Most people like being complimented about their age, especially if people think they look younger than they actually are. But when 21-year-old Dublin taxi driver Abi Mar arrives to pick up a fare, passengers often do a double take.
Stereotypes
As with any profession, people have ideas about what a typical doctor, teacher or lawyer looks like. For taxi drivers, most passengers expect a middle-aged man to be at the wheel.
Abi not only bucks the trend, she has been following in her father’s footsteps since she was 19, often working the same shift as her dad, Mihai.
She told the Irish Mirror: “People would be surprised, they’d always say something when they get into the car. They’d say ‘oh it’s very rare to have a female driver’ or ‘how old are you, if you don’t mind me asking? ‘
“They always ask questions along those lines. Some of them don’t believe my age. Some people think I’m younger than I am.”
Recognition
Abi also shares videos on TikTok, talking about her work as a taxi driver, from which she has gained 12,000 followers.
Like fellow cabbies, Abi had to pass an exam, which tested her knowledge of Dublin. But because of her age, only one taxi insurance company offered to cover her. She eventually had to pay €9,000 to cover her first year as a professional driver. She said: “It’s a hard start, but the price will go down. It does get easier.”
Abi said she felt as though driving a taxi in Dublin was much safer than delivering takeaway food from a local chip shop, which she had done previously.
She explained that since her work comes through apps such as Uber and Bolt, customer details are easily traceable. Whilst working with food orders, she said that anyone could’ve answered the door, and added that: “I didn’t have any bad experiences as a delivery driver, but it never felt very safe.
Safety
“I’d be dealing with cash most of the time. I’d be knocking on people’s doors at 12 or 1 o’clock in the morning. You don’t know who’s going to open that door. You don’t know if they’re going to pay you. I’d say you’re more vulnerable delivering food than you would be driving taxis.”
“Everything is your choice driving a taxi, but working in the chippy you didn’t have a choice. If there was an area you didn’t want to drop off to, that’s tough, you have to do it.”
Chat-ups
She also revealed that she had been recognised by customers after her appearance on RTE’s First Dates and has built-up a social media following. However, this means her personal life often becomes a topic of conversation with multiple customers. Abi revealed that some men have asked her for her phone number, or even invited her to join them in the pub, although she brushes off such advances.
She said: “I’ve had more women who’ve come across a bit rude towards me than I’ve had men saying anything to me. But you just get on with it, drop them off, get your money, and move on to the next customer.”
Despite this, Abi enjoys following in her father’s footsteps. She said: “Enjoying the job you do is the most important part. I’m probably at my happiest now because I followed my heart.”
Good luck Abi!
