Dear Cairo Taxi Drivers, I read an article in the newspaper a few days ago and it made me angry. I had to write and tell you why. The article said that there were traffic problems in Mohandiseen because you were demonstrating against Uber and Careem. In taking this action, you are following the taxi drivers of many cities across the world who object to being undercut, mainly by Uber. I think some of the arguments put forward have merit, particularly around licensing. Before I moved to Cairo from the UK six months ago, I had read that taxis here are plentiful and cheap, and I have found this to be true. So why would I use Uber or Careem? Well, I want you to know that I really did try to use you once I arrived, but you made it so hard and inconvenient that eventually I gave up. Are you interested to know why? Because it has nothing to do with cost or the number of taxis – because they certainly are cheap, and there seems to be thousands of them on the roads. If you are so…
An Open Letter to Egypt’s Taxi Drivers, From a Foreigner Living in Cairo
March 16, 2016
