Gone are the days just a few years ago when UN and relief agency 4x4s seemed to dominate the potholed, mainly dirt streets of Khartoum.

Now, the city's newly paved roads are teeming with transport, including a wide variety of taxis.

Paying customers can hop white metre and "negotiable" yellow cabs, six-passenger amjats (mini-vans) or glorified four-seater motorbikes called tuktuks (rickshaws).

Amjats and tuktuks are the cheapest way of getting around the city and also easy to find. In abundance on the main streets, prospective passengers can wave their right hand up and down to hail them, if drivers haven't already stopped to ask if they need a lift.

"It's easy to use an Amjat when going downtown, (to the) taxi park, the airport or on a city tour because most of us are familiar with the roads and have fair prices," said amjat driver Fatti Elias. "And we can easily maneuver our way to take you there, compared to others."

Business is good, according to Mr. Elias, who earns an average of 150 SDG ($63) per day and has also managed to acquire a 14-passenger van. "But it (the van) is making less money compared to what I'm getting per day with the Amjat."

It helped if the driver spoke another language, like English, in attracting customers, said Mr. Elias. "Most of the Sudanese drivers (only speak) Arabic ... as it's widely spoken in the city, compared to any other languages."

Cheaper than the amjat, but slower and less stable on rutted roads, the Korean-made tuktuk began appearing on Khartoum roads in 1999. Since then, its numbers have multiplied and the vehicle has spread to other areas of Sudan.

Both vehicles have become popular among locals and foreigners. "I like it (the tuktuk) very much because you can sit inside it comfortably, not like a motorcycle (taxi) in Kampala," said Isaac Kisingani, a Ugandan working for UNMIS.

Tuktuks can be found in the southern capital of Juba, but few are in use due to poor roads. Most people use motorcycle taxis commonly known as boda-boda, which also easily avoid traffic and congestion.

So called for its rattling engine sound, the tuktuk's popularity has unfortunately sent the price soaring. "It used to cost 4,000 to 5,000 SDG ($1,700-$2,100), but these days it's gone up to 9,000 to 10,000 SDG ($3,800-$4,200), as it gained a market," said Mujait Zakani, a tuktuk driver in Khartoum's Haj Yousef area.

Tuktuk drivers also face a steep license fee of 1,200 SDG ($508) per year and road taxes of 30 SDG ($14) per month, levied on them by local authorities. Amjat drivers pay the same license fee, and pay 1 SDG at taxi stations around the city as road tax.

According to Mohammed Ali, a traffic police officer in Haj Yousef, tuktuks were also restricted to locations with less congestion and accidents, as some ignored road regulations.

Moreover, both vehicles are only legally authorized for short distances due to their insurance policies. "The amjat insurance policy covers only compensation of the taxi and driver in case of accident," noted Mr. Elias. "This is very risky for the passengers ... (who) will not be compensated."

Somewhat less convenient but more comfortable than the tuktuks and amjats are dispatch, meter taxis, introduced to the Khartoum market earlier this year. Rather than haggling with the driver about the fare, meters calculate the fee based on time and distance.

"We don't overcharge our customers based on their appearance," said Husssan Ali, dispatch director for Khartoum meter taxi services, referring to the tendency of some drivers to overcharge foreigners. "Our (fare) is automatically calculated by the machine."

The meter company now had 15 taxis spread throughout Khartoum, with 10 more on the way, said the dispatch director.

The taxis sport the slogan "Under your disposal around the clock", said Mr. Ali. "You just call them and they will available for you at any time."

Of course, meter taxis can become expensive when delayed in heavy traffic with the device ticking away and the pounds adding up.

But Mr. Ali said the company had put measures in place to ensure customers were not unduly charged in times of congestion. "Our drivers normally avoid such situations by taking less congested routes or short cuts to ensure no delay in a passenger's time."