DOHA: Some taxi drivers are allegedly charging more than the regular fare as demand for taxis increases during Eid holidays.
Aggrieved customers alleged cabs refused to flag down meters and asked for a fixed amount far higher than the actual fare they would pay during ordinary days.
“The driver charged me QR35 from Al Hilal to Villaggio. That’s more than double the actual fare I usually pay which is QR15,” said a Filipino expatriate.
He said the driver agreed on a QR30 fare after several minutes of bargaining. “I also agreed to pay the amount because it was very hard to find a taxi where I live and it was rush hour because most people were going to malls and most taxis prefer to wait for passengers there,” he said.
A visit to City Center Doha revealed that despite a considerable presence of Karwa taxis lined up at the stand, passengers preferred metered limousines provided in mall as they avoided argument with unscrupulous taxi drivers.
A taxi driver, who did not want his name in print, said Eid holidays were the only time when they had the chance to get ‘tips’ from passengers. “It is very hard to raise the amount I have to give to the company at the end of my shift. It is only during holidays like this that I can earn more,” he said. The Peninsula
