AKEED, Wasfi Khushman

The Jordanian Media Credibility Monitor (AKEED) has observed disharmony between the popular mood and local and external press coverage of the question of yellow taxi drivers. The media has highlighted the sit-ins by those drivers and their suffering, which is due to the fact that they work for taxi owners, who charge them a fixed amount that has to be paid at the end of the day. Besides, the drivers are not covered by social security and health insurance. In spite of this, there has been no public sympathy. In fact, many comments on the press coverage or social interactive platforms have "gloated" over the situation of those drivers.

Users of interactive platforms do not care much about the question of not deciding on the legality of "smart transport applications" or the official statements that have set this week as a deadline by the government for licensing ride-hailing companies.  

The AKEED Monitor noticed that some sites have been intensifying their coverage, which is critical of two ride-hailing companies. It also observed a decline in the number of reports that highlight the disadvantages of yellow cabs. However, some sites published opinion pieces that spoke about this matter.

The weak public sympathy with the question of yellow cabs, besides government promises to legalize smart transport applications, could be behind canceling the sit-in and the reported "mass suicide" that was decided last Thursday. This was clear in launching an initiative for free rides that includes some areas in the capital, Amman.

Dr. Ismat Hoso, professor of sociology and head of the Gender Center for Social, Feminist Consultations and Training, considered feelings of gloating to be negative human nature, which appears when a person is hurt. She explained that public opinion is unsympathetic with yellow taxi drivers due to "its past suffering because of them."

Hoso added: "We are living in an age of distinction in service. When the same service is available at the same cost, the public goes for it, regardless of what news sites focus on, as these sites are interested in appealing news first and foremost."

She went on to say: "The media is required to not be content with publishing the demands of cab drivers or owners and their sit-ins. It should highlight viewpoints and call for improving services because survival is for the fittest."

Earlier this year, some sites had published a statement by an official at one of the two ride-hailing companies, in which he spoke about the problem of transport in the Kingdom. He said that the driver and citizen are both wronged.

The AKEED Monitor called Lawyer Ahmad Salah Al Najdawi, legal adviser of Careem, who said that "the public mood is in favor of Uber and Careem." This reflects on what is published on social interactive platforms. He said that there is also support for the two companies in the media sector with the exception of some "controlled" sites, as he put it.

Al Najdawi said that the new instructions are trying to strike a balance between yellow cabs and the two ride-hailing companies. He added that these instructions "are immature and do not meet ambitions," especially since the company provides job opportunities for youth and university students.

He expressed his belief that these instructions would take things back to square one and that the experience of "yellow cabs" would be repeated in terms of the monopoly over licenses and returning to the old system whereby the taxi driver pays the owner a fixed sum of money at the end of the day, which will not be positive for the citizen or for the level of service. He called for forming a comprehensive national committee to solve the problems of the transport sector in general.

By checking what is published about Uber and Careem on Wikipedia, we see that Uber was founded in the United States in 2009. Protests against it were organized in Paris, London, Berlin, Madrid, Jakarta, and other cities. The site explains the legal status of the company in many countries around the world. It is banned, as is the situation in Germany and Denmark; the number of drivers is limited, as is the situation in India; only licensed drivers can be used, as is the situation in Spain; or it is allowed to operate within the laws of the state, as is the situation in Dubai.

The same applies to Careem, a company based in Dubai and founded in 2012. The company was met with protests by taxi drivers.