• Home

Taxi drivers' attitude frustrates passengers

A number of drivers complained that they have not been receiving their full salaries for years because of the unknown deductions made by the corporation. The deductions include fines, medical charges, visa fees, uniform cost among others. They also raised the issue of having to pay for the maintenance of the vehicles which are supposed to be fully insured, and having to bear the costs of repairing the vehicles in case of accidents.

Countering the claims of the drivers that their salaries are being deducted unjustifiably, Ammar bin Tamim, Director of Administration Affairs Department at DTC said: "We are not charging the driver one dirham extra. The money taken by us as visa charges is something that is charged by the immigration while the health card is also a government requirement."

He said that the uniform charges were also regular. "Each driver is given three trousers, five shirts and two neck ties and they are charged for it because the corporation stresses on quality control," said Tamim. "Though we charge them Dh300 for the uniform, it costs us Dh500," he added.

Asked whether the drivers are charged for vehicle maintenance and repair, Bin Tamim only made a reference to the accidents in which drivers get involved saying that the deductions depend on the type of the accident and moved on to talk about the fines, avoiding a direct answer to the question.

He said that DTC took action against the drivers upon the complaints of the people.

"We believe that 90 per cent of the complaints are true," he added. The normal fines range between Dh50 to Dh600 while the average salary a driver earns in a month is Dh2,800. "No body is forcing the drivers to work when they don't want to. The two-week training programme for the drivers includes metre, units, English and location for which they are charged Dh400," said Tamim. He also said that the DTC provides free petrol. At present, the corporation has 3,800 drivers.

Meanwhile, several passengers who use taxis as a mode of transport also told Khaleej Timeso that the way taxi drivers treated their customers was unjustified.

Rajesh Mhatre, a salesman who uses the taxi regularly to travel from home to work said that though not most drivers misbehaved with him, but on several occasions, many refused to stop for a pick-up.

"I use the taxi quite often and many times, several taxi drivers do not stop, and even if they do, they refuse to take me if the distance is shorter. Whatever treatment they get from their company, they should do their work honestly."

Neeraj Mehra, who also uses this mode of transport often with his family said, "Though the majority do not misbehave, the frustation is quite obvious. Especially if the driver is of the same nationality as us, then he also lets out his frustation. Some drivers are very rude and many times they have refused to take us on short distance trips, especially to Deira in the evening. We sympathise with them in the sense that DTC fines them for every small thing, like if they are not wearing a tie or socks. But despite all, driver's behaviour with customers is not justified."

Philipa K, a saleswoman who uses the taxi to travel to work said, "Several times I am late in reporting to work because the driver refuses to take me to shorter distances especially in the evening. I am a lady, therefore, it is even more difficult for me. I do not support this kind of behaviour whatever the reason."

• UAE