Abu Dhabi taxi firm to be stopped

Abu Dhabi’s main taxi operator suffered from its first blow when one of its seven companies failed to meet terms of operation, prompting a decision by the group to end its contract, a local newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Q-Link Transport will no longer operate within TrasnAD from the end of January, reducing to six the number of taxi firms operating within the Group that was launched nearly four years ago to replace the told famous white-and-yellow cabs, the semi official Arabic language daily Alittihad said.

“The company failed to meet terms of its contract signed with TransAD, which stipulates that it operates 1,021 taxi cabs,” the paper said, quoting Alawi Al Darmaki, information director at the Group.

“For this reason, we have decided to completely end its contract by the end of January so all of its remaining cabs are withdrawn from the streets.”

Damraki said Q-Link had employed between 30 and 40 people at its offices and around 319 drivers, adding that all the other TransAD firms have “expressed their willingness to recruit Q-Link drivers.”

Alittihad said Q-Link has refused to comment on the move, adding that the company is bound under the labour law to pay terminated workers a three-month salary. It said Q-Link drivers can shift their sponsorship within TransAD but did not make clear if Q-Link has agreed to pay their end of service benefits.

TransAd was created in 2006 to manage the mammoth silver taxi fleet under the control of the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport.

During 2010, nearly 1,000 more of such cars were rolled on the roads to boost their total number to over 8,000 taxis.

TransAD had originally planned to withdraw all the nearly 8,000 old taxis in a year time but it then extended the plan to five years.

The old cabs have been owned by UAE nationals, who will be compensated for the loss of their cars. Under a compensation plan drawn up by the Department of Transport, each taxi owner will be entitled for Dh1,000 a month for 25 years.

TransAD was established to carry out the replacement plan under the Department’s supervision. Its six other members are Tawasul Transportation Company, Cars Taxi, National Transportation Company, Al Ghazal Transport, Emirates Taxi and Arabia Taxi.
In October, the Company decided to raise fares to Dhone for every 750 metres covered against the former rate of Dhone for every 1,000 metres. It said the increase was prompted by the recent fuel price hikes.  

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