Taxi drivers could do better

Despite the tremendous work done by transport authorities in major cities, many taxi drivers still flout the rules, endangering the lives of their passengers and other motorists.

The transport authority in Sharjah said on Sunday that 18 per cent of taxi drivers in the emirate failed their performance tests.

Last year, Sharjah Transport received thousands of complaints from passengers that included drivers quarrelling with passengers, talking on mobile phones while driving, having poor hygiene, refusing to pick up passengers, not driving properly and not complying with the company uniform guidelines. One of the main complaints is speeding, according to authority officials.

These problems are in fact not confined to Sharjah. Similar complaints are being raised in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Authorities in those emirates have been warning drivers and educating them on best practices. It is true that there has been a significant improvement in the performance of taxi drivers. Transport authorities also report fewer complaints.

But still, many drivers can be seen racing on the roads, refusing to pick up passengers and behaving rudely. Awareness programmes should be continuous and not attended only by new drivers. Assessment of performance should also be ongoing. We must aim for a taxi service that is in line with the best in the world.