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Posted on the 18th February 2025 in PHTM News
RYANAIR CEO, MICHAEL OLEARY'S, ONE TAXI LOOPHOLE FOR BUS LANE ACCESS
Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary's penchant for unconventional strategies extends beyond the airline industry.
In 2004, O'Leary registered his personal Mercedes-Benz S-Class as a taxi under the name "O'Leary Cabs," a move that granted him a legal loophole to drive in Dublin's bus lanes.
This allowed him to bypass traffic congestion and expedite his commute, primarily between his Mullingar home and Ryanair's Dublin Airport headquarters.
According to the Irish Times, O'Leary's taxi registration was discussed at the time on Joe Duffy's show on RTÉ Radio. Defending his actions, O'Leary said: "It's a black taxi, it's registered in Mullingar, I've a PSV driver who drives it for me and if they want to amend the regulations which says I'm allowed to pick up people in Dublin I'll be happy to pick up people in Dublin - I'll do it a lot cheaper."
Despite his claims of compliance, the Irish Transport Minister later criticised O'Leary and others for exploiting the regulations.
This resourceful, if controversial, tactic exemplifies O'Leary's cost-conscious and efficiency-driven approach, the same principles that have shaped Ryanair's success as a leading budget airline.
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