TAXI drivers have expressed fears over smart meters set to be installed in their vehicles, which they claim could invade their privacy.
Bahrain’s Transportation and Telecommunications Ministry had recently called for tenders to procure smart meters for the vehicles.
According to the tender, the supplier will also need to develop a taxi monitoring system to track vehicle movement through GPS or GPRS – which should be integrated in to a Central Taxi Tracking and Monitoring System.
Mr Al Barboori
However, Public Transport Drivers Society chairman Mohammed Al Barboori vehemently opposed the plan, claiming that the new meters would invade the privacy of at least 987 Bahraini taxi drivers and their customers.
He suggested the creation of a mobile app to track and streamline their services.
“This (smart meter) is a violation of the privacy of the driver and customer,” he said.
“Taxis are sometimes used by their owners to transport family members and the majority of customers refuse to be photographed or monitored.
“The world is technologically developing and mobile applications are being used by many businesses, including taxis. Payment can be calculated electronically.”
Application
According to Mr Al Barboori, the society has met the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and the Transportation and Telecommunications Ministry as part of efforts to develop a mobile application for Bahrain’s taxis.
He suggested that a percentage of transportation fare could even be deposited in the government’s coffers, which could serve as an additional source of income for the country.
“Foreign apps being used in Bahrain such as Uber and Careem take at least 30 per cent of the transportation fee abroad. That can be brought back to our country through a local application,” he said.
“This way the entire transportation process is transferred to the telephones of the driver and passenger, without the need for a smart meter.
“The ministry’s plan to change meters is just a trade deal being imposed on these poor people.”
When contacted, ministry officials told the GDN that they could not comment on an ongoing tender procedure.
“The supplier would be responsible to develop the Central Taxi Tracking and Monitoring System (CTTMS) under this project’s scope of work, and one-year maintenance will be required for all taxi meters and the CCTMS,” added the ministry in the official tender document.
“The meter should be digitalised and integrated with the main control room system and embedded with a GPS tracker.
“It should be able to send the status and working condition on a periodic basis to the control room web applications.”
The closing date of the tender is October 20, and applicants must have a company turnover of $10 million from sales of equipment over the last five years.
Taxi drivers have been severely hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The GDN reported in November that demand continues to dwindle as the Covid-19 crisis drastically cuts the number of people hailing a ride.
Mr Al Barboori had earlier said that around 1,500 taxi drivers, including pick-ups, have been facing troubled times since March last year.
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