Hundreds of Sharjah cabbies quit over new fuel deal

Former Citi Taxi employee counts 400-strong protest of petrol payment scheme introduced by the emirate's transport agency.

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SHARJAH // Hundreds of taxi drivers have quit and hundreds more remain on strike in protest over a new Sharjah Transport Corporation (STC) rule that requires them to pay 0.52fils for fuel for every kilometre travelled.

Although reports of resignations at all of the emirate's companies were confirmed, the companies would not give precise figures.

"We have made our own independent count and the number is now 400 from all taxi companies," said Mohammed Khan, who resigned from Citi Taxi on Tuesday. "They will have to revise this new rule or all drivers would go back to their own country."

A spokesman for STC said yesterday that only a few drivers were involved in the stoppage and that the media had blown the strike out of proportion.

"There are 4,860 registered taxis in Sharjah and striking drivers were not even a quarter of these drivers," the spokesman said.