Thousands of taxi drivers who have advanced hundreds of millions of Birr to a company offering to import vehicles remain disappointed a year after they were told to receive the cars.

Hello Taxi began offering to import and deliver disassembled vehicles last year, collecting up to 230,000 Br in advance payments and service charges from 5,000 drivers who signed up. Despite pledging to deliver within six months, the company has only managed to hand over 75 vehicles.

Established as a taxi-hailing service, the company forayed into vehicle imports last year. It wooed drivers in with an offer to import knocked-down vehicles, mainly from China, and assemble them locally in partnership with O'clock General Trading, founded by Ahmedin Abdella in 2006. It is availing vehicles for prices between 690,000 Br to 990,000 Br, depending on the model.

Hello Taxi's business model focuses on those looking to replace their signature blue-and-white LADA taxis. It coincides with the growth of ride-hailing services and the scramble to get involved in the lucrative business. There have been 40 ride-hailing companies, including Hello Taxi, over the last five years. Ride and Feres, the industry leaders, have enlisted more than 20,000 drivers.

Hello Taxi collected payments drivers who made down payments of between five percent and 25pc of the vehicle's value.

Mulugeta Dagu is one of the buyers left desperate after a year-long wait. He used to rent out his vehicle, a Toyota Vitz, to a driver on ride-hailing work. It brought him up to 15,000 Br a month for Mulugeta. However, when he heard tell of the opportunity offered by Hello Taxi, he sold his car and paid 25pc of the 690,000 Br. Mulugeta says Hello Taxi had an endorsement from the Ministry of Culture & Tourism convinced him it was a good deal.

"I'm losing hope," he told Fortune.

Many others like him have repeatedly approached the company, demanding information on the status of their vehicles but to no avail.

"Though we've asked the management to show us the bill of lading, they're not willing," said Tarekegn Ezezew, another buyer who has paid 235,000 Br.

The drivers wrote a letter to Hello Taxi two months ago. A petition with 68 signatures was also filed with the company but has received no response.

Daniel Yohannes, a founder of Hello Taxi, attributes the delays to the conflict in the north. He claims 200 vehicles were stranded in Meqelle, capital of Tigray Regional State, following the outbreak of civil war late last year.

"When the Ethiopian Defense Forces entered Meqelle, we requested the vehicles be transported with a military escort," he said. "But the fighting started again before this happened."