14.000 Taxi Drivers sanctioned annually due to customers' complaints

Head of the Syndicate of taxi drivers, Houcine Ait Brahim, acknowledged the abuses of some drivers, asserting that a commission of Sanctions over violations of taxi drivers is organized every 15 days.

“At least, 20 drivers in each wilaya are referred to the Committee of Sanctions, and the total number of drivers who are referred weekly is 360  taxi drivers, ‭‬which means that ‭ ‬over 14.000 ‭taxi drivers ‭are referred  ‭annually to ‭the Commission ‭of Sanctions ‭over ‭violating ‭the laws ‭and due to complaints of customers”‭, he added.

The spokesman called upon citizens to present complaint against the drivers’ violations of laws at the police offices, where services investigate with the drivers, under one condition, which is providing the evidence that condemns the abuser.

“This sector was supposed to belong to tourism, in order to revive the work of taxis at night, because Algeria is a country that neglects tourism this is why there is a lack of the tourism culture and education among taxi drivers”, he explained

“The lack of taxis at night is due to insecurity in the capital, along with the lack of a culture of opening shops at night. Algiers is the only capital in the world where shops are closed at night, giving the impression that there is no life in our country. So, we can not attract drivers to work at night if ‭life ‭stops at night.'”

As for the accusations against taxi drivers about  taking customers to destinations they choose and not vice versa, the spokesman said; ” The reason for this conflict is the Taxi counter. The taxi driver in Algeria, is the only in the world who pays gasoline if the car stops in the traffic jam, and lost more than two hours in packed roads to get 100 DZ. This is insane.” ‬ 

‬