Many commuters who do not have their own vehicles prefer to hire 'taxis' that are illegally operated here by some private car owners. "Their fare is little more than Karwa taxis but they are readily available," a passenger said. Conveniently accessible at shopping centres and souqs, these 叢rivate taxis・normally charge QR10 to QR25 for inside-Doha routes and up to QR50 for off-Doha destinations. They may ask for more during rush hours and night-time. A passenger who once attended a function at the Diplomatic Club said, "I called Karwa at 12 noon trying to reserve a 1.30pm trip, but the operator told me all taxis were booked and the next taxi would only be available at 6pm. He suggested a limo service which was very expensive, so I called up a 叢rivate taxi・and it came quickly." "Whether we accept it or not there is taxi shortage in Doha and we need these illegal taxis to survive especially during these extremely hot and humid months. I won't risk my life waiting for a Karwa taxi in the hot sun," a concerned resident living in Al Aziziya said. There is also high demand for private taxis as transport for employees and students on regular basis. In fact, some prospective customers even post advertisements on a number of websites. The monthly rates range from QR500 to QR1,000 depending on the distance. Illegal taxi business is seen as so lucrative that some low-paid employees are buying cars on loans and are using them as 叢rivate taxis・after their duty hours and on their off days, considerably augmenting their meagre monthly incomes. One illegal taxi operator even claims that he earns three times the salary he receives from the private company he works for. The Pen

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