ABU DHABI // Despite the risk of hefty fines, illegal private taxis are flourishing in the capital as an alternative for low-paid workers.
Early this year The National found several locations in Abu Dhabi where illegal car rides were offered, but the problem has spread to bus stops around the city.
Crowds waiting for private cars are found on Muroor Road in front of LifeLine Hospital, opposite the City bus terminus, near Etisalat off Electra Street on Airport Road, and on 17th Street near St Joseph’s Cathedral off Airport Road.
Pakistani Jamshed Khan is among the men shouting “Mussaffah, Mussaffah” in front of LifeLine Hospital.
“I’m illiterate and can’t do anything else, so I drive my car to earn some money,” he says.
“I earn up to Dh200 a day and we can’t earn that money in jobs.”
He charges Dh10 each for a ride to Mussaffah or Baniyas from Abu Dhabi city.
Mr Khan’s passengers are blue-collar workers and those who cannot afford taxis.
“A trip to Mussaffah from Abu Dhabi city costs about Dh60 but we take them there for Dh10 and drop them in front of their place,” he says.
Abu Dhabi taxi regulator TransAD says offenders face fines of up to Dh10,000 and up to 30 days in jail.
As of June 2013, TransAD inspectors had stopped 1,657 vehicles in Abu Dhabi and 378 in Al Ain for illegally ferrying passengers and 324 cases have been referred to the police. No recent figures are available.
These private cars mostly run between Abu Dhabi and Mussaffah community and industrial areas, Baniyas and Al Mafraq.
Department of Transport buses cost only Dh4 for the same trip to Mussaffah but the journey takes almost two hours.
Despite being fined more than Dh10,000 by TransAD, about 40 private cabbies remain undeterred and continue to vie for passengers.
“I paid Dh16,000 in fines as I got two fines of Dh8,000 each in a year for picking up passengers from the streets,” says Pakistani “Mazari”, who earns Dh100 in a day.
Another private car driver, Abdul Qasim from Pakistan, says: “If you want to go alone in the car I would charge Dh40 for Mussaffah, but for sharing it’s Dh10 a head.”
Mr Qasim says he charges similar amount for trips to Baniyas.
TransAD taxi drivers complained about the increasing number of unregulated cabs, which is making it difficult for them to find customers.
“These illegal cabs steal our business, which puts more pressure on us to meet the targets of Dh500 a day,” says TransAD driver Suraj Khadka, from Nepal.
Mr Khadka says there is high risk involved in travelling by illegal cab.
“First, they are illegal if they are caught both will be fined. Second, in case of accidents the uninsured cars wouldn’t offer any compensation,” he says.
“But our taxis are fully insured and compensate passengers in case of any accidents or damage.
“We heard stories of passengers’ mobiles and cash being snatched by illegal cabbies at deserted localities.”
Rahbar Ali, who travels to Musaffah, says: “Always I take this cab but never has anything happened to me. I can’t afford taxis and buses take about two hours to Mussaffah. That’s why I prefer this.
“What will they steal from me? I don’t have anything.”
TransAD did not reply to requests for comment.
anwar@thenational.ae
