This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/7747677.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Taxi revolution on Tehran streets | Taxi revolution on Tehran streets |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| By Jim Muir BBC News, Tehran Advertisement | By Jim Muir BBC News, Tehran Advertisement |
| The bright green women's taxis are an increasingly familiar sight in Tehran | The bright green women's taxis are an increasingly familiar sight in Tehran |
| When Roqaya Khalili wants to visit friends or relatives, or do the weekly shopping at the supermarket, she picks up the phone and dials a four-digit number. | When Roqaya Khalili wants to visit friends or relatives, or do the weekly shopping at the supermarket, she picks up the phone and dials a four-digit number. |
| A few minutes later, a bright green taxi draws up outside Roqaya's home in a suburb of west Tehran. | A few minutes later, a bright green taxi draws up outside Roqaya's home in a suburb of west Tehran. |
| At the wheel is Sahar Foghani, one of around 700 women cab drivers in Tehran who are making a living, or supplementing the family income, working for a taxi agency run by women, for women. | At the wheel is Sahar Foghani, one of around 700 women cab drivers in Tehran who are making a living, or supplementing the family income, working for a taxi agency run by women, for women. |
| It's a scenario that would be unthinkable in nearby Saudi Arabia, where women are banned from driving. | It's a scenario that would be unthinkable in nearby Saudi Arabia, where women are banned from driving. |
| Women's rights in Iran may have some way to go. | Women's rights in Iran may have some way to go. |
| But they are free to go out on their own, to drive their own vehicles, or to take taxis driven by men if they like. | But they are free to go out on their own, to drive their own vehicles, or to take taxis driven by men if they like. |
| 'Better drivers' | 'Better drivers' |
| The service handles 2,500 customers a day and is growing quickly | The service handles 2,500 customers a day and is growing quickly |
| But Roqaya Khalili is one of around 40,000 registered customers who prefer to move around in cabs with women in the driving seat. | But Roqaya Khalili is one of around 40,000 registered customers who prefer to move around in cabs with women in the driving seat. |
| "I feel safer in a woman's taxi, from all points of view," she says. | "I feel safer in a woman's taxi, from all points of view," she says. |
| "A lot of the men drivers are young and impatient, and they're not disciplined. Women are simply better drivers." | "A lot of the men drivers are young and impatient, and they're not disciplined. Women are simply better drivers." |
| That's a view with which Sahar Foghani, battling daily with Tehran's traffic jams and antisocial driving habits, clearly agrees. | That's a view with which Sahar Foghani, battling daily with Tehran's traffic jams and antisocial driving habits, clearly agrees. |
| "I've been driving for nearly two years now, and have never had a bump, or a violation ticket," she says. | "I've been driving for nearly two years now, and have never had a bump, or a violation ticket," she says. |
| Sahar has two teenage children, and says she took to the roads to help her husband make ends meet in harsh economic times. | Sahar has two teenage children, and says she took to the roads to help her husband make ends meet in harsh economic times. |
| "It's tough on the kids, as they're often stuck at home on their own, but they've been really helpful," she says. | "It's tough on the kids, as they're often stuck at home on their own, but they've been really helpful," she says. |
| Like 70% of the drivers working for Women's Taxis, Sahar owns her own car, buying it off the company in instalments. | Like 70% of the drivers working for Women's Taxis, Sahar owns her own car, buying it off the company in instalments. |
| "I can pay off the car over 60 months, so this is an investment as well as providing some extra income," Sahar says. | "I can pay off the car over 60 months, so this is an investment as well as providing some extra income," Sahar says. |
| Women learn basic maintenance such as how to change a tyre | |
| "Tehran traffic is really heavy, so you have to love driving to do this job," she adds. | "Tehran traffic is really heavy, so you have to love driving to do this job," she adds. |
| High gear | High gear |
| The agency's control centre on the southern edge of Tehran handles about 2,500 jobs a day. | The agency's control centre on the southern edge of Tehran handles about 2,500 jobs a day. |
| Customers phone in to the centre, and their details are sent out by radio to whichever of the cabs is closest to the address concerned. | Customers phone in to the centre, and their details are sent out by radio to whichever of the cabs is closest to the address concerned. |
| At the centre, the women drivers are also given lessons in basic car maintenance and such essentials as how to change a burst tire. | At the centre, the women drivers are also given lessons in basic car maintenance and such essentials as how to change a burst tire. |
| All the operators at the centre are women too. | All the operators at the centre are women too. |
| But the concept was the brainchild of a man, Mohsen Uruji, who says he spotted a gap in Tehran's transport system. | But the concept was the brainchild of a man, Mohsen Uruji, who says he spotted a gap in Tehran's transport system. |
| "What was missing was a role for women," he says. | "What was missing was a role for women," he says. |
| "By setting up this purely private sector company, we've been able to provide jobs for many women, as well as a service for other women who want to travel around in a more relaxed way." | "By setting up this purely private sector company, we've been able to provide jobs for many women, as well as a service for other women who want to travel around in a more relaxed way." |
| All the operators at the call centre are women too | All the operators at the call centre are women too |
| Many of the drivers are war widows or divorcees who really need the work, and are referred to the agency by some of the big welfare foundations. | Many of the drivers are war widows or divorcees who really need the work, and are referred to the agency by some of the big welfare foundations. |
| The project has mushroomed. | The project has mushroomed. |
| "We started off with 10 ten cars," says Mr Uruji. | "We started off with 10 ten cars," says Mr Uruji. |
| "Now we have 700, and plan to expand to 2,000 in Tehran, as well as opening up in other cities." | "Now we have 700, and plan to expand to 2,000 in Tehran, as well as opening up in other cities." |
| Ahead of the pack | Ahead of the pack |
| Many of the customers are of course highly conservative Muslim women who feel uncomfortable travelling alone in a vehicle with an unknown man at the wheel. | Many of the customers are of course highly conservative Muslim women who feel uncomfortable travelling alone in a vehicle with an unknown man at the wheel. |
| So in that respect, the service is catering to traditional tastes. | So in that respect, the service is catering to traditional tastes. |
| The business provides much-needed income for widows and divorcees At the same time though, it is giving the women drivers the opportunity to get out there and earn some money in a profession which even in most western countries is often regarded as something of a male preserve. | |
| The concept seems to have caught on and identified a real need. | The concept seems to have caught on and identified a real need. |
| So the bright green taxis driven by Sahar Foghani and others have become an increasingly familiar sight, forging their way through the horrendous traffic jams that are such a dominant feature of life in Tehran. | So the bright green taxis driven by Sahar Foghani and others have become an increasingly familiar sight, forging their way through the horrendous traffic jams that are such a dominant feature of life in Tehran. |