Abu Dhabi taxi fare rise: some drivers still need to get meters adjusted

Taxis waiting for passengers in Abu Dhabi. Ravindranath K / The National

ABU DHABI // Every taxi ride in Abu Dhabi will now cost at least Dh12 but some drivers say their meters have yet to be adjusted.

Pakistani Wali Ayaz Khan, 40, who drives for Emirates Taxi, said he was still charging the old, lower fares as his meter still needed re-calibrating.

“I picked up a Filipina passenger on Electra Street today and she asked about the Dh12 minimum fare,” he said. “I told her that, for now, she needs to pay only what’s on the meter.”

The last time Abu Dhabi’s taxi regulator TransAd, now called Integrated Transport Centre, raised prices was in May 2012.

“At that time, I had to charge the same rate on May 1 because my meter had not been adjusted.” Mr Khan said.

A National Taxi driver, who did not wish to be named, said the changeover for the entire fleet of taxis in the capital could take two or three days.

The increases were announced last month and apply to starting fees, per-kilometre rates and pre-booking fees.

Flagfall has risen from Dh3.50 to Dh5 from 6am to 10pm, and from Dh4 to Dh5.50 at other times. A minimum charge of Dh12 has also been set.

The charge for every kilometre travelled is now Dh1.82, an increase of 22 fils per kilometre. The waiting fee remains the same at Dh0.50 per minute.

The fee for booking a cab through the call centre has risen from Dh3 to Dh4 during the day and from Dh4 to Dh5 at night.

A 43-year-old Emirates Taxi driver, who started his dual-shift at 6am on Thursday, said his meter was adjusted at midnight.

“One Egyptian passenger asked why he had to pay Dh12 for a very short trip from Al Wahda mall to Madinat Zayed,” he said. “I told him it was announced last month.”

Sheiban Kureshi, 32, a salesman for a bank, said the fare increase would be a burden to people travelling short distances.

“Those who are travelling within the city, say from the Al Wahda main bus terminal to Abu Dhabi Mall, now need to pay Dh12 instead of Dh8,” he said. “They could improve their services by ensuring more taxis are on the road during peak hours and introducing a debit or credit card facility inside the cabs.”

The fare increase will also force more residents to use illegal taxis, said Jay-R Valeroso, a desk clerk who works in Mussaffah.

“With the economy this bad and with people not getting their salaries on time and losing their jobs, it’s just not the right time to raise fares,” the 35-year-old said. “They should not set a Dh12 flat rate for such a short distance. Just imagine those who rely on taxis to get to work each day.”

The changes put Abu Dhabi rates in line with those in Dubai, which were raised in January 2015.

Mohammed Al Qamzi, general manager of Abu Dhabi Integrated Transport Centre, said the fares are still among the lowest worldwide and will improve the quality of taxi services.