Salik toll for taxis aimed at reducing congestion on roads like Sheikh Zayed
With the Salik toll tax for cabs coming into effect this morning onwards, Dubai commuters will have to shell out an additional Dh4 every time they pass under the toll gates.
However, there's more distress for commuters.
The maximum fee of Dh24 per day applicable to personal vehicles that pass one or more Salik toll gates may not apply to taxi passengers, an employee at the Salik Customer Service Centre has confirmed to Emirates 24|7.
Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) had in December announced that it will re-apply the toll gate (Salik) to all taxis from January 15, 2013.
The Salik fees for personal vehicles is capped at Dh24 per day, which means that vehicles that cross the gate more than six times a day are exempt from paying the toll after the sixth crossing, and no further charges are added if the vehicle passes a toll gate for the seventh or more times.
However, this will not apply to the Salik fee that has been added to taxi fares from January 15 onwards.
"The Salik charge that will be added to the total taxi fare is charged per passenger per trip, and not per vehicle," says Adel Shakri, Director, Transportation Systems, PTA.
"The taxi driver can pass as many toll gates as per the route decided by the passenger, while the passenger will be charged for the Salik fee based on the toll gates he has passed. Two of these toll gates - Al Safa and Al Barsha - may be passed within an hour for the charge of one toll gate, which is Dh4," he added.
But in case a taxi passenger passes all four toll gates (Al Gharhoud, Al Maktoum, Al Safa and Al Barsha the taxi fare will be added with a Dh12 charge in Salik fees.
In case the passenger decides to return after that and pass the four Salik gates again, he will be charged Dh24 in Salik fees, and any Salik fee that is charged after that will be added, as there is no cap.
Although such a situation may not occur often, passengers that hire a half-day cab may in fact face this scenario and will have to foot the Salik toll for as many times they pass under the gate, without enjoying any exemptions.
"By introducing Salik for the taxis, we are certain of reducing the congestion on roads like Sheikh Zayed to a considerable extent. Passengers do have a choice and can use alternate routes to avoid paying the Salik toll," Adel added.
© Emirates 24|7 2013
