By Joseph Varghese/Staff Reporter
Illegal taxis continue to do flourishing business in different parts of Doha, especially during weekends, Gulf Times investigations have revealed.
A whirlwind tour undertaken to many locations in Doha yesterday afternoon proved that a large number of illegal taxi operators are active near Mowasalat’s Central Bus Station at Al Ghanim and at other places, including two busy hypermarkets.
“The illegal taxi operators are functioning openly, they call out the names of the destinations and attract passengers by offering a discount on the regular fare charged by the regular taxis operated by Mowasalat and its franchisees,” a passenger said at the Central Bus Station.
“If you want to hire a taxi to a nearby destination, no driver will take you as all are waiting to run trips to distant places such as Al Attiyah Market in Industrial Area, Shaliya, Wukair, Wakrah or Mesaieed,” pointed out another.
Both the licensed taxis and the illegal ones operate on a sharing basis from the Central Bus Station. Each taxi takes at least four passengers to a particular destination and charges QR10 or QR15 per person depending on the distance to be covered.
In the case of illegal taxis, some might give a discount of QR1 or QR2, which is an attraction for the low-income expatriates, who converge at the Central Bus Station.
A visit to the Central Bus Station on a Friday evening reveals quite a chaotic scene with both the licensed as well as the illegal taxi drivers canvassing for passengers.
Drivers could be seen standing near their taxis, braving the hot sun and calling out the names of the destinations as well the charges for the ride. Once a car is filled with at least four passengers, the driver leaves for the destination while others continue with the "announcements" until they get their share of passengers.
The practice is found to be economical for both the parties and keeps both the customers and taxi operators happy.
“Each passenger need to pay only about QR10 for such a long ride, the taxi operator does not need to operate the metre and gets about QR40 for a one way ride. So both are happy,” said a passenger.
When asked, a driver of a Karwa taxi said “We do not bother about the illegal taxis as there are plenty of passengers. If there are more vehicles, people can make more money. Therefore, these illegal taxi operators do not affect us anyway.”
It is not just unemployed individuals who ply the illegal taxis. Some having regular jobs are also engaged in the practice during their free time.
A few of those, who work until early afternoon during weekdays, hit the roads late in the afternoon with their vehicles, looking for customers, in the hope of making some extra money.
“During a 200m walk to my office from where I park my car, I come across at least one or two illegal taxi drivers, who would honk to catch my attention,” said a Doha resident whose office is on the C Ring Road.
In front of a leading hypermarket on the D Ring Road, groups of illegal taxi operators could be seen yesterday afternoon, openly soliciting passengers, notwithstanding the availability of licensed taxis as well as limousine services.
“This is a regular phenomenon. It seems nobody can control these illegal taxi operators,” a regular shopper observed.
“The illegal taxi services are thriving only because there is a demand for them and that shows the public transport system has to be improved,” a long-time Doha resident added.
