MAKKAH, 8 October 2006 — Abdul Rahman Al-Sharaani was born in the south of the Kingdom near Jizan. After years of traveling he settled in the holy city of Makkah. He found it to be the most profitable place to be a cab driver. He has also become a unique fixture in the streets of the holy city.

“I am proud to say that I am the last man in Makkah that has a yellow taxi,” the 70-year-old Saudi says proudly.

City authorities have imposed regulations on limousine services, standardizing the look and licensing of the vehicles and banning gypsy cabs. But they don’t bother Al-Sharaani because he has been a cab driver for so long and is well known in his distinct 1974 yellow Datsun.

Arab News interviewed the told man in his humble abode.

“I settled in Makkah and, to be more specific, in this little tent here,” he said, gesturing at the main furnishings of his home: A small rug and mini-fridge.

Al-Sharaani, who has never married, said he has never earned enough money to rent or own a brick-and-mortar home, and his tent is so small that he stores his kitchen appliances in the boot of his yellow cab.

The old man says that today he competes with air-conditioned cars, but that his prices are far more appealing.

“In the past, I would charge about SR2 per ride. Today I charge about SR5 per ride,” he said.

Despite its old age and lack of modern options, Al-Sharaani says he loves his faithful old tallow taxi.

“This car is my family and everything that I have. This car is my wife and my son,” he said. “I don’t go to sleep at night without checking my car first to make sure it is locked.”

During Haj and Ramadan, most cabbies tend to jack up prices due to the high demand. Even Al-Sharaani says he can get up to SR50 for a ride during the peak seasons.

Al-Sharaani talks about his status like a grandfather reminiscing about the good old days that have come and gone.

“In the past, the yellow taxi driver was an honest family man. Families trusted us with their wives and daughters to chauffeur them everywhere because they knew that we had families too,” he said. “Now look at what is happening: Most of the limousine drivers are foreigners who care only about earning money. They do not care about their customers. The new generation of Saudis that drive limousines has abused the profession and gave it a bad name. They use taxi driving as a way to get to women and harass them.”

The old man says that although many people won’t take his taxi because it lacks air-conditioning, others prefer to pay less — and some even like the nostalgic feeling of riding in Makkah’s last yellow cab.