The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai has announced the expansion of its taxi ride-sharing service for a six-month trial period.
The pilot will extend the initiative that began last year, connecting Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai to Al Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi, which has seen strong public demand from various segments of society as an easy, fast, and cost-effective transportation option.
Adel Shakri, Director of Planning and Business Development at the RTA’s Public Transport Agency, said: “Since its launch last year, the service has seen a 228% growth in passengers using it to travel between the two emirates. This success encouraged us to expand the service experimentally to include new routes: from Al Maktoum International Airport to Dubai Marina Mall; from Business Bay Metro Station to Palm Jumeirah Atlantis Monorail Station; and from Dubai World Trade Centre to Business Bay Metro Station and Satwa Bus Station to Dubai Marina Mall.”
Shakri added that the new locations were selected based on field studies and practical analysis of potential routes to reduce fares for passengers, especially frequent users of taxi ride-sharing services.
The initiative aims to reduce traffic congestion by encouraging multiple passengers to share a single taxi, improving traffic flow and providing environmental benefits, such as lowering the carbon footprint. It also addresses unlicensed transportation while offering safe, smooth, and comfortable travel, with taxis equipped with cameras connected to the Operations Control Centre and monitoring systems to track driver performance and ensure passenger safety.
