Sharjah sets minimum taxi fare at Dh10, hikes fares

GN
Bellevision Media Network

Sharjah, 17 August 2010: As of September 1, commuters in Sharjah will have to pay more for their taxi journeys as a result of the introduction of a minimum taxi fare, in addition to an increase in the tariff.

 

A senior official at Sharjah Transport announced on Sunday that the minimum fare for all taxi trips will be Dh10. The tariff, meanwhile, will be revised to Dh1 for every 620 metres covered, as opposed to the former rate of Dh1 for every 650 metres covered.

 

"The change in the tariff, as well as the introduction of a minimum fare, were established after we received numerous demands from taxi franchisee companies which were unable to cope with the recent hike in fuel prices which in turn increased their operating costs," said Abdullah Al Zari, Director-General of Sharjah Transport.

 

 

"So if the meter in the taxi reads Dh7 [at the end of the journey], the passenger will have to pay Dh10 instead," he said.

 

Al Zari said that the flag-fall rate at which the meter starts will remain the same at Dh3.5 during the day and Dh4 during the night.

 

The introduction of a minimum fare is intended to benefit passengers as well as the five taxi franchisee companies since it will enable the latter to improve their quality of service, according to Sharjah Transport.