Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi women have extended a warm welcome to pink taxis, the female-only taxis introduced last week, a senior official told Gulf News.
"About 25 pink taxis have been introduced in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain cities," Abdullah Sultan Al Sabbagh, General Manager of TransAD, the taxi regulatory authority in the emirate, said.
As per a Gulf News report on January 28, pink taxis are meant for women and children younger than 10 years of age. The fare for the pink taxis remains the same.
Al Sabbagh said that the latest move has raised the number of female-driven taxis to 75 in the emirate. There were already 50, he added.
The difference
Explaining the difference between female-driven taxis and women's taxis, the official said men with families are allowed to travel in female-driven taxis.
"But in pink taxis, men are not be allowed to travel even with their families," he explained.
Al Sabbagh said existing female-driven taxis will be converted into pink taxis gradually.
A total of 25 pink taxis have been introduced by four franchises — Al Ghazal (10) Tawasul (nine), Q-link (three) and Emirates Taxi (three), he said.
"The feedback we received suggests that Emirati women have found it more convenient," Al Sabbagh said.
He added that although female drivers are free to work 24 hours, TransAd prefers them working only during daytime.
Female taxi drivers are safe drivers compared to their male counterparts, Al Sabbagh said.
"There are women drivers who [have] never caused even a single minor accident in [the] past two years," he said.
Pink taxis are also controlled by a centralised tracking and dispatch system.
The service could be booked calling 600535353.
Have your say
Do you think such a service gives women greater freedom to travel around the city? Do you see this move catching on in other emirates? Will you be using it. Tell us.