Fatigued Afghan taxi drivers take novel approach to AC

Name: Fatigued Afghan taxi drivers take novel approach to AC
Uploaded: 2025-07-10T16:34:45+04:00
Description: Drivers cobble together a creative solution to help passengers beat the heat

Drivers cobble together a creative solution to help passengers beat the heat

Last updated: July 10, 2025 | 16:34

Virendra Saklani and AFP

1 MIN READ

Broken air conditioning? Afghan taxi drivers have cobbled together a creative solution to spare them and their passengers from the sweltering heat.

In Kandahar city in southern Afghanistan where temperatures easily exceed 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), blue taxis can be spotted with an air conditioning unit strapped to the roof with an exhaust hose delivering the cool air through the passenger window.

“It started getting extremely hot three or four years ago. These cars’ AC systems didn’t work, and repairs were too expensive. So I went to a technician, (and) had a custom cooler made,” said driver Gul Mohammad.

“This works better than (built-in) AC. ACs only cool the front - this cooler spreads air throughout,” said fellow driver Abdul Bari

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