Why commuters hail illegal taxis

People patronising the illegal taxi operators yesterday said they opted for their service because the government-run Karwa taxis are not easily and quickly available.

“They (private taxis) are readily available and they know the city well,” a resident, waiting for a taxi in the Musherib area, said.

A regular customer of the “private” taxi service, he said they usually turned up within five minutes of waiting and the fares were cheaper, too, when compared with Karwa.

Asked about the safety aspect, he said it did not bother him. “May be for a single lady it’s different,” he said.

The Traffic Department, in a statement on Sunday said it had started a campaign against the illegal taxi operators and urged all residents to avoid them. By Sunday, the Department had seized 60 such vehicles.

A Karwa taxi driver at a rank in the National area said his company has asked all drivers to note down the details of illegal taxis when they came across them.

“Our business has been severely affected because of the illegal taxis. You add to that the snail pace of traffic in Doha,” he said.

“We find it extremely difficult to generate the desired amount even though we work an 11-hour shift,” he said adding that he had to deposit QR265 every day with the company.

This reporter tried to hitch a ride in a private taxi in the same area and the first to show up was a rundown Nissan sedan that flashed its headlight and stopped — all within a wait of 17 seconds.

After some cajoling the Asian man opened up, saying: “I work for a company for QR700 a month and drive this borrowed vehicle that belongs to my elder brother for 3-4 hours a day, every day of the week, and rake in QR1,500 a month. I give QR700 to my brother for letting me use his car. It’s been three years for me here and 10 years for him. We haven’t been home since coming here.”

He agreed to transport me to the Industrial area (Street 10) for QR12. More passengers meant the rate per individual was equally divided. In comparison, a Karwa taxi would charge around QR20-23 for the same distance.

Another private taxi operator said Fridays were the busiest. “That day I get at least 25 passengers. This includes trips to Doha, Mesaieed, Wakrah, Al Khor, you name it,” he added.

After disembarking and a four-minute wait, another private taxi, this time an Isuzu pick-up “blinked”. This driver was more than willing to talk.

“I used to drive an orange-and-white taxi for 20 years, starting in 1985. After the government launched the Karwa, I didn’t know what to do.

“Then I started roaming around the city in a private vehicle and business started picking up,” he said.

According to the driver, Karwa should have hired the experienced drivers who knew Doha “inside out”, rather than abandoning them for “slick appearances”.

“I’m willing to wear a uniform. I would even wear a tie. I realise what I do is illegal. But I make QR2,000 at the end of the month. And no, I have female passengers who feel perfectly safe in my vehicle. Why else would they decide to ride in my car? It’s how one conducts oneself,” he added.

Other private taxi drivers found near a Muntazah restaurant, which is popularly referred to as ‘Taxi hotel’, said there were approximately 1,500 of them making a living through offering this service in the city. They said they would be more than willing to work for Karwa provided the company brought down the daily deposit down to QR150.

Karwa drivers to keep an eye out

A senior official of Mowasalat, the company that runs the Karwa taxi service, yesterday said their drivers had been instructed to “record the details of illegal taxis that enter the ranks designated for Karwa.”

“When you see a private vehicle entering our rank five times a day you know there is a pattern and what we are doing is simply forwarding the details of such vehicles to the police. We have been asked by the Ministry (Interior) to do this to ensure public safety,” the official who preferred anonymity said. According to the official, once the details are forwarded - in batches - they are checked by the police following which it takes subsequent actions. “We have been doing this for a while.” According to the latest figures, the company has over 2,000 taxis on the roads (excluding the limousines). Mowasalat recently expanded its fleet by adding some 450 vehicles in batches over a period of six months, the official added.