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Overcharging complaints galore against cabbies
DUBAI — Several residents and tourists visiting the city during the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) say that metered taxis are charging them much more than the amount fixed, especially if they have to travel late at night.
The travellers also complain that though the taxis should start charging them from the minimum rate of Dh3, several times they have seen taxi drivers starting off the meter at Dh4.50 or higher.
Says Jad Al Diken, a Palestinian tourist in Dubai: “I have travelled in several taxis during my stay in Dubai, but I have realised that they do not have a fixed meter price. Some of them start the meter with Dh3 while others do it with Dh4.50 and some even at Dh5. This is amazing and I think that there should be some kind of regulatory body to check the meter and stop taxis from ripping tourists,” said Jad Al Diken, a Palestinian tourist in Dubai.
However, Ammar bin Tamim, the Acting Director, Administrative Department, Dubai Transport Corporation (DTC), said there was a mechanism to redress the grievance of cab users in the case of taxis operated by DTC or affiliates. “Normally, during day time, from 6am to 10 pm, taxi drivers start the meter at Dh3 and from 10pm to 6am the taxi meter is started from Dh3.50, but additional charges of Dh1 are imposed when booking a taxi through the reservation and distribution unit of DTC,” Tamim told Khaleej Times.
He said that meter readings of the corporation’s taxis as well as those of its affiliate companies were controlled by the DTC. “But still if anybody feels there is a discrepancy in the charging then the public can register their complaints at DTC hotline 04-2080888,” he added. R. Osman, a resident of Dubai, who was allegedly overcharged when the taxi driver started the meter at Dh4.50, said that on asking the driver the reason for higher charges, he was answered that he was only following company order.
Rawan Alameh, a Lebanese tourist, said: “Taxis in Dubai are a rip off. They start the meter with Dh5, especially when they pick us from the hotel.”
Tamim also said that normally taxis charge Dh1 for every 685 metres travelled i.e., Dh1.46 per kilometre while there are separate waiting charges of Dh30 pr hour which starts after 10 minutes of waiting while the rate of increment is 50fils per minute.
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