Dubai: A new website offers passengers the exact fare from any location to any other in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, helping dispel any doubts passenger might have of being cheated by taxi drivers.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has also launched a mobile application for iPhones and android phones to help commuters plan their journey on the go.
Launched by an Indian firm, www.taxiautofare.com calculates taxi fares of more than 200 cities around the world, providing relief to thousands of passengers who harbour doubts about the fares they are being charged by taxi drivers.
“It is a great service, as it not only gives you the exact fare. It also shows the nearest route and the estimated time taken for a particular journey. This will really help in confronting the taxi drivers whenever you have a doubt,” said Nusrat Shah, an Indian, who travels by taxi regularly.
Though cases of malpractices or tampering with fare meters are not common in the UAE, the service is of great help in many other cities where these practices are common.
However, what is useful about the site in the UAE is that the service offers breakdown of fares and rates of various taxi services, including the airport taxi, ladies taxi, special needs taxi as well as the on call services.
It also offers reviews of all taxi services in one window, with map of the route chosen, different routes that can be taken, as well as the nearest landmarks.
One can also create a route to avoid traffic or to plan stopovers for shopping on the way.
“I have used the site a couple of times and I found it really useful. It is not just about saving yourself from cheating, which we don’t come across here often, what is good about the site is that it offers all information on one window and what to do and where to go and how much will it cost and how long will it take,” said Suzan Abdullah, an Egyptian.
A mobile version of the website is also available, which helps passengers to refer to the fares while seated in a taxi.
Route planner
The RTA has been running a similar website www.wojhati.rat.ae for the last couple of years and encouraged by the popularity of the site, the RTA has now come up with a smart phone app available on iPhone as well as android platforms.
“At the RTA we always try to use the best technology available to offer more convenience to people. This app helps people to plan their journey on the go, providing them all the details like the distance, time taken, various routes and modes of transport available as well as the fare. It also has a map for people to refer to the routes,” said Adel Shakeri, Director of Transportation Systems at the RTA’s Public Transport Agency.
The app allows a commuter to plan a journey from any point to any location in the city. It provides a list of routes, nearest stops from your location as well as the best mode of transport for a particular route. It also gives exact fare for buses, taxis, water buses and metro from one location to the other.
The app was launched during the Gitex 2013 and is currently live on both android and IOS platforms free of cost.
