Fare hikes shouldn’t signal misery
Abu Dhabi needs a more comprehensive transport network, beyond buses and taxis
If you’ve taken a taxi in Abu Dhabi this month, you will have noticed that your journey costs a little more than it used to, after a minimum charge of Dh12 was imposed, even for the shortest trip. Flag rates, per-kilometre charges and booking fees have all also increased.
Many residents may now turn their backs on taxis and will seek out alternative, more affordable means of transport. The launch of the public bus system in 2008, followed by that of an express-bus service in 2016, brought a shift to the transport landscape of Abu Dhabi, even if many residents are still completely addicted to hopping into the back seat of a cab and are no more likely to catch a bus to work than they are to walk there. The Department of Transport in Abu Dhabi has expanded its bus network over the years – indeed, figures indicate that the DoT operates more than 550 buses on 124 routes catering to more than 36 million passengers a year – but there is a need for more buses to service the city’s large inner neighbourhoods.
We are not suggesting a disruptive solution here, but a licensed, monitored and vetted answer for those who may find themselves priced out of the market by this month’s taxi fare increases. Many cities around the world operate fleets of minibuses to help keep traffic and people moving. In Hong Kong, for instance, the transport authorities licence more than 4,000 vehicles, usually with a passenger capacity of no more than 16 seats, to buzz around the city and surrounding areas. According to statistics, these mini-buses carried around 1.5m passengers every day last year.
Many mini-buses operate illegally here, ferrying passengers around Abu Dhabi. The authorities should seek to introduce licensed minibuses to cover routes for reasonable fares. If minibuses were regulated, drivers could be properly vetted and vehicles would have to adhere to high safety standards and maintain safe speeds.
Abu Dhabi’s transport system would benefit from a broader and more diverse mix of buses, taxis and other forms of transportation. Taxi fares are bound to rise in the future, but that should not signal more misery for residents, especially if more and cheaper options are made available.