Airline CEO started a taxi company using only his personal Mercedes for a genius reason

Michael O’Leary, the Ryanair CEO, once raised eyebrows by registering his Mercedes S-Class as a licensed taxi company in Ireland.

The arrangement was legal, with a PSV driver and full documentation.

It meant the car could use Dublin’s bus lanes, saving time on city journeys.

The decision turned into a headline story that still shows how O’Leary applies his efficiency-driven mindset beyond aviation.

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Why the Mercedes S-Class mattered

Ryanair became Europe’s largest budget airline by following strict cost-cutting principles introduced by Michael O’Leary.

That same approach carried into his personal travel.

In the early 2000s, he launched O’Leary Cabs, a taxi company with only one car: his Mercedes S-Class.

The license allowed the car to use bus lanes across Dublin, reducing delays during peak traffic.

For a Ryanair CEO managing a rapidly expanding airline, time was a valuable asset.

Reports at the time said he even employed a qualified PSV driver, making sure the taxi company complied with Irish law.

The move quickly became a national talking point.

In 2003, Michael O’Leary defended the decision in an interview with RTÉ Radio.

He explained that the Mercedes S-Class was registered in Mullingar, that the paperwork was in order, and that the setup was entirely legal.

He added that if he was permitted to carry passengers, he would happily do so and charge lower fares than other drivers.

The Irish Transport Minister expressed concern, suggesting that the arrangement tested the limits of existing rules.

Michael O’Leary dismissed the criticism and said the country had bigger issues to address than one licensed Mercedes S-Class operating as a taxi company.

What it says about O’Leary

The taxi company was another example of the strategy Michael O’Leary used at Ryanair.

Just as the airline simplified its operations by flying a single aircraft type, the Ryanair CEO simplified his travel with one licensed Mercedes S-Class.

Both choices were based on the same principle of reducing complexity and saving money.

The episode also reflected Ireland’s wider debate over taxi regulation at the time.

By using the system to his advantage, O’Leary showed how existing rules could be leveraged for efficiency.

His approach was controversial, but it remained within the law.

Years later, the story of Michael O’Leary’s Mercedes S-Class taxi company still illustrates how the Ryanair CEO applies his methods consistently.

For him, efficiency is not limited to running an airline. It also shaped how he moved through Dublin, reinforcing his reputation for challenging convention in every area of life.

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