After 11:00pm, the only legal taxis will be normal, four-wheeled automobiles, such as the one pictured at this roundabout in Hawassa. The Transport Office of Hawassa Town gave three-wheeler taxi services a curfew of 11:00pm on Tuesday, August 31, 2010, citing the prevalence of crime and recurrence of traffic accidents in connection with the service providers.

The restriction was imposed on the taxis after the office held discussions with members of the public, according to Tesfaye Demise (Sgt), an official at the Transport Office's Road Traffic Safety Certification Process Unit (RTSCPU). Several reasons prompted the office to introduce the curfew.

"The drivers are ill-mannered and engage in robbery late at night," Tesfaye told Fortune. "They also hike their tariffs and some drive without a driver's license." The three-wheeler taxis, which have only one headlight, cause several traffic accidents per night, according to Tesfaye.

Zegeye Melaku, 38, an owner and driver of a three-wheeler, hires a driver from 6:00am to 6:00pm and earns an income of 80 Br to 90 Br after deducting expenses for fuel and the driver's fee.

From 7:00pm to 2:00am he drives the three-wheeler himself. He charges as much as 20 Br, particularly after 9:00pm, for a single trip, he said. He earns an average of 100 Br to 150 Br from Monday to Thursday, while he can make up to 200 Br per day from Friday to Sunday.

"It is true; there are these problems," said Zegeye. "However, not all three-wheeler drivers are to blame for this."

Many security breaches occur at night and are mainly caused by three-wheeler drivers and their accomplices, according to Tesfaye Debis, head of the city police department.

Tano Ayele, 31, works at a family grocery store during the day and drives his family's three-wheeler from 7:00pm to 1:00am. He earns an average of 150 Br to 200 Br per night, while the family makes only 100 Br by using a hired driver during the day, he said.

"It is totally unfair to blame all three-wheeler drivers for the security issue while allowing Lada chauffeurs to continue business as usual," Tano complained.

The Transport Office has sent letters to all of the eight district police departments in the town to enforce the new regulation. However, the city police have been charging drivers for providing services as early as 9:00pm, and owners and drivers complained.

The city police charge us in the range of 100 Br to 200 Br without issuing us tickets," said Zegeye in frustration. "There is no justification for this."

Three-wheeler taxis assist the committing of crimes, many residents say. However, most question the rationality of the curfew.

"It is not logical to put all drivers in this category," Solomon Tariku, a resident of the town, told Fortune. "In particular, the measures being taken by the city police from as early as 9:00pm are causing transportation problems for the public."

"The law is clear, and measures will be taken against service providers after 11:00pm," said Tesfaye of the RTSCPU. "The office will communicate with the police department to ensure the proper enforcement of the law."

Prevention of crime in the town of Hawassa is proving to be a challenging task for the city police department.

"The police are working hard to prevent crimes," Tesfaye, of the police department, told Fortune. "However, it has become very difficult to prevent crimes that are committed around every corner of the town late at night, due to the great number of three-wheeler taxis."

Three-wheeler taxis started providing services in Hawassa nearly three years ago and are currently the main means of transportation, numbering 3,000.