We explore these questions and others in this podcast episode. We’ve brought in some expert help: Stella is a sociologist and has thrown herself into the hustle and bustle of Beirut city traffic for her research. She talks about her personal encounters and gives us an insight into the (everyday) life of taxi drivers in the Lebanese capital.
Taking a taxi in Lebanon can be an adventurous endeavor. For us Germans, the lack of a seatbelt alone often makes us feel uneasy. However, if you don’t have your own car in Lebanon, you have to rely on taxis, buses and minivans. After all, there is no official public transport system in Beirut. Shared taxis, known as “services”, are therefore a good alternative for getting around the city cheaply. Anyone who has had the pleasure of living in Lebanon and regularly travelling by taxi may have wondered whether it is possible to make a living from “cheap” taxi fares in expensive Beirut and what the taxi sticker is all about.