Lebanon?s public ride-share drivers fear livelihood crash

Fuel shortages and petrol price rises threaten to grind Lebanon’s public transport system to a halt.Beirut, Lebanon – For the first time in more than 10 years, Khaled Abou Sleiman recently stopped driving his public ride-share van from the northern province Akkar to Beirut every day, saying he struggled to cover his vehicle’s skyrocketing running costs.In fact, he said he loses more money driving the van than by staying at home without work. “I’m almost certain we will eventually get fee hikes to ease the situation a bit,” Al Fadous told Al Jazeera, but admitted riders would likely get upset.“They will probably complain because their salaries aren’t worth much any more – some people once had great salaries but are now worth about $100 today.”In the meantime, he and other shared taxi, minibus, and van drivers anxiously wait.“Where is the state?” is the common phrase among them.For years, Lebanon’s semi-regulated transport network has been a lifeline for workers who cannot afford their own cars.Civil society organisations such as Riders’ Rights say that with proper planning and management, drivers can build on their livelihoods while also expanding access for commuters across the country.“Drivers and passengers are both left to fend for themselves during this situation, and are suffering from this instability,” Riders’ Rights co-founder Chadi Faraj told Al Jazeera.“Instead of spending billions on fuel subsidies, the authorities could invest in sustainable public transport, expand its geographic reach, improve its quality, and make it more efficient.”