Taxi drivers in Dubai yesterday hailed new look uniforms that are being issued to them.
But some criticised the quality, and one said the design, which features colourcoded ties, made him look like a bagpipe player! The first of the outfits have already been distributed and other drivers are waiting to receive theirs.
They consist of beige shirts, dark brown trousers, and a tie and epaulettes matching the colour of the roof of the driver's taxi which indicates the fleet the car belongs to.
The uniform also carries a Roads and Transport Authority logo in red.
Before all the taxis came under the RTA umbrella, drivers wore different uniforms depending on which fleet or franchise they worked for. Now the uniforms will all be the same, apart from the colour of the ties and badges.
Dubai Taxi drivers will have red ties and epaulettes, while others will have black, yellow, red, blue or green ones depending on which franchise they work for. "Only a few drivers have got the uniform so far but I like the new look," said cabbie Parwesh Hussain.
Another driver, MK, said: "Some drivers have got their new uniforms and my turn is next month. The move is a welcome step, but some drivers are not so keen on the change. And I would criticise the quality of the cloth.
"Earlier, Dubai Taxi drivers had a special status.Taxis were identified by customers, with the help of the drivers' uniform and car colour. Now we are under the RTA and all the drivers will have the same uniform and colour-coded ties." Another driver, from National Taxi, said: "It is a welcome change but our identity is lost." A Dubai Taxi driver added: "The new uniform is not bad, but now I look like a bagpiper. The quality of the uniform matters a lot because most taxi drivers wear it for more than 10 hours a day.
By VM Sathish
© Emirates Today 2007
