Dubai – Mubasher: Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) on Sunday announced that it has teamed up with ride-hailing app Careem Networks Company (Careem) to launch an E-Hail Taxi Joint Venture (JV).
“The e-hail has become the most effective tool of matching the supply with demand, and offering clients a smooth experience in obtaining taxis,” Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the RTA's Board of Executive Directors, said.
The company’s name and logo will be announced in the coming few months, and it will meet customers’ needs starting from April 2019.
“This partnership is the first of its kind worldwide between a government transport authority and a private entity specialised in taxi e-hail business. It sets a model of an excellent partnership in running comprehensive public transport systems shared between the public and private sectors,” Al Tayer added.
The state-run entity noted that the e-hail taxi market for limousines will remain open without any changes.
The partnership comes along with the Smart Dubai initiative by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to turn the GCC emirate into the world’s smartest city.
The new company also supports Dubai’s Integrated Mobility Platform (S’Hail), which enables customers access to all transit means through a smart app by integrating RTA’s transit means including the metro, tram, buses, marine transport, and taxis, with the transit means provided by other parties in Dubai, such as limousine companies.
The authority will work on improving the efficiency of taxis through enhanced vehicle accessibility and online booking, along with reduced vehicle-waiting time.
It is worth noting that Careem was selected from five e-hail taxi companies operating in the global market, and it will see 10,843 taxis exclusively run for a limited period.
