No penalty for carpooling among friends, says RTA

No penalty for carpooling among friends, says RTA

  DUBAI – Following a crackdown on illegal “carlift” drivers in Dubai, the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) on Sunday (September 4) clarified the rule regarding carpooling in the emirate. The RTA said that Dubai residents may give a ride to relatives and friends as long as they do not charge money for it. Residents have raised concerns about being penalized after the RTA intensified its campaign against drivers offering illegal taxi services and put up notice boards in key areas. Some residents also said they have been stopped and questioned by RTA inspectors during random checks. “If friends and relatives are to be picked up or dropped off from and to the airport, people will not be penalized,” said Abdullah Yousuf Al Ali, CEO of RTA’s Public Transport Agency. Al Ali said that inspectors are trained to identify any suspicious illegal activity through an individual’s behaviour or body language. As a last resort, inspectors may also ask the driver or passenger to show proof of their relationship, he said. Those who feel they have been fined unfairly may file a complaint with RTA by calling 8009090. The RTA said that 7,126 offences related to illegal carlift services were recorded during the first half of the year alone. Dubai has issued a new law prohibiting the paid transport of passengers on vehicles not licensed for such activity within Dubai or from Dubai to any other emirate. The fine for individuals who provide carpooling services without a permit has been increased from Dh5,000 to Dh20,000 this year.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