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-   -   Dubai Taxis (https://britishexpats.com/forum/middle-east-60/dubai-taxis-545856/)

lionheart Jun 29th 2008 11:47 am

Dubai Taxis
 
Are they actually getting worse rather than better? My wife called for one at 1pm this afternoon to take her and our daughter to Modesh Fun City...by 3.30pm no sign. The other week, a friend called for one to collect her from a restaurant at 7pm...an hour later, none had arrived, so she was forced to look elsewhere. What is wrong with these people?

Beard Man Jun 29th 2008 11:48 am

Re: Dubai Taxis
 
not enough taxies and crowded roads.

Spugsy Jun 29th 2008 12:15 pm

Re: Dubai Taxis
 

Originally Posted by lionheart (Post 6515599)
Are they actually getting worse rather than better? My wife called for one at 1pm this afternoon to take her and our daughter to Modesh Fun City...by 3.30pm no sign. The other week, a friend called for one to collect her from a restaurant at 7pm...an hour later, none had arrived, so she was forced to look elsewhere. What is wrong with these people?

so many fares out there they aren't bothered if people complain or don't get them, so many people need them.

What is this fun city?? I got some free tickets for it from work for some odd reason, maybe they think I'll take my cat?

MataHari Jun 29th 2008 12:20 pm

Re: Dubai Taxis
 

Originally Posted by Spugsy (Post 6515659)
so many fares out there they aren't bothered if people complain or don't get them, so many people need them.

What is this fun city?? I got some free tickets for it from work for some odd reason, maybe they think I'll take my cat?

that would be fun....

Welivehere Jun 29th 2008 12:22 pm

Re: Dubai Taxis
 
And too many of them are just willing to cancel the message thing and ignore it if:
  • They don't like the location of the collection address
  • They don't find the address with 10 secs of starting to look for it
  • They see some-one else at the side of the road
  • Any other reason that suits them, i.e. can't be arsed, going to breakfast, talking to their mates, smoking a fag etc etc

There have been numerous cases recently where I have called taxis to go the airport in the morning for them then not show up. I then either end up driving round trying to find one, normally within a couple of minutes then go back to the house to drop my car off (not a huge issues but none the less inconvenient and stressful when you are meant to be travelling) or alternatively I have to take my car to the airport and pay parking fee's.

The concept behind the booking system is great but like so many things the implementation of the concept sucks….

Spugsy Jun 29th 2008 12:53 pm

Re: Dubai Taxis
 

Originally Posted by MataHari (Post 6515670)
that would be fun....

do you want to come with us?

MataHari Jun 29th 2008 12:55 pm

Re: Dubai Taxis
 

Originally Posted by Spugsy (Post 6515757)
do you want to come with us?

can I bring my kittens...

lionheart Jun 29th 2008 12:58 pm

Re: Dubai Taxis
 
She eventually got a taxi at 3.45pm at the local supermarket, then had to wait 40 minutes for a taxi home! Modesh Fun City is strictly for kids, Spugsy.

Madam Medusa Jun 29th 2008 1:15 pm

Re: Dubai Taxis
 
we've had a fairly recent thread on this...dubai transport is shiter than shite, it puts a dampener on most nights out cos of the stress of the sodding taxi not turning up...

MM, xx

scarletfan Jun 29th 2008 1:19 pm

Re: Dubai Taxis
 
It's obvious there is only one solution.
Find a good taxi driver and get his mobile number.
That's what we have done, so doesn't seem too much of an issue now.

Eeyore Jun 29th 2008 8:49 pm

Re: Dubai Taxis
 
Spare a thought for the poor bloody drivers, though. They have to pay for their own visas, they have to pay for their own uniforms, the salaries and the hours are terrible, and the RTA just loves any excuse to fine them. I was talking to a driver recently who picked someone up just inside the Sharjah-Dubai border (he said he was the right side of it), was spotted doing so by someone from the RTA who decided he was actually the wrong side of it, and was fined 1000 dhs. That's such serious money to a taxi driver that I think it's out of all proportion.

Welivehere Jun 30th 2008 9:05 am

Re: Dubai Taxis
 

Originally Posted by Eeyore (Post 6516840)
the RTA just loves any excuse to fine them. I was talking to a driver recently who picked someone up just inside the Sharjah-Dubai border (he said he was the right side of it), was spotted doing so by someone from the RTA who decided he was actually the wrong side of it, and was fined 1000 dhs. That's such serious money to a taxi driver that I think it's out of all proportion.

I appreciate its not an easy job but if it is the job you accepted then do it right.... also play by the rules and you don't get fined....

NorthernLad Jun 30th 2008 9:43 am

Re: Dubai Taxis
 

Originally Posted by Welivehere (Post 6518051)
I appreciate its not an easy job but if it is the job you accepted then do it right.... also play by the rules and you don't get fined....

Its the RTA people should complain about...for example in conference season I've been in taxis where the screen flashes with a message for all taxis to go to the trade centre or face a 500dh fine.

And I guess when a lot of these drivers took the jobs they didn't expect the cost of living to go like it has...and now they are stuck with the job, it's not like they are going to get headhunted for a better position.

Welivehere Jun 30th 2008 10:21 am

Re: Dubai Taxis
 

Originally Posted by NorthernLad (Post 6518133)
Its the RTA people should complain about...

I agree but in conjunction with the employee's, it is sometimes too easy to just blame the organization, the staff should also be held accountable if they do not perform.


Originally Posted by NorthernLad (Post 6518133)
for example in conference season I've been in taxis where the screen flashes with a message for all taxis to go to the trade centre or face a 500dh fine.

I don't see the issue with this, the software utilized is intelligent enough to recognize if a fare is onboard or if the taxi is en-route to a predefined collection. If it is not on one those tasks then effectively it is free and why should they not be called to an area that has demand? As the closer taxis reach there and alleviate the problem the ones coming from further out will then be released and can go back to cruising.


Originally Posted by NorthernLad (Post 6518133)
And I guess when a lot of these drivers took the jobs they didn't expect the cost of living to go like it has ...

Neither did any-one else to be honest


Originally Posted by NorthernLad (Post 6518133)
and now they are stuck with the job, it's not like they are going to get headhunted for a better position.

Admittedly but compared to some they do have a relatively (and I use that word objectively) easy job compared to others. They expect to get paid each month therefore it not really a huge ask to expect them to at least cover the basic functions of what they are paid for, within the rules outlined.

NorthernLad Jun 30th 2008 10:37 am

Re: Dubai Taxis
 

Originally Posted by Welivehere (Post 6518214)

I don't see the issue with this, the software utilized is intelligent enough to recognize if a fare is onboard or if the taxi is en-route to a predefined collection. If it is not on one those tasks then effectively it is free and why should they not be called to an area that has demand? As the closer taxis reach there and alleviate the problem the ones coming from further out will then be released and can go back to cruising.


Admittedly but compared to some they do have a relatively (and I use that word objectively) easy job compared to others. They expect to get paid each month therefore it not really a huge ask to expect them to at least cover the basic functions of what they are paid for, within the rules outlined.

I think you overestimate the intelligence of the software - or rather the people who implement/use it.

As for getting paid - as far as I knew they have to bring in a minimum amount each month just to cover rental costs for the taxi, and then anything above that is earnings. This means covering a lot of fares just to break even, perhaps why they are not keen to take somewhere on a relatively small fare through traffic that could take an hour or more.

It does p1ss me off at times when waiting, but I do sympathise with the drivers, lets face it ~5000 taxis for a place of Dubai' population and not any real alternative in terms of public transport is not ideal to start with.


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