With fewer taxi drivers on the roads because of the crackdown on illegal workers, many legal cabbies are now exploiting customers by charging higher fares, passengers claim.

Passengers complain that drivers are now charging a basic fare of SR20 for even short distances. In addition, they want SR30 to SR50 for routes that previously cost SR15 to SR20. Many also do not know the city's routes and destinations, passengers claim.

Ahsanul Tanvir, a regular taxi user, said he has to wait 10 to 20 minutes to get a taxi, and when he does find one, the driver demands SR20 to SR50 for a distance that previously cost him SR10 to SR15.

Muzammil Haque, another regular user, said he was recently charged SR20 to go to a hospital, and then SR30 for the return journey. “What used to be a SR10 journey has now become SR15 to SR20, and what used to be SR20 now costs SR30 to SR50,” he said.

Mohammed Ameen, who has an eye problem, said it has become difficult for him to reach his office every day because taxi drivers who used to charge SR10 are now demanding SR15 to SR20. “If Jeddah had a bus service like the UK and other countries around the world, it would really help. I'm waiting for the Jeddah metro to ease my problems.”

Hafizur Rahman, a motorist, told Arab News that he recently saw a taxi company ground 200 cars because it does not have legal drivers.

Mustaq Ahmed, a taxi driver, said that drivers have little choice but to raise their fares. “Company owners keep increasing the rent. It used to be SR150 a day, but now we have to pay more plus the SR2,400 fee to renew our iqamas. We have to do something to survive.”

Another taxi driver, Kashif Khursheed, told Arab News that drivers had to hike their fares because of the rising cost of living.

The Jeddah Transport Department recently impounded over 350 taxis because their drivers violated various traffic regulations.

Abdullah Al-Qahtani, deputy chairman of the public fares committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said in a statement that the Transport Ministry has plans to control fares by making taxi meters mandatory.