MEET Ireland’s youngest taxi driver who jets away on a holiday whenever she wants due to the freedom of her job – and is encouraging more women to “give it a go”.
Abi Marr, 21, from Dublin has been working as a cabbie across the capital since she was only 19.
And she shares her experience being a young woman working in the male-dominated industry to her over 10,000 followers on TikTok.
Abi, who posts on the platform under @Abimarr5, is now following the footsteps of her father and her uncles.
Her dad first suggested that she should become a takeaway driver, but then encouraged her to pick up taxi driving.
She said: “It was my dad’s idea, he introduced taxi driving to me first.
“He suggested that I should do takeaway deliveries for a chipper and stuff and he asked me what do I think about doing for a taxi instead?”.
Although initially reluctant to become a taxi driver, she eventually decided to give it a shot – and now Abi admits that with the flexibility of working hours she would never look back.
She said: “At first I wasn’t interested in it at all, but then after thinking about it I said ‘you know what, I will give it a go’.”
The young taxi driver said that although the thoughts of safety concerns has been in her head at times, apps like Freenow and Uber track all trips and ensures payments are made beforehand which helps to avoid risks.
Abi said: “These apps make it so safe for drivers these days, I haven’t had many bad experiences – only some weird ones.”
One of the strangest moments she faced was when a passenger refused to leave her car for over an hour.
She said: “That night the woman wouldn’t get out of my car, I didn’t get help from anyone.”
Abi said being a woman in the industry has rarely affected her work, and that she has never felt unsafe while doing her job.
However, the young taxi driver admits that at times she has faced some stereotypes about her work, and that surprisingly it mostly comes from other women.
Abi added: “It definitely comes more from women than men – I’ve had some speak to me as if I’m a child and act like I can’t even drive.”
However, one of her biggest concerns is the rising costs of getting a taxi on the road – and she believes expenses should be reduced to help drivers, especially new ones entering the industry.
Despite these challenges, Abi remains undeterred in her work.
She appreciates the freedom that comes with her job – she can choose her hours, maintain a social life and take time off for holidays as she pleases.
Abi also reveals that the connections she makes with people is the highlight of her work, and she is constantly learning things from passengers that get in her car.
She said: “I really am a people person, and I’ve had so many nice experiences with passengers and heard so many good stories from them.”
With the increase in female bus drivers, Abi sees a bright future for women entering her industry too.
And she is now encouraging other young women to consider this career without fear, as she believes that the benefits and opportunities outweigh any negatives.
She said: “To other young women I would say just go for it, don’t let anybody influence your decision.
“All jobs have their own risks, but don’t let it stop you.”
