What are they? Living in NI near the border I see a lot of cars with ROI registrations and a small yellow badge saying “Hackney” and some small print on the front bumper. I’m assuming this isn’t a taxi firm but some specific type of taxi cab. Are there any special regulations that apply to them? I don’t seem to remember any ordinary taxis coming across border into town but I may be mistaken. My home town has a reputation for its proliferation of taxis, probably due to the fact that its one of the most deprived areas of the north west (which is saying something.)
You can hail your full-blooded taxi in the street, or pick one up at a taxi rank, or you can ring a cab company and they will dispatch one to you.
A hackney cannot pick up passengers hailing in the street, or standing at a rank. It has to be ordered by phone (or theoretically by other means, if you really want).