Ride-sharing apps end ‘good days’ for taxi drivers in Saudi Arabia

Taxi drivers say that they had “good days” before the arrival of Uber, Kareem and other ride-sharing apps in Saudi Arabia. 

Abrar Hussein, a Pakistan taxi driver, said that previously cabbies used to earn from SR350 ($93) to SR400 a day. “At that time, I used to give the company SR170 but that was fine for me as I worked from seven in the morning and got back to my house for a rest at one in the afternoon. I would then go out at four until it was midnight,” Hussein said.

Nowadays, he gives SR140 to his company. “Everyday, we suffer until we get that amount. It takes me 15-17 hours of hard searching for passengers. The maximum amount I can collect every day is SR250,” he said.

He said that he used to pay SR17 to supply his auto with fuel, at that point that expanded to SR33. Presently he fills his auto with SR55-60 every day. As per him, just a total of SR40-60 stays in his pocket. He spends the vast majority of that sum on his day by day needs. 

"I get a month to month compensation from my organization of some SR1,000, however that isn't sufficient for a stately existence of a family," he said. 

Inquired as to why he isn't utilizing an application to chase for travelers, Hussein answered that he could do that, despite the fact that it isn't permitted, yet he supposes the applications are pointless. "I would prefer not to squander my opportunity sitting tight for an administration searcher who probably won't show up or postpone me," Hussein said. 

As a dad of two kids, Hussein dispatches from SR1,500 to SR2,000 to his family. Regardless of that, Hussein is considering coming back to his nation following 10 long periods of what he depicted as "great days" in Saudi Arabia. 

"The facts confirm that the sum I send to my family is by one means or sufficiently another, yet I myself can't proceed in such unbearable conditions. I have my very own needs that I can't anchor, except if I deduct something from the sum I transmit to my family, which will intensify their money related circumstance," he said. 

Fight for travelers 

Another Pakistani cab driver, Mohammed Azeem, who has been in Saudi Arabia for three months, revealed to Arab News that he needs to pay SR100 to his organization consistently. 

"I begin working at 7 a.m. what's more, proceed until 10 p.m. The 15-hour work can in some cases convey me up to SR200. Half of this sum goes to my organization while I spend the other bit on energizing my auto and getting my day by day needs of nourishment," Azeem said. 

Azeem said that they are not permitted to utilize any ride-sharing applications, for example, Uber, Kareem and Easy Taxi. He uncovered that such applications have made them endeavor to discover clients. 

"Once in a while, I circumvent the city for over a hour without finding a taxi-benefit searcher. These applications appear to have baited travelers," he said. Azeem included that he isn't hopeful about remaining in Saudi Arabia with such "uncalled for" rivalry. "This isn't reasonable, and I figure taxicabs will vanish from the scene," he said. 

Abdullah Al-Mutairi, representative for the Public Transportation Authority (PTA), disclosed to Arab News that there are in excess of 250,000 Saudi drivers utilizing ride-sharing applications, and the specialist has so far endorsed 18 applications according to the second from last quarter of 2018. 

Reacting to an inquiry concerning utilizing an unlicensed application to discover travelers, Al-Mutairi said that notwithstanding hindering the application, the PTA forces brutal fines on both the driver and the organization. 

"We rely on the familiarity with people in general in following the frequently refreshed rundown of approved applications, which we have reported through our site and Twitter accounts," he said. 

Al-Mutairi included the fines against violators change as indicated by the controls. For instance, any cabbie who is gotten or answered to utilize an unlicensed application will be fined. 

...[ Continue to next page ]  /  Source: arabnews