More than hitting the road with care
Photos source. Clockwise: one of first few buses, new cab, old cab.
In this capital city of UAE, there are no jeepneys, (months ago) no buses, no train. It’s either you’re travelling with your own vehicle or through the cabs. The best deal of all, there’s no traffic (that’s per a Filipino’s standards).
Photo source. One of the new buses
With the influx of new residents coming from different countries (80% of Abu Dhabi’s population comprised of expats), the government has devised a new transportation system. In the middle of this year, buses were introduced with designated routes. With fare estimably 75% cheaper than riding a cab. The great thing in this country is that when a new service line is being introduced, it’s gratis. So the buses would be servicing the commuters for free in until the end of this year.
Also the old cabs are being phased out. The same way that the government phases out old buildings (unlike in the Philippines that old buildings are presumably regulated, substance over form, until the building actually collapsed). Majority of the cab drivers are Pakistanis and Indians who actually are here for almost a decade, that left their countries to make a living through driving. I am thinking and would definitely be amazed to find out that they do profit from these as drivers. As you probably know, there’s a pool of oil in the Gulf. Hence oil, gas and electricity are oddly 90% cheaper here than in the Philippines. With that, they are collecting an average of AED 5 (PhP60) per route. Sounds like Philippines’ rate? A PhP25-route is actually possible here. That’s in Abu Dhabi. Remember, in Dubai cabs are skyrocketly metered. It’s almost 300% higher there. Unbelievable, but true. Now you can draft your analytics how the cost of living differs between the two emirates.
I don’t know what will happen to the old cab drivers. The franchise to operate new taxis are awarded to seven companies last year. Phase out plan will be for three years which already started. The new cabs metering is 25% higher than the old ones. With the benefit of well-groomed driver (in a uniform) and of course the new car/unit. The drivers of these new cabs are Indians, Nepalis and Pakistanis in a better version (if you know what I mean).
And here’s the unexpected news-turned-live reality. One of the seven companies which were awarded a franchise actually hired 200 Filipinos to be drivers. There are 50 of them hitting the road by now. My random thoughts:
- Increase in OFW attributable to Filipino cab drivers
- Filipinos were preferred by Tawa-Sul Car Company because they (a) are responsible (b) are most hygienic of all nationalities (c) have most agreeable rate to the car company (d) whatelse?
- As these kababayans hit the road soon they’ll be surprised that there’s (a) no traffic in Abu Dhabi, 2 minutes IS heavy traffic (b) a disadvantage if you have a dog nose (like me!) that you should refrain breathing from the nose or else you’re gonna die from the human pollution (ah, um, ang baho talaga nung iba!) (c) that they’d wish Filipino lang ang passengers nila
- They should learn the basic Arabic, Hindi, etc., i.e. directions at least
- Kabayan, more than hitting the road with care, you should treat your passengers and other drivers (car owners and cab drivers) so well. Especially if it’s a local. Kahit ikaw ang tama, wala kang laban sa batas nila. As in.
Long live Abu Dhabi, mababango na ang mga cab drivers. Drive so carefully.
wow…no traffic galing… at mababango na ang mga driver, lolz
thanks for sharing this, I’ve learned a lot!
and thanks for the hugs…I am feeling much better. Salamt po!
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I just wonder, why is the bus totally covered? i just compared it to busses here in the Philippines which are so open, i mean windows are not covered. What about security reasons?
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hi, yeah… my friend from dubai came home and made kwento about the traffic in dubai, the baho, hoping they’d have the same passengers alike—Filipinos.
and Hindis cannot pronounce p daw, and when one Hindi said park, he eventually mentioned bark… and so what my friend did, kahol-aso. He failed in the driving test.
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Ok pala diyan sa Abu Dhabi, no traffic. That’s a driver’s paradise.
I’m glad in a way that they’ve decided to hire Filipino drivers. I’m very supportive of everything that will provide a decent livelihood to my countrymen. I hope those Pinoy drivers do well and make hay while the sun shines.
You have a great blog here. My apologies that this post took a while but I would like to thank you for visiting my blog. It was much appreciated. Take care.
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They smell because besides their fondness of spices, particularly onions, they don’t change clothes everyday. Pagkatapos nang trabaho, e-hang lang yung pinagpawisang damit, paplantsahin (yung baho na “perma-press” sa damit) tapos isusuot uli kinaumagahan.
Ewww, dugyot!
I remember when I had a stop over in Qatar, when I got off the plane, I thought for a second that I was already in the Philippines. Everyone was talking Tagalog!
England’s public transport is dismal.
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The buses look really nice. I hope this move to employ Filipinos as cab drivers won’t cause a rift between the predominantly Indian cab drivers. I am just curious but even here in DC and NY a good number of drivers are from India or Pakistan.
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haaay.. kelan kaya magiging ganyan sa pilipinas?
my sister-in-law is in abu dhabi na din last june and my husband will be there, too by november.
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[...] Kayumangi # 6: Dehado Sep.13, 2008 in General Nabanggit ko rito ang pagdating ng mahigit kumulang 200 na Pinoy taxi drivers sa Abu Dhabi. Marami ang natuwa nang [...]
Hi,
Went through the blog, would like to add that now you can also book taxi in Abu Dhabi by calling 600535353. Service is only available for Silver Taxis.
You’re welcome, Jeanny!
I’ve uploaded another picture of bus (the newest one). It’s basically covered like an airport bus. Not really for security reasons. I thinks it’s designed to be fully covered for the airconditioning.
There’s heavy traffic in Dubai. The traffic structure depends on the head of the emirate (there are 9 emirates in UAE, Abu Dhabi and Dubai are amongst those).
There’s a few non-Filipino cab drivers that are generally groomed. Very few. As to your friend, it’s really difficult to get a driver’s license in UAE. It would take months and even a year. The regulators are very strict. I think your friend was referring to the Arabs. They have difficulting on “p” sound. Instead of “Papa”, they say “Baba”, etc.
Yes, a driver’s heaven here. That’s why our kababayan drivers would feel driving here much lighter than back home. I hope they’ll do well. And thanks for the compliment, I just stumbled upon your blog through BlogusVox’s page.
Hahaha. I heard that sort of dugyot story. So far, I’ve never observed anyone from the office who seems to be like that. Or maybe I’m not too observant. But I don’t think so. As I’ve mentioned I do have a dog nose.
The Gulf is now relatively dominated by Filipinos. But of course, we still don’t outnumber the Indians. They are everywhere, in each part of the globe.
I’m expecting an initial rift. Especially that they think they are the ‘pioneers’ of this emirate. Hope everything would be fine for our kababayans.
What about you? Will you come by next year?
ah, it just explains it. hehehe…
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