ABU DHABI 31 Mar 2010 Government introduces taxi service just for women 

Women in Abu Dhabi will soon have taxis available for their exclusive use and for their children under 10. The emirate's taxi regulator, TransAd, promised in January that a fleet of so-called ladies' taxis will be on the streets by the end of March. The 70 pink-and-lavender taxis will be driven by women. Women passengers had complained about taxi drivers trying to strike up unwanted conversations during a trip, according to reports about the new service in Zawya and The National.

The ladies' taxis will be linked to the taxi regulator's communication center, which will monitor them to ensure the female passengers' safety and security.

The emirate already has some 50 women taxi drivers, according to an official quoted in Zawya, but men with their families are allowed to travel in those taxis. "In ladies' taxis, men will not be allowed to travel with their families," he explained.

Women-only taxi services already operate in Dubai, Beirut, Tehran, Damascus and Kuwait. Jan/10

RELATED READING:

Women only taxis begin in March (Zawya 28 Mar 2010)
http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidGN_27012010_280130/Women%20only%20taxis%20begin%
20in%20March%20in%20Abu%20Dhabi

"Lavender" taxi service to start for women in Abu Dhabi (The National 28 Jan 2010)
http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100128/NATIONAL/701279847/0/BUSINESS