DOHA: Some taxi drivers are allegedly cashing in on high demand for cabs during Eid holiday by forcing customers to pay more. Several passengers said they had ended up paying a higher fare as drivers refused to flag down their meters and insisted on a fixed amount.
As per Mowasalat guidelines, a passenger is not supposed to pay if a ticket is not issued at the end of journey, but many prefer to avoid argument with drivers due to the difficulty in getting a cab during the holiday. Some drivers seem to be exploiting the situation, especially in locations where Eid festivities are taking place.
A Filipino who hailed a Karwa taxi near Souq Waqif last evening claimed he was forced to pay up more than double the fare.
“I was coming from Souq Waqif to the airport area. A few minutes after I got into the taxi, the driver told me that I will have to pay QR25. Normally it won’t be more than QR10. When I asked why, he said it was because of the rush. I had to agree because I was in a hurry and most taxis were occupied,” he told The Peninsula. He said the driver neither started the meter nor issued a ticket. “If one driver could do this, many may be resorting to similar tactics,” he added. Mowasalat officials could not be contacted. Besides the rush, ongoing crackdown on illegal taxis might also have increased demand for cabs operated by Mowasalat and private companies Al Million and Al Ijarah.
“Usually many illegal cabs could be seen in the souq area. Surprisingly, I didn’t see a single one this evening,” he said.
