Taxis.....can It Get More Expensive?

[AL_NAAMANI]

Arriving at Seeb Intl Airport on Thursday evening from Dubai, I had to catch a taxi to my sisters house in Al-Hail South. I know worlwide that taxis are expensive when taken at the airport...but my friends was I in for a rude awakening.I got charged 10 O.R. for a 5 min taxi ride. How difficult is it for the Omani Government to introduce metered cabs?I mean they can charge the extra for being at the airport.I was really disgusted and I paid the man his dues but parting with the 10 rials was quite a sad venture I don't ever wanna endure again.Is anyone doing something about introducing metered cabs in Oman?

[Jinan]

Thats day light robbery!! <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />



Its abt time the govt started using metered taxis... someone else might have charged u a lesser amount for that trip.

[Genius]

I don't think that the TAXI guys are blames, they are really poor guys ... Imagen they sleep in thair cars and some times in the parkings !! so they can give thair children better life.



Mybe you don't know this , the Airport Taxi pay alot of Tax's , and guess to whom!, to the airport/government . so they have to work hard and take benifit of every baisa they get ! in my opinion if there is any one to be blamed so it should be the responsible of this Tax's that this Taxi drivers pay.

[AL_NAAMANI]

So is the government doin something about this? Genius I really don't think the taxi drivers are being charged such a high tax that they deserve to make me pay that amount.The problem is there is no one monitoring these guys.
Ironically its a good thing I am an Omani and I got charged that...imagine the poor foreigners who show up here and end up getting ripped off.no wonder tourists dont flock to oman citing it is too expensive!! The first impressions must have been made at the taxi stand at Seeb Airport.

[Genius]

I really can't tell who is really taking the Tax . But am pretty sure that they are taking charge from them .Do you know , not any taxi driver can park there and take ppl, there are only few drivers whom took the permission from the airport to park there and work!

I agree , it is expensive , but I disagree in the idea of blaming the Taxi Drivers, and am sure that they are moniters , I don't think that the airport or the government like to lose money!
It is like there are some places which sell the "Pepsi" for 400 baisa , while you can buy it only 100 baisa .People don't just go and make thair products expensive , they lose customers by that.
and by the way these Airport taxi's has fixed rating , and one of the reasons that make the taxi expensive is when you ask for a taxi , you will fully engage it , (He wont stop in every taxi stop,he wont take another passenger in the way).

It is the same if you stoped a Taxi from the main road and engaged it , they will charge you from FIVE rials and up.

By the way , we have Taxi's which uses meters , Like (BBT) and other company's ,But do you think that they are cheeper ?

[Shula_B]

<blockquote><font class="small"><hr />
I got charged 10 O.R. for a 5 min taxi ride.

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My friend’s mom went to Oman for the first time and it was during Eid; she said that she spent R.O.7 for 7 min. drive to the hotel. She said that the taxis in Oman are expensive.

[Music_Lover]

DUDE THE GUY RIPPEDDD YOU OFF!!!!!!! i know people that take taxi rides to UAE for 5 riyals!!!!!!!!!!!!! taxis are RIDICOULASLY cheap in oman, its just a matter of people that CHEAT. By the way you should have given him 200 baizas and left the cab, and if he tried to call the police, theyd settle it and they take him to jail for doing this to you. thats all that ride was worth 200 baizas1

[Sapphire]

R.O. 7 seems to be the going rate from the airport to hotel or local housing.

One day we happened to be at the airport picking up visitors and saw someone we knew about to get into a taxi. We called to him and said we would take him - the taxi driver blew a gasket - accused us of stealing his fare, taking his custom, called us for everything.

He actually lost even more custom after his outburst because nobody wanted to get in his taxi.

As for tourists - good first impression being ripped off at the airport for a 5 minute hotel run.

[muscati]

<blockquote><font class="small"><hr />
Arriving at Seeb Intl Airport on Thursday evening from Dubai, I had to catch a taxi to my sisters house in Al-Hail South...I got charged 10 O.R. for a 5 min taxi ride. How difficult is it for the Omani Government to introduce metered cabs?.. Is anyone doing something about introducing metered cabs in Oman?

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Dude, you got ripped off royaly. While our pathetic Muscat Municipality hasn't done anything about installing meters in taxis, they have at least implemented a fare system. Every taxi has to carry a fare card showing how much it costs to go from one location to another. I took a cab from the airport to my house in MQ last year. The driver tried to rip me off (as they all do) but I refused to pay him and insisted he show me the card. When he finally did it turned out that airport to MQ is about 6 rials (if I remember correctly).

[AL_NAAMANI]

Muscati,
You see I never knew that such a fare card existed.I can also assure you that majority of the omani population are unaware of this.If it is true what you say...than the government should take the initiative and inform people about these changes......cos its ridiculous whats happening!!

[Neo]

I agree with Muscati. I paid 5 rials from the Airport to my previous home at Al-Khuwair.


But isnt normal to ask for the fare before embariking the ride. Wouldnt be better for you if you knew well in advance that the fare would be 10 rials than maybe you could have bargin?

[AL_NAAMANI]

Neo,
But isnt normal to ask for the fare before embariking the ride

I agree with your point.But don't you think it would be much easier if we could have a meter telling us how much we are paying and also so we know that we are not being conned.About asking I should have asked but I assumed it would not be more than 3 rials.Anyways I learnt my lesson that day.Never again!! As they say once beaten twice shy.

[Invincible]

It is pretty obvious that you were ripped off. If I were in your shoes, I would've argued, they usually settle for what you want if you're being fair and square about it.

I know that the cabs at the airport usually charge RO 8 to Ruwi (which is at least a 30 minute drive). It's good though that muscati pointed out the card fare, I never heard of it.

I think a meter is a great idea especially for the taxi cabs in ruwi who charge as little as 200 baizas (which I think is close to nothing). I hope the cabs at the airports and hotels get their act together though, it's not good to be so greedy! <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

[Mary]

I recently was on holiday abroad and can comment as follows:

Metered taxis are fine... but sometimes if you don't know the area well, they will take you round half the city (so to speak) before reaching the place you wanted to go to.

I also experienced another type of taxi, without a metre, but each sector of the city is given a specific amount. Eg: airport to khuwair = X no. of km = X amount, etc. The rates are clearly posted inside the car and can be viewed easily by passengers, as are the details of the driver who is taking you.

Your experience is a sad one, and perhaps if the details of the driver were available, as I mentioned above, you could make a complaint, or maybe with the number plate of the car you could? Don't really know. It is also sad, because this could hurt the tourism industry to some extent. It is bad publicity. Tourists get ripped off everywhere in the world but I wouldn't want Oman to be added to that infamous list. <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

[AL_NAAMANI]

Thanks guys...I know I was ripped off and I regret as what Invincible mentioned...I should have argued and got the guy to reduce the price.But you can imagine the shock on my face when the guy told me to pay that amount.I was flabbergasted and shocked.He also mentioned that everyone who takes a cab from the airport pays that amount.I mean can u seriously argue with a comment like that.Anyways it happened but I assure myself...never again. The most important thing here is that how are we gonna be able to change this issue cos alot of people are getting ripped off.

[Dabdoob_Al_Helwa]

<img src="/threads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />Dude! before you got in the taxi you should have asked him how much it will cost! A similar thing happened to me and my friend. We went to the intercon for a drink and then when we left we needed a taxi. Now, my house is just 2 minutes from there by car, I could have walked but it was dark so i didnt feel comfortable doing that. Anyways, we asked this taxi how much it would cost and he said 2 and a half riyals!!!!!!!!!!!! just for a one or 2 minute ride home!!!!!! So i said "forget it" and i walked away. Then i went and sat in starbucks and called for a "HELLO" taxi which just cost me 1.5 riyals - now thats more like it!!!!

But one thing you need to consider is that these taxi guys are really poor and live in small villages, they dont get that much money really and the only money they make is what they get from taxi fairs. So every chance they get they will try to make the cost of a taxi as high as possible - but on the other hand , the government should at least provide them with meters to avoid people getting RIPPED OFF - especially they rip the tourists off alot! <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

[AL_NAAMANI]

Cheers for the advice Dabdoob...I'll remember that next time I get a cab especially at the airport.
About the cab drivers being poor...well on that particular night it was not the cab driver who was poor but me who was 10 rials poorer.

[Balle_Klorin]

NEVER get in a taxi without negotiating the price first.
If you need to call a taxi, may I suggest City Cab? Polite, on time, drive by meter, always cheaper than the orange and white ones. If delayed, they call to inform you. Well maintained cabs.
The best, IMHO.

[tracidz]

I work at the airport and everyday when i pass by the parking area i notice most of them taxi drivers either sleeping,playing cards or just roaming around the airport....that shows how difficult it's to get a hold of a customer so u can imagine the amount of money they will be asking for just a short ride!!?
I believe the government should impose a standard taxi fee depending on the location where the customer is heading or force them to drive metered cabs to ensure no one gets ripped off again.

[AL_NAAMANI]

I agree with u!!!

[AL_NAAMANI]

I got into a cab from Al-Hail to Al-Ghubrah.In the cab the taxi driver started talking to me.I informed him that I did not speak Arabic although I am Omani.
When we reached my house I handed him 2 R.O and he refused to accept it saying the journey was worth 5 R.O.I told him to go to hell and I was really annoyed.Infact after speaking to some other people later on that evening they informed me that the journey should have costed only 1.5 R.O.
We ended up having a big argument whereby I told the taxi driver either he takes the 2 R.O or I will call the police and I will let them sort it out.On saying the police, the taxi driver took the money and left.
I just can't understand whats going on.Is it because I don't speak Arabic that the taxi driver thinks he can take me for a ride.Well I made sure I informed him that I was a pure Omani and that I had been using taxis for a long time and I know the prices very well.
It is very annoying and honestly speaking something needs to be done to curb this taxi menace.I feel sorry for the expatriates who are a source of income for the country being subjected to this menace.This has to stop.The best way will be meters being installed on all cabs!!!

[phatguy88]

yo, in new york city, there is a taxi scam. you are in a hurry. lets say the journey costs 10 dollars, and you give the driver a twenty. he says to you that it looks strange and he wants another one. so he gives it back and gets another $20. the passenger didnt see that the driver had a counterfeit bill in his pocket, and gave it to the woman AS THE TWENTY SHE GAVE HIM. . she lost a lot of money!!


also, you could GO TO FEDERAL PRISON BECAUSE OF IT. if someone sees you using counterfeit bills, you will go to prison. so if a taxi driver ever says a bill looks funny, ALWAYS INSPECT THE BILL HE GIVES YOU TO MAKE SURE IT IS NOT COUNTERFEIT!


just a warning to you folks. hope it never happens to you <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

[AL_NAAMANI]

Thanks for the advice phatguy88!!I bet when the Omani government starts to crackdown on our taxi drivers than they are gonna start using the tricks the New York cabbies are using.

you should always negotiate a price with cabbies in taxis that dont have meters

[AL_NAAMANI]

If you have not realised chichi taxi cabs in Oman don't have taxi meters.It is standard that people are aware of the rate.I feel sorry for the poor tourists who get ripped off.No wonder tourists always talk of Oman being very expensive.I can only imagine why!!