A major crackdown is being urged against illegal expatriate drivers after a sudden resurgence of them touting for fares and ignoring safety protocols introduced to stop the spread of Covid-19.
MPs and municipal councillors are calling on authorities to beef up raids across the country after receiving a barrage of complaints from local taxi drivers.
Taxi drivers have also petitioned Parliament claiming that the illegal drivers are offering unfair competition with cheap fares, putting people at risk as they are not insured to take paying passengers, as well as not adhering to Covid-19 safety precautions.
Parliament’s foreign affairs, defence and national security committee vice-chairman Bader Al Dossary said the issue was being investigated with the Interior Ministry and the Transportation and Telecommunications Ministry.
“This is a very serious situation that the relevant authorities will have to deal with,” he said.
‘It is not just harming the welfare of legitimate taxi drivers and taxi businesses, it is also putting the lives of customers in jeopardy.”
Mr Al Dossary says he has been given video evidence which will be disclosed following the conclusion of the investigation.
It is believed to show an expat driver using blue glass cleaner in a bid to sanitise seats before four passengers jump in without taking social distancing into account.
“The situation with those illegal taxi drivers is chaotic. It needs to stop.”
Southern Municipal Council chairman Bader Al Tamimi believes the problem appears to be out of control.
“The illegal expat drivers attract business because of their cheap rates in clear disregard to whether their vehicles are safe, clean or authorised for such business,” he said.
“The issue has been ongoing for a long time but now with Covid-19 it has to be put to rest for ever.”
The General Directorate of Traffic revealed in September 2018 that within nine months 881 drivers have been caught and arrested for providing illegal taxi services.
With the pandemic resulting in economic hardship, it appears the attraction of earning cash on the side is proving irresistible for jobless and low-paid expats, despite the risks.
Public Transport Drivers Society chairman Mohammed Al Barboori told the GDN that taxi drivers have been badly affected by illegal drivers more than Covid-19, even with its savage effect on tourism and hospitality.
“The illegal drivers charge BD2 for four people while we are restricted to an average of BD5 and two customers, without taking the costs of licences, disinfection and vehicle maintenance into consideration.”
He claims that the audacious illegal drivers were trying to make themselves look legitimate by placing bogus stickers and taxi signs on their vehicles.
“Passengers would never think to check whether the vehicle or driver was properly registered. They might get a cheap fare but they are being cheated and put in danger. We need Parliament and the bodies concerned to tackle this issue and put an end to it.”
Mr Al Barboori earlier told the GDN that more than 1,000 taxi drivers were having their livelihoods damaged because of illegal taxis and private operators.
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
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