Saudi Gazette In bygone times, people in the Arabian Peninsula used to travel on foot or by other modes of primitive transport such as camels, horses and even donkeys. This was the case until the arrival of motor vehicles in the last century which revolutionized transport. As the population of Saudi Arabia increased and urban centers began to grow with an increased number of villages, towns and cities, taxis became a common feature of our streets. Taxis allowed people to travel distances that would have normally taken hours on foot or animal, Al-Riyadh newspaper reported. In the early days around 50 years ago, taxis were mainly pickup trucks which members of the public would buy and use as taxis to earn a living. Roads were unpaved and taxis that operated between cities used to have drivers and assistants who would accompany the drivers. The assistant would prepare food and drinks for the driver, and check the car's oil, coolant and tires. He would also take care of passengers' baggage which he would load on and off and secure using rope. His job was difficult and required a lot of stamina and patience. The pay was, however, pretty good. In the old days, a trip from Riyadh to Makkah in a pickup could cost between SR4 and SR10 depending on where the passenger was seated. If seated inside the vehicle, then the fee was SR10 and if sat in the back then it would be SR4. This was huge money 50 years ago. Shortly after, huge buses locally known as lorries were introduced for long trips, especially for pilgrims wishing to travel to Makkah or Madinah and also during the Hajj. These buses could accommodate over 20 passengers inside and another 10 to 15 on the roof. These buses were considered very comfortable for long trips. When an old man today hears the word “taxi” the first thing that comes to mind is an old yellow American Chevrolet Caprice. These cars were common over 50 years ago and were used to travel within cities and towns and also on highways. Most of them were American-made and were solidly built and spacious. They were fast and safe. The drivers were elderly who drove both carefully and responsibly. Nowadays, the word limousine is used for taxis and there is a reason behind this. Limousine is an English word used to refer to a fancy large car driven by a private driver. In the early 1980s, the Ministry of Transport decided to use limousines at three major international airports instead of the large yellow taxis. The ministry was worried that yellow taxis portrayed the Kingdom negatively, especially for visitors from abroad. It was because of this that better cars referred to as limousines were introduced. 14 years later, the word taxi disappeared from the local vernacular with the word limousine used in its stead. Slowly and gradually, the Ministry of Transport introduced changes into the sector and unified the color of all limousines. Limousine companies were later set up and required by the ministry to have new and more comfortable vehicles. Drivers were also required to have special licenses.
