By Nazeem Beegum/Dubai www.khaleejtimes.com
Night time shopping and enjoying your spare time at shopping malls until they close could cost you more if you are a taxi commuter in Dubai.
According to a commuter who hailed a taxi from a hypermarket in Al Qusais, the flag fall while hiring a cab from a shopping mall after 10pm was found to start from Dh9 and it increases every hour after that. If a taxi is hailed from the mall after 11pm, the meter starts at Dh10.
Normal flag fall (starting fare of meter) during morning hours is Dh5, and at night it is Dh5.50 if you hail a taxi from any other place.S.B., an Indian national and Dubai resident, told Khaleej Times that she was shocked when the taxi driver refused to let her in before agreeing to the starting fare.
She said: “I took a cab from Lulu Hypermarket in Al Qusais at around 10.30pm. As soon as I got into taxi, the driver drew my attention to the meter, which showed a minimum fare of Dh9. As I had no other option, I continued my journey.”Usually I pay around Dh13 to reach the Dubai – Sharjah border near Sahara Centre. But this time it cost me Dh18.” More info
