Abu Dhabi: Emiratis may soon be driving taxis in Abu Dhabi in an upcoming move by Abu Dhabi’s taxi regulatory authority, a top transport official said in the capital.
“Nearly 90 per cent of our employees at The Centre for Regulation of Transport By Hire Cars (TransAD) are Emirati, so the challenge now is to see Emiratis driving our taxis and taking up this honourable profession,” Mohammad Al Qamzi, general manager at TransAD, told Gulf News.
“We are considering the development of a model to implement this plan, and are waiting for the right time,” he added.
The capital currently has 7,645 taxis, which are operated by seven franchisees. Between them, the companies employ more than 10,000 drivers. However, none of the drivers are Emirati at present.
“The turnover at these firms is quite high, especially as many registered drivers look for alternative delivery jobs,” Al Qamzi said.
The regulator is also looking at increasing taxi fares in Abu Dhabi to keep pace with fuel prices. However, this is pending approval from higher authorities.
“We need to balance the quality of services we provide and increased petrol prices due to the price deregulation with public transport affordability. Taxi fares in Abu Dhabi are still low compared to those in neighbouring emirates,” the official said. He added that the fare increase would not exceed 20 per cent. More info
By Samihah Zaman Staff Reporter gulfnews.com
