My question is, will this also apply to someone who is merely transporting a friend
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/545469-d ... xi-drivers
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) issued a warning on Monday that it will fine and deport unlicensed motorists posing as taxi drivers, following an increase in “passenger smuggling” in 2008.
The new initiative was announced after 13 people were expelled from the UAE for picking up passengers in unlicenced vehicles last year.
A clampdown was ordered following a review of the problem by the RTA. The transport body is working with the Dubai Police and the Naturalisation and Residency Department to tackle the issue.
First time passenger smugglers were fined AED5,000 while repeat offenders received AED10,000 penalties, according to Jawad Sajwani, the director of franchise and enforcement at RTA Public Transport Agency.
“This phenomenon inflicts material losses on private franchise companies providing taxi services, and also slanders the corporate standing of the RTA as a service provider seeking to deliver the best services conforming to the latest methods and best practices worldwide,” he said.
“The joint crackdown campaigns launched in association with the concerned bodies resulted in taking deterrent measures against offenders, higher levels of compliance on the part of the general public as well as offenders, and more respect to inspectors, thanks to the cooperation of policemen with the inspectors of the agency,” he added.
“It was noticeable during the campaign that the explicit and conventional methods of passenger smuggling have gradually disappeared and the public refrained from assembling at the places where that phenomenon was rampant.”