Our dear special hire taxis

Often I am amazed when being told a fare I am supposed to pay to a certain place. Not that at most times I am going far, but these taxi drivers seem to be money hungry all the time. It beats me, not that he is going to drive you around in a classy ride like a Mercedes Benz. And talking of rides, these small Toyota 5-people passenger carriers are not phasing out with today’s motor fashion trend. They are just by far the only ones around for the many of special hire travellers in this country. Take Desh, 25, a special hire taxi driver, in a good week he can make a good 30,000 Rwandan francs which he hands in to his boss. With such a vehicle, he says fuel consumption isn’t that taxing and if one has the right business mind, he or she can make good money. Then I ask him, what kind of businessman would suggest an abnormal price to a customer well knowing that he is not offering luxury? He denies the fact that the prices they suggest are quite puzzling saying that the high standards of living in the country are the ones to blame. Paint a vivid picture in your mind where by you wouldn’t have to travel in a local taxi just because the cab is too expensive and has nothing in it that keeps you desirous of it. I think it goes with the era, however, in the near future when most of the Rwandans will be well-off, cabs will be plenty and not only will they be the small Toyotas, but also welcoming the Benz class of vehicles will be an awesome privilege. Call me obsessed with luxurious cars but it ends up being boring moving in a car that is just a car. No offence, but some things at most times miss like the interior surround while playing music or when the car runs over a pothole, it becomes too bumpy a journey. I am thereby spreading the propaganda that cabs have to be more luxurious than what they are now. After all, they are already expensive and making them luxurious will not make them any cheaper? Instead, the daily customers who take these cabs would have a good reason for spending their money rather than use the usual local mini-buses. With a BMW cab, Desh will instead take home 30,000 in a day than work for the latter amount of cash for a whole week. To better cabs in the future! Email: benjis07@yahoo.co.uk