Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced a plan to gradually shift from conventional taxi street-hailing to e-hail services, with a target of an 80% adoption rate in the coming years. The success of Hala e-hailing rides, which accounted for 30% of all taxi trips in Dubai in 2022, underpins the plan. RTA intends to create a dedicated fleet of taxis that will exclusively offer e-hail services using specific mechanisms and performance indicators. The plan will also include the designation of zones where e-hail services are accessible, the allocation of parking spaces for both street-hail taxis and e-hail vehicles, and the expansion of parking availability in high-demand areas. Hala will promote the e-hail service by creating new channels to draw more users and implementing incentive initiatives for drivers. According to Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, e-hailing has emerged as the most efficient means of matching taxi supply with demand and providing customers with hassle-free, efficient taxi services.
Moreover, e-hailing services promote Dubai’s vision of becoming the world’s smartest city. The shift from street-hailed taxi trips to e-hailing services aligns with global practices of the industry, as demonstrated by Singapore, where 80% of taxi services are facilitated through e-hailing. The e-hail service streamlines the process of locating and booking rides electronically, leading to a higher percentage of trips with shorter waiting times of 3.5 minutes or less, thus increasing customer happiness and satisfaction while reducing wasted mileage, fuel consumption, and carbon emissions. Users can benefit from other features, such as seamless in-app e-payment, optimal route selection, trip-sharing options, access to driver and vehicle details, and the ability to rate both the service and the driver.
To use the e-hailing service, users must download the Careem app on their mobile devices, set up a personal account, choose Hala vehicles from the available options, and confirm their pick-up location. Once the destination and preferred payment method are selected, users can tap the ‘Yalla’ button to finalize the booking. The e-hail service provides a range of features, such as securing bookings in less than 10 seconds, locating the closest available vehicle, and monitoring the journey in real-time. Additionally, the service streamlines the process for drivers by allowing them to receive user requests via the e-hail system, eliminating the need for roaming.
In other news, Udrive, the dedicated pay-per-minute car rental platform, launched a new dedicated fleet for residents and tourists looking to explore recreational, cultural and natural attractions in Hatta in February. The service has been launched in partnership with Dubai’s RTA and Dubai Holding to bring exclusive offers to the community.