Street-hailing taxis. DUBAI TAXI

80% of street-hailing taxis in Dubai shift to e-hailing

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has approved a plan for a gradual switch from traditional taxis' street-hail services to e-hail services, with an eye toward an acceptance rate of e-hail services of 80 percent over the following years. The choice was made due to the popularity of Hala e-hailing journeys, which, according to RTA's announcement on Sunday (March 19), will make up 30 percent of all taxi trips in Dubai by 2022. RTA stated in a recent press release that switching to an online booking cab service should reduce waiting times to under three and a half minutes, reducing wasted miles while cutting fuel usage and carbon emissions. "The expansion of taxi e-hail services, as opposed to street hailing, reinforces the government's goal of transforming Dubai into the world's smartest city," said Mattar Al Tayer, the RTA's Director-General. The expansion will include dedicated locations for e-hail services, additional parking spaces for both street-hail and e-hail taxis, and more parking for taxis in busy regions. In Dubai, Hala will be in charge of promoting the service, establishing a clientele, and putting in place driver incentives while the RTA dedicates a fleet to e-hail services. E-hailing has become the most effective way to provide consumers with hassle-free, effective taxi services by balancing supply and demand for taxis. Launched in 2019, 11 percent of all taxi trips were made using Hala. In 2021, it rose to 18 percent, and in 2022, 30 percent. Of the 11,662 taxis operating in Dubai in 2022, 105 million trips were completed.

How to e-hail taxis?

— Users must create a personal account and download the Careem app to their mobile devices. They can then confirm their pick-up location and select one of the available Hala vehicles. — Users must click the "Yalla" button to complete the booking after choosing the destination and desired payment method. — A text message with the driver's information and booking details will follow. The e-hail service offers many functions, including booking reservations in less than 10 seconds, finding the nearest car, and tracking the route in real time. The service also makes the procedure for drivers more efficient by enabling them to accept user requests through the e-hail system, eliminating the need for roaming. KD/Expat Media
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