Know your cab well if you want to locate a lost item

SHARJAH — Next time you get into a Sharjah taxi, do not forget to notice which franchise it belongs to as it will give you a chance to locate it, in case you lose some valuables inside the cab.

Published: Thu 19 Aug 2010, 12:53 AM

Last updated: Thu 19 Jan 2023, 4:53 PM

According to the customer service centre of Sharjah Transport, more than 70 per cent of the 102 complaints it received this year regarding lost items didn’t provide a single detail about the taxi.

“Some commuters were not even sure if they lost their items in a Sharjah taxi, on the street or elsewhere. That really hampers the process of investigation and search,” said Abdallah Zamzam, a Senior Executive at Customers Service Centre of Sharjah Transport.

In spite of this, the cabbies of the five franchise companies operating in the emirate honestly returned 11 items they found to their owners in the first six months of the year.

“The said items included important official documents, cell phones, clothes, food stuff and small amounts of cash,” said ZamZam.

Sharjah Transport has recently honoured 508 drivers for showing outstanding compliance with rules and regulations. “Of those, a driver honestly returned Dh100,000 of a Saudi businessman who was on visit visa to the country,” he said.

It is of great importance to identify the vehicle the commuter was travelling in. “Some complainants were unable to give information on the colour of the taxi, the franchise company, or even the uniform of the cabby.

Some others did not keep the ticket and forget the tariff they paid. And many of them failed to report the lost item in time. Most of the complaints are received 24 hours after the item is lost,” he said.

Zamzam urged passengers to be more cautious while taking a taxi, and check their seat before getting off. “Passengers are also advised to pay attention to the colour of the taxi and driver’s uniform as every company has a distinct colour. They should also keep the receipt of the tariff to better identify the taxi and find the items lost in a short time.”

Once the taxi passenger fails to identify the taxi, the customer service centre of Sharjah Transport has no other option but to track the meters of all 4,510 taxis running on the emirate’s roads to reach the right one.

“Such a process takes a long time, therefore, a sticker is placed opposite the passenger’s seat on all Sharjah taxis to help commuters identify the taxi they are travelling in,” Zamzam said, adding that customer service centre may be reached round the clock at 700067000.

ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com