Drivers working on yellow taxis have demanded that they be allowed to install surveillance cameras inside their vehicles to document the details of their daily passenger transport trips.
Drivers say they sometimes have disputes with passengers of various kinds, and the presence of surveillance cameras would provide a means of protection for both drivers and passengers.
The head of the taxi and public transport office owners’ syndicate, Muhammad Al-Hadid, said on Wednesday that the camera recordings inside medium-sized transport vehicles will be linked to official authorities.
He spoke about the union's work on a yellow taxi application that includes vehicle tracking and driver evaluation.
He added that no driver can delete recordings from cameras inside vehicles.
He stressed that the recordings will not be available to drivers, but will be under the supervision of competent official bodies, such as the Land Transport Regulatory Commission, the Greater Amman Municipality and the Public Security Directorate, in order to ensure the protection of privacy and prevent the misuse of the recordings.
“There will be coordination with the Traffic Department and the Licensing Department regarding the installation of cameras and their type,” according to Al-Hadid, who said that the cameras are for the protection of the driver and passenger.
Al-Hadid explained that the union supports the move towards installing cameras and tracking systems, stressing that the main goal is to protect both the driver and the passenger, and not to infringe on privacy.