Coping with change

One of the key characteristics of a progressive society is its capacity to deal with new developments. 

As life moves forward people must adapt, accept and live with new concepts that appear, from technology, lifestyle changes, new ways of thinking and changing services.

In Jordan, one of the major hindrances to the development process is the lack of a decent, well-organised and modern transportation system. 

Even what we call public buses are in most cases privately operated services that function as a public service with no systematic plan, timetable or set routes. 

Most do not even follow the laws of the road or accepted rules of driving.

Ignoring this and the inadequate infrastructure will eventually lead to more catastrophes like the recent one that happened to university students on the Mafraq-Irbid Highway.

The problem of transportation in Jordan is not new, but it is increasingly difficult to ignore. 

Jordanians are totally dependent on their cars for almost every aspect of their lives, and as a result, there is rarely a car with more than two passengers on the road.

We lack a decent alternative and traffic congestion is worsening every day.

Another resulting problem is the availability and usability of taxis.

Many of us experienced denial of service when the drives asks for the destination and assesses the value of the trip before accepting to take the fare; that is, if one can even find a taxi, especially at certain hours and when it is raining. 

Very often cab drivers do not know how to get to the destination, and the quality and condition of many taxis leaves much to be desired.

These issues also often leads to high pricing, off-meter fares and drivers asking exorbitant rates, especially of foreigners. 

We also see many cases of radical driver attitudes, as well as verbal and sexual harassment. 

Our transport problems cannot be solved without control over the system, which would also have a positive impact from a security perspective. 

We need a new service that addresses these issues.

Recently, new and efficient transportation services like Uber and Careem were launched. 

This new service was expected to trigger anger amongst existing taxi drivers, but instead, it seems the government — which has for so long failed to provide the needed services — is now working against this new operator, instead of seizing the opportunity to improve the whole industry and the quality of transportation in the country.

It is a real shame to see our country fighting progress and development. 

Prison is not the answer to freedom of speech in the same way that it is not the answer to services like this, which are booming in other countries, including in our region, and changing the nature of transportation. 

The solution is not to put people in jail or seize their cars, it is to compromise and facilitate progress through new laws and regulations.

If we could learn to accept and embrace new services like this, we would see improvement and development not only in transportation, but across industries and our society. 

It is time the government considered adopting and embracing new technologies and new solutions to problems that will make a huge difference and bring improvement to the lives of Jordanians. 

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