Al Hayat We have heard several Ministry of Transport officials speaking about and promising to find a solution to the large number of taxis roaming the Kingdom's streets. Officials have promised to do something about this, but, surprisingly, the ministry said it is not possible to ban taxis from cruising along our streets looking for customers. The reason behind the recent announcement relates to parking lots. There are no parking lots large enough to accommodate the large number of taxis in each city. Some news reports say that the ministry has assigned this issue to the Public Transport Authority. It seems that there is no solution in the foreseeable future because there is not enough land in the country. Most government agencies have been complaining that they cannot find suitable land to implement projects. This means that we will witness more of the various accidents caused by taxis on our streets. Most taxi drivers work 14 hours a day and share accommodation with their fellow countrymen. They spend most of their day on the street trying to earn enough money to pay their employers and have some left to live on and send to their families abroad. The drivers have to pay for fuel and car maintenance. The government help offered to taxi companies has resulted in an increase in the number of companies in the market and the number of taxis on our streets. These taxis are the reason for traffic jams on most streets. The Ministry of Transport allows car rental companies to park their cars on pavements while taxis are not allowed to do that. Frankly speaking, I do not think that the Public Transport Authority will take any drastic action to solve this problem. I suggest that the ministry gives more priority to taxi companies and provides more space for taxis. The ministry can also work with the Ministry of Housing and the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs to find a solution to this problem.
