Smart meters: Taxi drivers cannot cheat customers anymore
The new smart meters being installed by Mowasalat in Karwa taxis have helped generate more revenue by preventing tampering by drivers, a senior official has disclosed.
The company first installed meters in Karwa's airport taxis now being extended to the remaining fleet. At least 80 percent of Karwa taxis have got meters, the company said on Wednesday.
"We have noticed a clear difference in our daily revenue since the introduction of meters. We encourage our franchises to install similar meters," said the official.
Four private companies are also operating taxis on a franchise basis.
The meters are equipped with a special sensor that can prevent tampering. They also contain a system to alert the driver by showing the permitted speed limit on each street, helping reduce traffic violations.
The private companies operate about 4,000 taxis. Mowasalat will select the fifth private taxi operator soon. By 2022, Qatar will have 7,000 taxis on the road, said the statement.
Mowasalat also has BMW 2015 limousines and Savana taxis serving people with special needs.
It established a special office for the management of taxis. Duties of the office include franchise management, support, customer service, quality control and driver accreditation. [The Peninsula]
Doesn't matter... they don't do anything with meters but they put meters on log off situation but not log off was done... and they ask money like anything
@ al sharqad & acchabaccha...bro u guys r right but the truth is in qatar there r many things like this that proves that qatar doesnt care at all for normal working people.they just care about their own pockets filled. for example u can see visa laws,profession laws,noc laws ,accomodation partition law and many more.but none cares to listen to the truth.this is brutal fact.
@ JokerQL, i love that your contribution...
Let the Management do the right thing, then no driver will bother to tamper with the meter!
One should look at both sides of the picture. Has anyone ever bothered to find out as to why drivers carry on with this practice? Talk to them in a friendly way when you hire a taxi the next time and let them pour their heart out. From what I could gather after talking to several of them, most Karwa taxi drivers don't get paid a salary to them. They are required to pay the company QR 240 per day for the duration they use the vehicle. Any amount they save above this figure is their income. Cost of petrol is also on them. As such, the drivers strive to put up the required amount within the duration they have the vehicle with them. And some days may be "dry days" with they not able to get good business and they still need to pay the company. How could they recover the loss? That is how the taxi business runs.
Another tactic that these "Smart Drivers" use is to click on some button on the MENU and the system waits for an input. Only thing, is how long will he take to choose the item on the MENU. Well, long enough so he can make some money illegally. Smart, isn't it?
My favorite subject. Last Thursday, I tried to go to City Centre and of the 10 drivers who stopped to picked me up, asked for a flat rate of 30 Riyals instead of doing their business of turning on the meter and dropping me there. The 11th driver was a newbie and did not say anything. He probably isn't aware of the tactics that other drivers use. My guess is, very soon, he too will live up to the bad reputation. What you guys now need is Smart Cameras if you want to play catch up with the drivers. And not forgetting one important aspect. Give them a decent salary. That will stop them from putting this country's name to shame. Go to UAE and tell me if you see anything like this happening. Do you also want to earn a reputation as the Meanest country of the world, beside being one of the richest countries in the world?
Jok , When you start paying decent salary to anyone ................ next demand will come for wife's visa ............... ................ and when you give wife's visa then demand comes for the mother n law's visa ......................... it doesn't stop there ............ then they ask for sister n law's visa ...................
They will find a way...and make their money ...the only way to stop is to pay decent salary ........Its your management who is making them do.