.

Looking at wedding related websites and from my own knowledge of the business, I see some wedding car suppliers have disappeared, leaving couples wondering if their bookings and deposits are secure.

One explanation for this is that new rules with regard to licensing of wedding cars and a clampdown on people operating car hire businesses, while claiming Social Welfare, are driving illegal operators out of the business. The new Taxi Regulator requirements include a stricter vetting of operators and an enforcement of the regulations for PSV vehicles. On the other arm of this is an attempt to weed out those exploiting Social Welfare while operating as car hire suppliers. A new law allows the Taxi Regulator share information with the Department of Social Welfare regarding who holds PSV licenses.

Enforcement Officers from The Taxi Regulator make unannounced visits to the addresses of wedding car suppliers to check on regulatory and licensing matters and if need be, order them to cease operating if all is not in order.

While there are extensive rules and regulations concerning the operating of PSV vehicles, the main points for the consumer to look out for are listed below. Do remember that if your wedding car supplier does not conform to the items listed below, you will travel in an uninsured, unlicensed and untested vehicle on what is the most important day of you life. Of less importance is the fact that you are being ripped off by unscrupulous suppliers who only care about lining their own pockets.

Please keep these 9 items in mind when choosing your wedding car:

1. Two door cars are not allowed to be offered for hire.

2. Vans or other commercial vehicles as above.

3. Receipts must be provided for deposits.

4. Vehicles must be licensed by the Taxi Regulator. The car must have a SILVER disc attached to the windscreen containing the cars details.

5. The driver MUST hold a PSV License, this must be displayed on the dashboard, and it shows the driver’s name and a photograph of the driver.

6. The vehicle MUST have Commercial/PSV insurance, covering it for public hire. The insurance/tax disc should usually show ‘LIMO’ printed on them.

7. You can phone the Taxi Regulator to check out your potential supplier.

8. Go and see the car before you book if possible.

9. Vehicles rented from Northern Ireland or Great Britain cannot operate wholly within the Republic of  Ireland, ie; the trip must either start or end in Northern Ireland.

You may be told something like ‘those rules don’t apply to vintage cars/vans’, if you are then walk away, these rules apply to ALL vehicles for public hire, regardless of age or location.

About Getaway Wedding Cars:
Getaway Wedding Cars are suppliers of prestige vintage and modern wedding cars in Ireland. Based in Galway, they cover the whole of Ireland, and provide an elegant fleet of cars for your special day.

Web: www.getawayweddingcars.com
Email: info@getawayweddingcars.com

Contact: Anja Watermann / Pat Feeney
Phone: 091-506896
Mobile: 087-9902294