Sharjah taxi sensors to remind you of forgotten items

Don't dare to leave your personal belongings in Sharjah taxis! Sensors are ready to 'remind' you of collecting the items forgotten on the seats before getting off.
With 5,040 reports on lost items last year alone, Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority (SRTA) has decided to install 5,400 special sensors in 1,800 out of 5,200 taxi fleet.
Abdulaziz Al Jarwan, Director of SRTA for Transport Affairs, on Tuesday told Khaleej Times that three sensors, worth Dh110 each, are fitted in the passenger front and back doors of each cab.
"These sensors, on trial, are to be fitted in all the 5,200 cabs being operated by four franchise companies across the emirate this year," Al Jarwan added.
"The sensors installed are valued at Dh594,000, and are connected with the LED screen in front of the driver to give a special signal or light if the belongings are left in the taxi." As a passenger gets off the taxi, the sensor alerts the driver that the passenger's items are still on seats.
Al Jarwan said that the sensors will also curb illegal transport by preventing cabbies from transporting any passenger while the meter is off. These sensors are linked with a central operation room at the SRTA headquarters.
"Customers are advised to remember the cab colour, and keep the ticket to easily identify the details of the trip, such as the number plate, operating company, fare, and timing of the trip," Al Jarwan said.
RTA Sharjah had earlier honoured a number of cabbies for honestly returning different amounts of cash, jewels, very important documents and precious items passengers left behind.
Meanwhile, staff quality controllers issued 8,700 fines against cabbies last year for flouting set traffic and conduct rules.
Al Jarwan said: "Some drivers were fined for transporting passengers without turning on the meter while others were nabbed while improperly parking, ignoring the head shoulder rule, smelling bad, and failing to wear the uniform and clean the cab."
A fine of Dh200 to Dh3,000 is slapped against erring driver as per the nature of the violation registered, he added.
Also, an erring cabbie may face suspension or even termination in case of repeating the same violation. "Some 50 staff inspectors are on the roads round the clock to ensure drivers' adherence to rules."
"Once we receive a complaint on the customer service centre (600525252), the driver is summoned for interrogation. If he is proven guilty, the due penalty is enforced." Official statistics show that 4,700 cabbies, with four taxi franchise companies, drive 5,200 cabs on the roads of Sharjah.
"These include 1,239 cabs with Sharjah Taxi, 1,077 with Citi Taxi, 1,137 with Union Taxi, and 1,247 with Emirates Taxi."
These 5,200 cabs ran about 36million trips last year, covering 469,832km, Al Jarwan added.
"RTA Sharjah taxi fleet transported hundreds of thousands of passengers covering 16,500 daily trips in 2015."
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com

• Sharjah