Taxi drivers push for fair deal
By FARAH AL HUSSEINI
A UNION representing more than 1,000 taxi drivers will meet soon to ensure new decisions by the General Directorate of Traffic to improve the profession are implemented soon.
They plan to hold a meeting with senior government officials to discuss the details of the new Cabinet-approved measures, which include increasing taxi fares, issuing new licences, offering facilitated loans and establishing their own company among others.
Union head Isa Khatem said that the meeting, which will be scheduled soon, would focus on ensuring the new measures are implemented in a just manner.
He said the union would also push for guarantees from the authorities that illegal taxi drivers face harsh punishment.
The new tariff will start with BD1 in the first period (from 6am to 10pm) and BD1.500 in the second period (from 10pm to 6am), taking into account different prices for weekends, nights and special fares for pick-ups and passenger loads of five persons or more.
After the first kilometre, 200 fils are to be counted for each kilometre in the first period and 250 in the second period, while 50 fils will be counted for each minute waiting.
Another 500 fils are to be counted for each additional passenger if they are more than five.
In the case of ordering a taxi for a long time, BD25 are to be counted for each six hours or BD40 for each 12 hours without counting the crossed distance.
According to the new measures, all taxi drivers, who were previously paying for rented licences, can apply for a licence from the 500 that are being offered. "We were pleased by the decision of increasing the number of licences from the current 1,000 to 1,500," said Mr Khatem.
"However, we are demanding to participate in their distribution to make sure that they are being given away fairly."
Earlier this month, taxi drivers called on the government to improve their standard of living, by further increasing fares, facilitated loans, and providing them with restrooms and parking facilities.
They also complained of the competition they were facing from expatriate taxi drivers.
"We are calling for stricter punishments against taxi drivers who work without a licence and break the law," said Mr Khatem.
Following a Cabinet decision last week, traffic authorities announced that taxi drivers would be provided with restroom and parking facilities in co-operation with the Works and Housing Ministry at several places.
Taxi drivers will also be allowed to establish their own companies in order to solve the problem of social insurance.
The Bahrain Development Bank will offer new services especially for taxi drivers.
A new department dedicated to the profession will also be established at the General Directorate of Traffic to further improve and facilitate services and procedures.
Taxi drivers will be allowed to put up advertisements inside and outside their cars subject to certain conditions that are being currently discussed.
The move aims at further increasing the income of taxi drivers by charging for the advertisements.
The colour of taxi cars is to be changed, which will be compulsory for new cars but optional for old ones so there won't be any additional expenses.
The new taxis will be white with an orange top, with a minimum of five seats and maximum of nine. Each car will have a maximum usage period of eight years.
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