As the popularity of private taxi companies including Uber and Careem rises in Egypt, white-taxi drivers have launched numerous campaigns to regain the trust of passengers. Amid fears of losing income and profits being channeled out of the Egyptian economy, drivers feel these private companies are pulling the rug from under their feet. On the flipside, some ministers believe the public are voting with their feet looking to private companies for safe, reliable services that white-taxis often fail to provide.
“We have kicked off these campaigns as a response to harsh criticism in the media, who are giving the impression that all of us are corrupt. I admit you do see violations and improper practice from many taxi drivers. In this campaign we are attempting to educate such drivers to build civilized relationships with clients,” Hamada Abdel Latief (40), white-taxi driver and member of the unofficial Association for White-Taxi Drivers said.
