Taxi drivers exaggerate fares, users complain

Following the recent raise in prices of fuel, by FCFA 60, taxi drivers have also resorted to exaggerating taxi fares, a situation which is quite irksome to taxi users.

The notion of driving evolved as far back as 1905, when the first taxi entered Cameroon and has been cherished by all users till date. Due to the most recent fuel price increase since the early days of July 2014, and a subsequent increase in the prices of taxi fare, boarding a cab has become a complexity to most passengers and has brought about a wind of change in transportation.

Lately, drivers resort to insulting and mocking at passengers who cannot afford to pay the fare levied on them. Passengers now prefer trekking long distances before taking a taxi in order to reduce the unreasonable transport cost.

It is but shocking to see passengers dressed in suit quarrelling with taxi drivers over a FCFA 50 balance to be paid by the driver or money to be added by the passenger. It is often preferable to come into a mutual understanding of the taxi fare even before entering into the driver’s cab.

School buses, cargoes, guarantees and even bike riders have become so stern with their fare. A motto has even been adopted; “Pay Your Fare Or Out You Go”. It is still a period of purberty, for Cameroonians are still hoping for a maturity stage when prices would be stabilised once and for all.

According to Protus Efange Esuke, a passenger, “since prices of fuel have increased, the community should go ahead and accept the fare levied on them”. It’s life. He further says, “even when my fare is not complete, I will trek a reasonable distance before taking a cab to evade insults and embarrassment”.

Hensla kwasinwi, a passenger on her part remarks that “the manner in which taxi fares have been increased is very frustrating. The greater burden of the fare has been shifted from the drivers to the passengers and non-civil servants. Anyway, to an extent, I don’t blame the drivers because the Government is in charge,” She adds.

Tabot Achalle, another passenger was quick to say that, “as a student my little allowance reserved for feeding and handouts is diverted to paying a proportionately higher fare and the worst part of it is that, some drivers double their fare leaving passengers stranded at some points”.

Joseph Enow, a taxi driver, affirms that “the price I charge as fare is very rational, considering fuel prices nowadays. We just pity our poor passengers and family member who are treated as such”.

Victor kay, a bike rider, points out clearly that, “it is the evolution; passengers should either pay the fare or join the pedestrians on the highway. It does not bother me because I know my family, elsewhere, is facing the same fate”.

Talking to the President of the Taxi Driver’s Union, CHAUTAC Buea Branch, Samuel Molombo, he explained that, “due to the FCFA 60 rise in fuel prices, a meeting was held in Douala with the Minister of Transport to draft an Official Driver’s Tariff and to increase taxi fares by FCFA 50.The tariff stipulated that, ‘taxi fare should be FCFA 250 by day and FCFA 300 in the night’. All drivers were sensitised and ordered to respect this by purchasing the Official Driver’s Tariff and to avoid overloading”.

This is a plight to all and to ensure mutual understanding, the community should try as much as possible to respect the fare charged by drivers since it is rational.