Taxi cabs: Sunny-side up
Karachi’s Nissan Sunny B110 taxis may be old but they are never idle.
Karachi’s Nissan Sunny B110 taxis may be old but they are never idle. PHOTO: BY ATHAR KHAN, DESIGN BY ASIF ALI
They are a little older than the Hudood Ordinance and almost everyone has ridden in them at least once in their lifetime. Despite their age, Karachi’s black and yellow cabs still churn their way through the city’s hellish traffic. Their drivers dance between first and second gears as their passengers ricochet about in the back, trying to hold on to their dignity robbed in no small part by the springs in the back seat.
The Japanese Nissan Sunny B110 1200cc gasoline engine cabs, also known as the Datsun 1200 and Datsun GL, were introduced in Karachi in 1970, and were known for their durability, strength, affordability and low maintenance. The federal government decided that if you wanted to acquire a fitness certificate for one, it had to be painted black and yellow, which is how the colours stuck.
Although it faced resistance at first from the British Morris, this model managed to slowly overtake its competitor in the market. “Morris cars were heavy and had a strong road grip which [is] why everybody liked [them],” explains Hafizul Haq Hasanzai, the 65-year-old chairman of the Karachi Taxis, Rickshaws and Yellow Cabs Owners Association, whose grandfather was in the transport business in pre-Partition Bombay. “When the Datsun Bluebird and Datsun 1200 came, people were reluctant to buy them because of their light weight, weak body and somewhat weak engines. But, people who bought them [then] are rich now.”
The association still has around 26,000 Nissan Sunny B110s, the original 1970 model. Back then they cost Rs18,000 but today they cost between Rs100,000 to Rs300,000, depending on their condition. “I got my first brand new Datsun GL in 1970 [for] Rs18,200. It was saving Rs100 per day which was very good at that time because of the value of the Pakistani currency and the low fuel prices,” says Hasanzai. And once people realised these models were better in terms of maneuverability and mileage, they became all the rage.
As with all good things, though, the popularity of this line also came to an end. The spike in prices after 1972 made the newer Datsun models less attractive. And so today if you see one, it is most likely to be the original model that was imported in later years as a reconditioned car.
These cabs have Nissan’s A12-series engines of 1.2 litres (1,171 cc), with a MacPherson strut front suspension, making them economical and an ideal choice for public transport. The front wheels have disk brakes while the rear wheels have drum brakes. The car also has a four-speed gearbox.
Although spare parts can be easily found, only a few mechanics have mastered the skill of repairing this classic car. The mechanics at Patel Para and Banaras are relatively well-known for their work. Given how old they are, these taxis need repairs about once a month. Even if your engine is well oiled it can still cost you up to Rs7,000 for upkeep.
The engines have also been modified over time. While a majority of the black and yellow taxis have converted to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) since the government started encouraging it as a fuel, some of them also run on Liquefied Petroleum Gas. The government’s push to convert to CNG meant, however, that other public transport also got on the bandwagon, creating stiff competition. “CNG rickshaws have grabbed half our passengers, [leaving] only airport passengers and hospital patients,” says 63-year-old Saeed Nawab Haider (photographed above), who has been driving a black and yellow taxi in Karachi for over 40 years. “Women were our [primary] customers, but now they prefer CNG rickshaws instead, regardless of the dangers [associated] with them.” Haider has never made enough to buy his own taxi which is why he has had to work for over a dozen owners in his career. “The day you fail to make enough money, the owner tells you that he is giving the taxi to his relative and you have to search for another master,” he says.
Most drivers struggle these days and did away with the meter system the minute inflation didn’t keep up with fuel prices. They may charge as little as Rs200 for the Saddar to Sea View trip. “I make Rs800 to Rs1,000 a day if the city is peaceful… but sometimes we have to give [away] everything we make [at gunpoint],” says 40-year-old Shafiullah, who lives in Ittehad Town with his six children. Sometimes he makes as little as Rs200 a day. Drivers have to log in hours behind the wheel depending on their family’s needs. As Shafiullah puts it: “Sometimes, I have to drive the car all day and night to make ends meet.” So next time you decide to take a black and yellow cab, tip generously. It keeps history alive.
Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, September 29th, 2013.
The Japanese Nissan Sunny B110 1200cc gasoline engine cabs, also known as the Datsun 1200 and Datsun GL, were introduced in Karachi in 1970, and were known for their durability, strength, affordability and low maintenance. The federal government decided that if you wanted to acquire a fitness certificate for one, it had to be painted black and yellow, which is how the colours stuck.
Although it faced resistance at first from the British Morris, this model managed to slowly overtake its competitor in the market. “Morris cars were heavy and had a strong road grip which [is] why everybody liked [them],” explains Hafizul Haq Hasanzai, the 65-year-old chairman of the Karachi Taxis, Rickshaws and Yellow Cabs Owners Association, whose grandfather was in the transport business in pre-Partition Bombay. “When the Datsun Bluebird and Datsun 1200 came, people were reluctant to buy them because of their light weight, weak body and somewhat weak engines. But, people who bought them [then] are rich now.”
The association still has around 26,000 Nissan Sunny B110s, the original 1970 model. Back then they cost Rs18,000 but today they cost between Rs100,000 to Rs300,000, depending on their condition. “I got my first brand new Datsun GL in 1970 [for] Rs18,200. It was saving Rs100 per day which was very good at that time because of the value of the Pakistani currency and the low fuel prices,” says Hasanzai. And once people realised these models were better in terms of maneuverability and mileage, they became all the rage.
As with all good things, though, the popularity of this line also came to an end. The spike in prices after 1972 made the newer Datsun models less attractive. And so today if you see one, it is most likely to be the original model that was imported in later years as a reconditioned car.
These cabs have Nissan’s A12-series engines of 1.2 litres (1,171 cc), with a MacPherson strut front suspension, making them economical and an ideal choice for public transport. The front wheels have disk brakes while the rear wheels have drum brakes. The car also has a four-speed gearbox.
Although spare parts can be easily found, only a few mechanics have mastered the skill of repairing this classic car. The mechanics at Patel Para and Banaras are relatively well-known for their work. Given how old they are, these taxis need repairs about once a month. Even if your engine is well oiled it can still cost you up to Rs7,000 for upkeep.
The engines have also been modified over time. While a majority of the black and yellow taxis have converted to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) since the government started encouraging it as a fuel, some of them also run on Liquefied Petroleum Gas. The government’s push to convert to CNG meant, however, that other public transport also got on the bandwagon, creating stiff competition. “CNG rickshaws have grabbed half our passengers, [leaving] only airport passengers and hospital patients,” says 63-year-old Saeed Nawab Haider (photographed above), who has been driving a black and yellow taxi in Karachi for over 40 years. “Women were our [primary] customers, but now they prefer CNG rickshaws instead, regardless of the dangers [associated] with them.” Haider has never made enough to buy his own taxi which is why he has had to work for over a dozen owners in his career. “The day you fail to make enough money, the owner tells you that he is giving the taxi to his relative and you have to search for another master,” he says.
Most drivers struggle these days and did away with the meter system the minute inflation didn’t keep up with fuel prices. They may charge as little as Rs200 for the Saddar to Sea View trip. “I make Rs800 to Rs1,000 a day if the city is peaceful… but sometimes we have to give [away] everything we make [at gunpoint],” says 40-year-old Shafiullah, who lives in Ittehad Town with his six children. Sometimes he makes as little as Rs200 a day. Drivers have to log in hours behind the wheel depending on their family’s needs. As Shafiullah puts it: “Sometimes, I have to drive the car all day and night to make ends meet.” So next time you decide to take a black and yellow cab, tip generously. It keeps history alive.
Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, September 29th, 2013.