LEBANON: Women-only taxi service opens for business in Beirut

Record ID: 427692

  • Title: LEBANON: Women-only taxi service opens for business in Beirut
  • Date: 27th March 2009
  • Summary: BEIRUT, LEBANON (RECENT) (REUTERS) LEBANESE WOMAN TAXI DRIVER JANET WALKING TOWARDS PINK TAXI CAR CLOSE OF JANET REVERSING OUT OF DRIVEWAY JANET DRIVING IN THE CAR JANET'S HAND ON AUTOMATIC GEAR STICK VARIOUS OF JANET DRIVING HER TAXI WOMEN TALKING IN INTERIOR OF OFFICE FOR WOMAN TAXI SERVICE CLOSE OF FEMALE EMPLOYEES SIGN READING (English): "Nayaghi Banet Taxi" (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OWNER AND MANAGER OF ''BANET TAXI'', NAWAL YAGHI, SAYING: "I liked the idea of a taxi for women. I searched for women to drive taxis but it was hard to find, so I put a job vacancy ad in the newspaper and there was a positive response so I decided to continue as a specialised taxi company for ladies with women drivers.'' YAGHI TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OWNER AND MANAGER OF ''BANET TAXI'', NAWAL YAGHI, SAYING: "I totally didn't expect this much response from the ground. I didn't think we'd have customers from the second day of work. I discovered that a lot of people need this kind of taxi service and thank God our business is going very well. And we are now thinking of adding more cars.'' VARIOUS OF UNIVERSITY STUDENT EFABIENNE GETTING INTO TAXI CAR (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EFABIENNE, STUDENT IN THE LEBANESE UNIVERSITY, SAYING: "It's really good. We have been suffering from this issue because not all men taxi drivers are nice whilst the girls are kind. I encourage all women to use their service because they are really nice. This is my third day using their service and I'm very relaxed." DRIVER JANET AND EFABIENNE IN THE TAXI (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) JANET, WOMAN TAXI DRIVER, SAYING: "They are happier than you can imagine, they feel very comfortable and happy being driven by a lady slowly and calmly. I mean, with all due respect to men drivers here." TAXI CAR LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 11th April 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Lebanon
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Topics: Lifestyle,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVAA7GG3GX8PI2EEI8JR5DC1OE84
  • Story Text: Women in Beirut have begun to enjoy a brand new service tailored just for them -- all-women taxis.
    The new cab company was launched by entrepreneur Nawal Yaghi this month, complete with a set of sleek pink Peugeot cars and women drivers in pink ties.
    The owner of ''Banet Taxi'', meaning taxi for girls in Arabic, says despite some initial difficulties to launch the business, great demand for the service has seen it propel to instant success.
    "I liked the idea of a taxi for women. I searched for women to drive taxis but it was hard to find, so I put a job vacancy ad in the newspaper and there was a positive response so I decided to continue as a specialised taxi company for ladies with women drivers,'' she said at her office in Beirut's eastern suburb of Mtaytleb.
    ''Banet Taxi'' is the first women-only taxi service in the country. Men are banned from using the service alone and can only do so when they are accompanying female relatives.
    Yaghi says she is planning on expanding the service quickly to meet growing demand.
    "I totally didn't expect this much response from the ground. I didn't think we'd have customers from the second day of work. I discovered that a lot of people need this kind of taxi service and thank God our business is going very well. And we are now thinking of adding more cars," she added.
    Tourism officials hope a service of this nature will help improve the country's image after several years of political turmoil has scared many tourists away. The new taxis are also expected to appeal greatly to religious women, from inside Lebanon and from Gulf countries that adhere to a culture of strict segregation.
    Efabienne, a university student, is now a regular with the taxi company.
    "It's really good. We have been suffering from this issue because not all men taxi drivers are nice whilst the girls are kind. I encourage all women to use their service because they are really nice. This is my third day using their service and I'm very relaxed,'' she said, as she sat in the taxi waiting to be driven to university.
    Janet, one of the drivers at the company, says her customers appreciate her calm driving in streets dominated by aggressive and erratic drivers.
    "They are happier than you can imagine, they feel very comfortable and happy being driven by a lady slowly and calmly. I mean, with all due respect to men drivers here."
    In February, Bahrain launched the "Family Taxi", a London style cab driven by women.
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